Except "ruining fun" is exactly why I dislike it when people use that word. It ruins my fun. It sucks the fun out of a game like oxygen through a blown airlock. Being ***** was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and I don't like to be reminded of it when I'm supposed to be enjoying myself. Imagine if someone captured your flag or dominated you in deathmatch, then rubbed in your face how your sister was killed by a drunk driver or your dad abandoned you when you were little. That's how close it cuts. People keep using the word "offended," in this discussion -- I'm not offended, I'm hurt. Hearing this word causes me emotional pain.
I mean obviously it's horrible that his pain is triggered by the word '****', but couldn't 'you're killing him' or 'you ****ed him up' trigger similiar post traumatic stress disorders in other people? Or maybe someone is triggered by something else entirely: a smell, a taste, a sound, or whatever. You can't control for every trigger possible. Sometimes it is going to happen.
And he's talking about **** in his article. You hear '****' on the TV everyday. You see it in the newspaper everyday. People get ***** in movies, ads on TV constantly remind one of the dangers of ****, I've been to several anti-**** seminars. Let's face it, **** is everywhere.
He says he can avoid **** triggers in other media, so I understand that the fact it is inserted into what could easily be a **** trigger free environment is disconcerting. However, if he is bombarded constantly with **** media, couldn't he just mute these kids on x-box live like he mutes the TV?
It may be different at a smash tournament because you can't mute someone in real life. But I'm sure if one tells people at the tournament site (though I'm sure this could definitely cause some ostracization) to stop using such language around oneself, one would be fine.
I don't know how I stand on the issue. It's a hard thing. Language is so complex and evolving, a word can mean entirely different things in different contexts. 'gay', 'cracker', '***', 'nasty'; these words can be positive, neutral, and possibly negative.
Trying to stop the evolution of language artificially can be a dangerous thing. When you essentially tell people what words they can use to express themselves; you are no longer in a free society. But at the same time, perhaps it is worth it. Losing a little freedom for a happier population.
edit: thanks, bing
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