Is "Thug" the New "N" Word today?

Discussion in 'Evolution of Language' started by Avigail David, Jun 5, 2015.

  1. Avigail David

    Avigail David Veteran Member
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    Social justice has become so frustrating these days! Depending on whose justice any social group, which has political agenda, are clamoring and crying out loud for. Instead of the government working on providing security, peace and safety, defending the defenseless and the poverty-stricken, American culture has gone crazy with politicizing about what is the right word and not the right word to express an opinion of ... anything obviously worth making an opinion of. Has American people gone mad? Where are all our good people who can speak the truth and not get mogged, stoned at, and killed for?

    Depravity. Yes, that's what it is. America isn't what it nobly used to be. Did all these racial, sexist tension (Hillary) come from the White House? Because the prez and his first lady are 'colored'? (Whatever that means).

    I looked at "Thug". And it's most convenient. I hear young people say it at random without thinking what and where the noun came from. Because I think, also, we (not me, uh-uh!) have lost the true meaning of words for how they were described and termed to mean.

    Thug-- cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer.
    (sometimes initial capital letter) one of a former group of professional robbers and murderers in India who strangled their victims.

    Or like, "terrorist", "riot", "racist","murderers" or whatever political-correctness people acquire the stamp of approval to say. A lot of words have been watered down or overly rated as "illegal". Example, if you do not vote for Clinton, the woman of course, you will be jailed for being sexist. Maybe not.

    Do you have any frustrations you'd like to voice out? Now is your chance. As long as you maintain a high level of intelligence without being inflammatory and defamatory. Simply, be polite and respectful. Give every one the chance to speak as you and I have been given that privilege. That's all.

    Here's some fun stuff to watch. Ken, please nudge me if I did something wrong in linking this satirical video by Steve Crowder.
     
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  2. Clark Smith

    Clark Smith Veteran Member
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    It's likely yes, even tough they have different meanings. The N word in the past was meant like as a common "nickname" inside the black community.while the thug word now is more like an internet viral word which is used to describe someone who acts like a guy from the hood while he's not.
     
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  3. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    The word "thug" has long been used to describe people according to their actions, not their race.
     
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  4. Jorge Ruiz

    Jorge Ruiz Veteran Member
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    Hey all.

    English is such a lovely language, offering us between 600 and 900,000 words to express our thoughts. However, it is also a language that has always been used to identify, stratify the people who use it. From using the Queen's (or King's) English (okay, Queen's, haven't had a King for a good long time, and considering the longevity of her family, probably won't have for several more years) to using street talk, English use has always marked who you are, where you are from, how much you make or don't make, etc.

    I don't use English on a daily basis (many of you know that I live in Spain) and don't follow trends or news in English speaking countries, much less the US, from which I voluntarily exiled myself over a quarter of a century ago (one of the advantages we have as we grow older-- being able to use expressions like "quarter of a century" or "half a century" in reference to our very own life experiences! ha). I would not be surprised that any word, like "thug" would suddenly become politically incorrect.

    When I first began watching Saturday Night Live back in the '70s I found the humor wonderful, sometimes irreverent but always good fun. I've recently begun catching up on the past quarter of a century's worth of sketches and was mildly surprised that a word like "bitch" could be used-- in the '70s that never happened, I think maybe Jane Curtain used it once or twice to Gilda, but I've recently seen one sketch where "bitch" was the key word. Times change, values change and with them, attitudes towards word use.

    Where once people were scandalized when Rhett told Scarlet that he didn't give a damn on the silver screen, only forty years later (not quite half a century!) we had a 12-year-old in a bed, slashing at her privates with a crucifix and shouting "let Jesus f**k you" and no one seemed to bat an eye.

    No one will have said it better, nor will say it better than George Carlin. Look for his seven dirty word videos on YouTube. His comments are just as valid today as they were when senseless censorship ruled in that great country of "freedom of speech".

    peace,
    revel.
     
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  5. John Donovan

    John Donovan Veteran Member
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    Nope. In fact, given how much use the "N" word is getting in our days, both in real life (especially by children; even white ones refer to other white ones as the "N" word, which I find really strange) and in media or entertainment, I'd say that the "N" word is as popular nowadays as ever.
     
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  6. Jennifer Graves

    Jennifer Graves Veteran Member
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    For so many years I have heard from people, black and white alike, that the N-word has nothing to do with race. A white person can be one as quick as a black person. Its all about someone's behavior and attitude. Actually, they make it sound very similar to the word "thug". When I hear "thug", I always think about a bully. I'm not sure why that's the first thing that pops up in my head. But its just what I always picture.
     
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