Yes, and I'm sorry if I was unclear: I'm not saying that jokes about mentally disabled people, or using the word "retarded", are always 100% unethical regardless of context. I agree, there are contexts in which they would be entirely appropriate.
I'm saying that they are unethical in the context in which they are used. The specific context I was thinking of is online discussions, especially in the culture which has grown up around gaming etc. There are two reasons I think it's unethical: (a) There may actually be mentally disabled people present (ok, it's unlikely in any given conversation, but I'm sure there's plenty in the gaming etc culture in general) (b) It encourages a pre-existing belittling and insulting attitude towards the mentally disabled which then manifests itself in society as mistreatment and predjudice. e.g. Anti semetic jokes are still racist and not-ok when there's no jews around :P
However, as soon as you punch the retard itself (yes I went there)
Wow, you're nearly as edgy as Mark Millar :P
Also, was that meant to be a clip from a "Die Hard" movie? Your comment makes a lot more sense to me if I assume you meant to use the clip from "The Office" with that Chris Rock joke in (which illustrates your point quite well)
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I'm saying that they are unethical in the context in which they are used. The specific context I was thinking of is online discussions, especially in the culture which has grown up around gaming etc. There are two reasons I think it's unethical:
(a) There may actually be mentally disabled people present (ok, it's unlikely in any given conversation, but I'm sure there's plenty in the gaming etc culture in general)
(b) It encourages a pre-existing belittling and insulting attitude towards the mentally disabled which then manifests itself in society as mistreatment and predjudice. e.g. Anti semetic jokes are still racist and not-ok when there's no jews around :P
However, as soon as you punch the retard itself (yes I went there)
Wow, you're nearly as edgy as Mark Millar :P
Also, was that meant to be a clip from a "Die Hard" movie? Your comment makes a lot more sense to me if I assume you meant to use the clip from "The Office" with that Chris Rock joke in (which illustrates your point quite well)