You need to be on a topic to digress onto a tangent. I really like the word. I actually have a children's story where a creature's name is Random Tangent. He put words into the protagonist's mouth that created trouble. I never got it into publishable shape, but it could be at a later date. Who knows?
Anyway, I have a blog about autism, which I try to keep somewhat on topic with posts about autism in general or about the craziness that my daughters, who both have autism, and I are up to. That's why I created this blog to cover all of the other random thoughts that I have. (hence the title!)
Which reminds me: I really dislike when people say that someone is autistic. Things are autistic, people have autism. I used to say it a bunch when my daughters were first diagnosed, but it really began to get on my nerves after a while. You may think I'm being too politically correct, but that's okay, I feel you are entitled to your opinion. I'm nice like that.
I am near-sighted, have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, take anti-depressants, and have the occasional migraine. However, no one introduces me by listing my medical conditions. No one says, "Hey, this is depressed Laura," or, "Here's my near-sighted friend, Laura."
Another pet peeve (where does that saying come from anyway?) is calling things "retarded". Again, back in the day, I was guilty of using this word incorrectly. I've since changed my ignorant ways.
Let's say your overweight. Would you like it, if when you were around me, I called everything I didn't like "fat"? Then when you protest, I'd say, "Oh, I didn't mean it in a bad way. You know, I just meant lazy, disgusting, worthless, vile, etc.".
Because that's exactly how I interpret it when people say something like, "That's so retarded!"; I then inform them that I don't like the way they incorrectly used the word and that I find it offensive. They generally proceed to cram their foot right past their lips and down into their esophagus by replying, "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. I meant stupid (or dumb or some other synonym with a negative connotation)."
Oh, well, that makes it okay! You think people that are mentally retarded are stupid and dumb. My apologies for wrongly taking offense! (yes, for those of you who are wondering, I am being facetious)
If you don't get it now, you probably never will unless someone close to you is affected with a learning disability.
A closing disclaimer: I love to use parenthetical expressions and ellipses. (even when they aren't grammatically correct...)
Dear Rene Angelil
8 years ago
Dude, I was going to write about this very thing. I was thinking about it last night! Hahaha. It's been bugging me too, and you know I have also been guilty of it. Ignorance is only an excuse for so long. I don't know what pleasure someone would get from insisting on saying things like that, yet I know people who do.
ReplyDeleteI actually worked with someone who would say, "That is so gay." When we told him it was offensive he said, "Oh, I didn't mean gay like homosexual, I meant like... bad."
Ohh, that is much better!
How about introducing people like that though? Maybe we should start doing that to the main offenders until they see the point. "Oh, this is my pissy anorexic friend Erica, and her impotent boyfriend Joey." It might help some people get the hint. Hahaha.
People generally do one of these things when I tell them that I find calling things retarded offensive: apologize and change the topic; say that they didn't mean it "like that"; or blow it off and imply that I'm the one who is being an inconsiderate a**hole. :)
ReplyDelete