It looks like it’s prepaid only

That’s a great point, but I don’t see how that would justify using this specific word.

Well then I think we’re pretty far off topic from what the OP was talking about. Lots of people use the r word, and other similar words, as general insults or derogatory words. And that’s not OK, since it implies that it’s bad to have a condition you couldn’t control and didn’t choose.

As for clinical settings, I’m sure they have their own rules about how to talk both to and about people. I can’t speak to that, as I’m not in any of those settings.

And when in my personal life I refer to people with mental disabilities, I’m sure there are both kinder and more specific ways to describe someone’s situation.

If I translated it to hindi or german or swahili it wouldn’t mean anything [to you]

Well, yeah. There may not be a word in those languages with the same connotations, and yeah, obviously I wouldn’t understand them if there were. But all language is contextual. We’re currently talking about english - and I’m specifically talking about United States English because that is what I speak.

Censorship wouldn’t be my choice - and in any case I believe what’s being advocated for here by the OP is social disapproval - but yeah, in the context of the internet I would refrain from using words that could hurt people when it was not my intention to hurt them.

Around strangers, coworkers, or really anyone you don’t know well a similar policy would tend to apply. Even with friends, I wouldn’t want to encourage a culture of being callous with the words I use.

There are so many other ways to express whatever sentiment you’re trying to express, why would you reach for a word that implies that some people are less than others? I’m referring to it in its use as an insult or derogatory word, of course, since technical language has its place and institutions will generally choose whatever language fits their needs. I can’t assess their situation because I’m not involved.

Unfortunately I hear it from liberals frequently. Not to be confused with leftists, who are mostly a little more aware.

I think it’s more about the idea that it’s shameful to be less able than someone else. The core idea here is that there’s nothing wrong with being less intelligent than average, and calling out people’s choice of words is only one part of that.

It’s like when people make fun of Trump’s weight/diet or RFK Jr.'s voice. I dislike those two just as much as the next person, but there’s nothing immoral or shameful about having a vocal condition, being overweight, or having a monotonous diet. And any health concerns (e.g. weight) should be left between a person and their doctor.

If you choose to make those things a subject of your ridicule, all it does is mark you as a shallow person, and I’m probably going to tune you out as someone who doesn’t have anything of substance to say.

People with cognitive delays are just as human and just as valuable as anyone else

Precisely! 100% agree.

I also want to add that I don’t disagree with people who say that there’s a cyclical pattern with words becoming taboo and being replaced. That’s obviously a fact. But the fact that language evolves doesn’t give us license to be assholes.

Ultimately, the only thing that will improve things is educating the average person about the topic. But calling out ableist language - whether the person using such language intends that meaning or not - is often a good starting point for education (for those willing to learn.)

Also, what most people don’t understand is that developmental delays and cognitive deficiencies are a spectrum and can occur across different types of cognition. For example, I’m what today you might call “doubly special” - I was far ahead in some areas but far behind in others. I still am, to a degree.

So should people use the names for people like me to refer to assholes who intentionally hurt other people’s feelings? I certainly wouldn’t like it if they did. Regardless of how much I might accidentally piss people off or hurt their feelings, it’s rarely my intention to make people feel that way and and I’d rather not have someone else’s moral failing conflated with my struggle to communicate in ways most people understand.

I don’t think anyone is saying that clinical language doesn’t have a use. If anything, it’s the use of these words as general-purpose insults that makes them unfit for clinical use, not the other way around.

The word doesn’t matter, it’s the intent.

Eh, maybe, but words communicate intent. By stigmatizing certain messaging - which can include both reserving certain words for only certain use cases and also shaming people who express bigotry regardless of what word they happen to choose - we communicate to third party observers that such views are not welcome in our society. Will it change the mind of the person using those words? Probably not, but avoiding hurtful words still has a great deal of positive social utility.

There is also a weird 3d pretzel pyramid type thing it could be. The two points in the middle would be pointed upward out of the plane, with the outer hexagon being the base of the “pyramid.”

It’s kind of a staple here (Southern US). I definitely knew people growing up who, if you opened their fridge, you would always find a jug of sweet iced tea in there.

I mean, pretty much any treat or luxury would be, yeah.

It is American, yes, but it’s not an abomination. You just brew tea (typically a black tea), add sugar, chill, and serve over ice. It makes a lot more sense than hot tea when you live in a warm climate.

Yeah? Maybe we mean different things when we say that word though.

To me, I mean that I enjoy food the way other people enjoy whatever it is that they’re passionate about. So I have a few fancy kitchen gadgets and a well-stocked spice cabinet, and I’d budget for and save for a trip to a nice restaurant the way other people budget for sneakers or makeup or whatever. I don’t think that’s a weird thing to ‘admit.’

I’m a foodie and I make those kinds of meals. I just probably use more spices than average.

Fair enough. But your coffee probably does taste like other people’s coffee smells

If coffee doesn’t taste like it smells, you need better coffee

I do and it’s why I can’t drink coffee 😭

(They’re prescribed dw)

You’re all thinking too two-dimensionally. Clearly the people are being instructed to arrange themselves into a tetrahedron.

Fair enough, but if they can navigate a gui that’s good enough for most workplaces.