andrewducker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
andrewducker) wrote2006-09-10 09:52 pm
andrewducker) wrote2006-09-10 09:52 pm
Offensiveness (request for comments)
I posted an entry earlier today with this LJ Icon.
It's not a nice LJ icon.
It's clearly offensive.
In fact the keyword for this icon is Offensive.
And![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
prynne asked me if I could be convinced to delete it. Her reason being that it contains the word "retarded", and she objects to that word (link now public).
I don't disagree that it's an offensive word. I'd certainly never use it in normal conversation.
But then I'd never say any of the things in the icon. It's there, largely, as a list of things _I_ find offensive.
And I think, myself, that it serves a purpose of saying that "Andrew finds all of these statements offensive, and wouldn't care to hear them from people around him."
In particular, it says "Goths are Retarded", which I _clearly_ can't mean, as I have numerous friends who are, or have been goths, and I've seen the Sisters of Mercy live three times, and have a large collection of black t-shirts. Nobody that knows me could in any way think I mean it as something other than "Here are things that highlight idiots when they say them."
But it's not necessarily obvious from the icon. You could read it as "Here are things Andy believes." if you didn't know me very well. You could more easily read it as "Here are things Andy finds amusing."
Knowing the internet like I do, I know that it's very easy not to recognise irony ("Saying one thing and meaning something quite different"). Many's the time I've made a comment intended to be taking as silliness and had it taken seriously.
So should I take it down? Should I depend on my audience to realise what it means?
It's not a nice LJ icon.
It's clearly offensive.
In fact the keyword for this icon is Offensive.
And
prynne asked me if I could be convinced to delete it. Her reason being that it contains the word "retarded", and she objects to that word (link now public).I don't disagree that it's an offensive word. I'd certainly never use it in normal conversation.
But then I'd never say any of the things in the icon. It's there, largely, as a list of things _I_ find offensive.
And I think, myself, that it serves a purpose of saying that "Andrew finds all of these statements offensive, and wouldn't care to hear them from people around him."
In particular, it says "Goths are Retarded", which I _clearly_ can't mean, as I have numerous friends who are, or have been goths, and I've seen the Sisters of Mercy live three times, and have a large collection of black t-shirts. Nobody that knows me could in any way think I mean it as something other than "Here are things that highlight idiots when they say them."
But it's not necessarily obvious from the icon. You could read it as "Here are things Andy believes." if you didn't know me very well. You could more easily read it as "Here are things Andy finds amusing."
Knowing the internet like I do, I know that it's very easy not to recognise irony ("Saying one thing and meaning something quite different"). Many's the time I've made a comment intended to be taking as silliness and had it taken seriously.
So should I take it down? Should I depend on my audience to realise what it means?
no subject
Nope. Not at all. I don't really think like that. I saw it, thought it was cool/funny, and snagged it without any thought that I might have to some day actually justify liking it. I know that it sounds wierd, but when I choose to wear a t-shirt (or whatever) it's rarely in a "I bet people will like me more/think I'm funnier because I'm wearing it" sense, but in a "Heh, I love this t-shirt." way. I bear in mind where I'm wearing it (work, generally outside or place full of ironic people with high offensiveness appreciation) because I've learned that some things aren't appropriate for certain places, and can't be arsed with the hassle.
To be honest, if I'd known I was some day going to have to justify using it, I probably wouldn't have taken it in the first place. I didn't like it _that_ much.
Oh, and to clarify, I'm not making a big deal out of "I can't believe someone was offended!!!", because I expect people to be occasionally offended. I was specifically asking for advice on where people thought my responsibilities lay, and what others thought was a morally right thing to do. Because having thought about it, I found myself unsure, and thought that more input might help me clarify my thoughts. Which it has done.