So I have this pesky little habit. I have this word that is part of my (nearly) daily vernacular that I find slips out at the most inopportune times. It is a word I use around my family all the time but find that when I use it in "mixed company" that I am actually embarrassed that I just said it. So, here it is....I use the word retarded. When I think something in stupid, lame, ridiculous, asinine, or otherwise without merit I often call it retarded. (I didn't even have to use a thesaurus to come up with all those synonyms, which leads to wonder why if I know so many words that retarded is always the one that springs to mind....) Now mind you, I am always talking about some THING when I use the word (like how retarded it is that I have to pay to park when I've already paid to eat and shop.....) and never about a person. But for some reason when I utter my politically incorrect adjective around the playgroup mommies an awkward hush falls over the room.
Now I was having this conversation with Ryan tonight about my bad little habit and he seems to think that the word stupid is actually more politically incorrect than retarded. I'm still leaning towards retarded being less socially acceptable in mixed company though. Maybe I'll just start saying that things are mentally challenged.
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In fact we were talking about it in the car, and I commented that you could blog about it, and then I said you could even blog about the fact that we were talking about blogging about it. You said I could do that instead. Well I'm just going to leave this ambiguous and somewhat esoteric and enigmatic comment instead.
I'm in the same boat. I use the word retarded and then catch myself thinking I really need to find a new adjective for that.
I agree with you; I think "stupid" is more acceptable than "retarded." On about the same level, though, I find it offensive that my students always use the word "gay" to mean "stupid." I had to have a little chat with one of my classes yesterday about how they were using the word inappropriately and how they needed to stop. I think some of them actually listened!
Wow-never even thought about it.
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