2005-12-08
foul language
Over at Pax Nortana [I've been spending a lot of time there lately] is an arguement about the use of the word "Crazy". Appearntly, a woman used the word while refering to someone else. She got called on it. She defended herself back by saying that this was merely an "epithet" and, as usch, was no different than if she had used "wingnut" or "wacky neighbor". She went farther, indicating that she "...meant to characterize [the other person] as eccentric, erratic, and/or irrational... and defended criticisim of her use of the word "crazy" as "...perverse (one might even say “crazy”) to pathologize such common human traits."
My own thoughts on the matter:
Mind you, I'm not trying to impose PC speech restrictions. As noted, there can and are times when using words like "crazy," "queer" or even the N-word are apt. Just cautioning the importance of people actually thinking about what they say before they speak it.
I'll now get off the soapbox. ¶ 08:23
My own thoughts on the matter:
An epithet? Do you mean “…a defamatory or abusive word or phrase…”? I don’t know the context of the arguement, but when abusive comes up in the meaning, even second hand, it seems as though the point was not to provide clarity to an issue, but to defame, to debase, marginalize the other party. Perhaps the use of “crazy”, then, served it’s intended purpose.In the comments section Joel relates an experience he had when a woman diagnosed with schizophrenia questioned his use of "crazy". He thought about it agreed it was inappropriate and was more thoughtful of how he used the word in the future.
One does not have to be a clinician to use the word “crazy” in a manner that is intended to negatively characterize another. I work in a maximum security psychiatric facility and, unfortunately, I hear clinicians frequently use the word and, yes, they intend the listener interpret it as a diagnostic ..albeit a horribly inarticulate one.
On the other hand, my own belief is that the term “crazy” can and ought to be used by those labeled, rather the same way the N-word and “Queer” get utilized by members of the target groups; in a reverse, in-your-face out-and-proud kind of way.
So, to get personal, based upon my life history and present circumstances I could call myself a “crazy queer” but someone else who had never been identified in either of those groups, could not.
Words, and their use are powerful and sometime hurtful tools that mental health system clinical personnel use in a disparaging way. Likewise, and it’s only rarely challenged, the general populace uses words against citizens with psychiartic disabilities without thought or concern as to how deep and hurtful the use of a particular epithet can be. At times, words, such as "crazy" are intended to pathologize.
I know of many times where people have used words such as “Crazy” or “Queer” when refering to others and knew that their purpose was to demean and render invalid comments and values of those who were so addressed or referred to.
Never underestimate the power of words. The spoken language, like the pen, can be more powerful and damaging than any blunt instrument.
Mind you, I'm not trying to impose PC speech restrictions. As noted, there can and are times when using words like "crazy," "queer" or even the N-word are apt. Just cautioning the importance of people actually thinking about what they say before they speak it.
I'll now get off the soapbox. ¶ 08:23
