Something that annoys me..?

Question

When people who aren't even black say n*gga. I don't have to ask why they say it, its just another word for homie/friend and they are most definetly influenced by hiphop I know. I've just noticed a whole lot of people in my generation say that word so much and they aren't even black, I can tell they just use it as an every day word so they say it subconciously. But I just see it as plain wrong, and to to me if you aren't black and you say that word you sound like your trying to act like a certain group/race that your not (poser) and you sound more fake to me.

I just want all your honest opinions on this. I know Generation X and Y use this word alot. And I especially want to know how blacks feel about this. Do you feel offended? Please let me now!

thanks

Answer 1

It's got some negative publicity attached to that word. It's like going around saying Hitler, KKK, *******, or chink.

There really shouldn't be anything wrong with it, but people gave it a negative definition.

The same thing goes for the middle finger. Dane Cook was doing a comedy skit and asking, "Who invented the middle finger?"

Why is the middle finger offensive? Who created it and where everyone knows that it means something derogatory and insulting for "F*ck you"?

Because people chose to create a Symbol that is meant to insult people, that's what is used. However, before anyone knew about it and even children who didn't know about it, it had no meaning until Society assigned one.

From a Sociological Perspective, it's possible to "dismantle" to unlearn things. For example, some women who suffer from Post Traumatic Syndrome after being raped will unconsciously develop animosity toward men who remind them of their rapist.

In order to break the chain, you have to change the definition and start associating good thoughts or good definitions to balance it out.

You see this with cities and establishments that seek to change their image. When a certain image is attached to them, they try to change it by pushing out new information or propaganda to combat the negative stigma being attached to them.

For example, I'm from the Seattle Area and people used to make fun of the city of Tacoma because of the Paper Mill. That plant would would give off a horrible smell. People started nicknaming it the "Tacoma Aroma." That's a negative image being associated with the city.

Make-overs are constantly done with peoplea and it can be done with corporations. If people really wanted to break the chain when it comes to such words as n*gga, KKK, and Hitler, the solution is to change the definition so that it means something else.

For example, if everyone in society changed the definition of KKK to mean 3K meaning CK to mean Clark Kent (CK) for Superman, that's altering the definition by plugging in a Good Symbol to stamp out the bad one.

If you could find a way to change the definition of N*gga to to mean something else, over time the offensive term would get stamped out.

For example, did you know that the "Coca" in Coca-Cola is because Coke really did Cocaine in their formula? It's no longer used and people don't think much about it now. However, when you say that product, it does refer to narcotics.

The definition has just been lost or forgotten. When people drink Coke, you don't see anyone accusing them of being cocaine addicts. That's an example of how Coca-Cola succeeded in changing their symbol so that it doesn't mean something bad.

While this may be trivial and where people can just avoid saying it all together, avoiding the mention of it creates taboo, which can turn around and give more power and attach an even stronger negative definition to it since people don't use it.

The physical evidence of this is seen in Apparel over the last 100 years. 100 years ago, women were considered slutty or scandalous if their dresses showed their ankles.

In "Far and Away," you see Nicole Kidman sitting on the boat with her legs crossed and men are stealing looks at her revealed ankle until Tom Cruise points it out to her.

60 years ago, hemlines that were above the knees were considered trampy and lewd. You see in "Mr. Holland's Opus" how William H. Macy as the Vice-Principal has two girls get down on their knees to see if their skirts are too short. Then he sends them home for having inappropriate attire.

Today, you've got girls wearing hip huggers and thongs. It's not really that much of a deal because we've had enough exposure to it.

In the 1950s, Playboy was considered smutty. Now you've got all kinds of Adult Magazines that are more brazen and where Playboy is considered "tame" compared to pictorials where there's full-fledged sex portrayed in "smut magazines." Playboy in certain circles is sometimes revered as being tasteful and a honor for women if they're chosen.

Conservatives from a Puritan Background would classify this as "Moral Decay." However, on another level, it could be deemed as a sign of maturity in the sense that people can manage their more primal instincts or realize that there's a time and place when they can act out their fantasies in private.

Even though some conservatives would feel it's bad, exposure to sexual elements and knowing how to develop self-restraint and managing one's sexual desires is actually better in the long run when it comes to the overall Spiritual Maturity of Society.

In Europe, you see sex all the time. Nudity is not as much of a big deal to them. However, they shun violence. America, on the other hand, goes in the other direction where they shun nudity and sex but they're fine with exposing children to violence.

Whatever you teach your children will stay with them. Personally, I'd rather have children learning about the Adult World rather than watching violent horror movies that teach them all the different ways you can dismember a human body.

But I digress...

In answer to your question though, n*gga shouldn't be an offensive term and people shouldn't have a problem with it. However, people choose to have a problem with it and certain individuals continue to reinforce the definition prescribed to it, which creates animosity and solidifies its presence.

Until all of Society makes a conscious effort to redefine what "bad words" mean in order to break the chain, they'll continue to be used as words of hate that can injure people.

Answer 2

Dude, I don't go around saying n!gga, n!gger or w/e, it's an offensive term. It doesn't make you a poser it makes you look stupid! Why on earth would someone that's at little bit "normal" wanna use a word used to discriminate a whole race?? They defenitely wanna get shot... I think we should completely wipe out that word of our vocabulary! Or at least prevent whites from saying it (if the blacks wanna say it be my guest don't complain later about discrimination) we whities should say cracka instead as in "wzzup cracka? hows it b in da 'burbs?"

Answer 3

Not that I agree with people using this word, but as Lenny Bruce once said " if you go around yelling "F#@k, F#@k, F#@k. ****** ****** ******, ***** ***** *****" eventually those words lose there power." he was right too. Can you imagine hereing the word ***** on television 15 years ago? and now it's on Desperate House Wives" the number one show in America, at least 10 times an episode.

Answer 4

The word has always bothered me, whether spoken by blacks or any other race. I seriously doubt that anyone anytime soon is going to start calling each other "Hitla!" as a sign of endearment. What it means is just plain wrong and no amount of ascribing a meaning that you now WANT it to have changes that fact. (I'm caucasian).

Answer 5

its a word, just a word ,and nothing but a word . in this country with FREEDOM OF SPEECH but apearently some small brained people seem to think its a big deal. its got to be so terriable to be called a slang word. everybody run the sky is falling.you and all the other simpletons. get a life! oh boo hoo i got called a slang word. and if its such a cruel word why do blacks say it to blacks.

Answer 6

That's a repulsive word to me. I'm offended by whoever says it....white or black.

Answer 7

I don't think it is polite,especially if others are offended. it definitely, IS NOT COOL!
maybe all the African American people can start saying -----dude!

Answer 8

I don't like hearing that word.