# Can we stop calling things done intentionally "mistakes?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859 "2019-12-14T17:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/1 "2019-12-14T17:10:18Z")
I just finished reading this article ( [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/man-slaps-reporter-arrest.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/man-slaps-reporter-arrest.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage) ) about a man in a foot race spanking a (female) reporters butt as he ran by and see that part of his apology included describing it as a mistake. Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/2 "2019-12-14T17:14:19Z")
For years, I have been calling “accidents” (such as traffic accidents) —“stupids.” "I see flashing red and blue lights up ahead, and everyone is slowing down. Must be another ‘stupid.’ The “mistake” in the OP would definitely qualify as a “stupid.” ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/3 "2019-12-14T17:21:58Z")
> [@](#): > > mistake > noun > > 1 : a wrong judgment : misunderstanding > 2 : a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgment, inadequate knowledge, or inattention We could, but we wont. The “faulty judgment” sense is too well established to be eradicated, and too useful. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/4 "2019-12-14T17:39:29Z")
> [@2Bits](#): > > I just finished reading this article ( [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/man-slaps-reporter-arrest.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/man-slaps-reporter-arrest.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage) ) about a man in a foot race spanking a (female) reporters butt as he ran by and see that part of his apology included describing it as a mistake. > > Bullshit. Paywalled, but a national news story for those who didn’t see it. I saw this quote from another source. > [@Thomas Callaway](#): > > “I was getting ready to bring my hands up and wave to the camera to the audience; there was a misjudge in character and decision-making,” he added. > [@VOW](#): > > For years, I have been calling “accidents” (such as traffic accidents) —“stupids.” We used to be dispatched for MVAs - (Motor Vehicle Accident). Some time back they changed it to MVC - (Motor Vehicle _Collision_). ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/5 "2019-12-14T17:48:06Z")
A mistake is when you drive up a one-way street the wrong way. You have to go out of your way to accomplish this sort of jackassery. If he’d kept his hands to himself and concentrated on running the race, he’s still have a job and prospects. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/6 "2019-12-14T17:52:26Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > A mistake is when you drive up a one-way street the wrong way. You have to go out of your way to accomplish this sort of jackassery. If he’d kept his hands to himself and concentrated on running the race, he’s still have a job and prospects. Did he lose his job? ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/7 "2019-12-14T17:59:50Z")
Probably not yet, but his prospects of keeping it can’t be good, especially if his contract has anything about ‘behavior likely to bring the company into disrepute’. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/8 "2019-12-14T18:22:35Z")
It said in the article that the woman has Gloria Allred as her lawyer, that seems kind of weird to hire a high-powered attorney for what? The guy has been charged, presumably he will be prosecuted. Does that mean she plans on suing her employer or something too? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/9 "2019-12-14T19:01:33Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > Probably not yet, but his prospects of keeping it can’t be good, especially if his contract has anything about ‘behavior likely to bring the company into disrepute’. The news articles I saw said he is a youth minister, so I’m not sure if that is his primary job or just something he does. I’m assuming they’d be more forgiving than a lot of other employers. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/10 "2019-12-14T19:18:40Z")
> [@pool](#): > > The news articles I saw said he is a youth minister, so I’m not sure if that is his primary job or just something he does. I’m assuming **they’d be more forgiving** than a lot of other employers. It should be _less_ forgiving. I coach at a local high school. Besides being fingerprinted and background checked by the DOJ, I’m also a mandated reporter. This kind of behavior would not only get me fired immediately, I would be barred from working with youth permanently. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/11 "2019-12-14T19:25:58Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It should be _less_ forgiving. I coach at a local high school. Besides being fingerprinted and background checked by the DOJ, I’m also a mandated reporter. > This kind of behavior would not only get me fired immediately, I would be barred from working with youth permanently. Yeah of course this guy lives in Georgia so… Plus I doubt a church has as stringent regulations as a public school. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/12 "2019-12-14T19:34:00Z")
Here is a photo of the exact moment of the contact: [![](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F2883c6a0-1dbb-11ea-8556-8cb7c08c0f76.jpg?crop=1596%2C898%2C312%2C83&resize=1200) ](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F2883c6a0-1dbb-11ea-8556-8cb7c08c0f76.jpg?crop=1596%2C898%2C312%2C83&resize=1200) and the video: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tWESDbYDqsE/maxresdefault.jpg "Who’s the Man Who Slapped Reporter Live on Air?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWESDbYDqsE) ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/13 "2019-12-14T19:49:01Z")
If that isn’t a mistake, what is it? Do you believe a mistake has to be unintentional? ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/14 "2019-12-14T20:01:17Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > If that isn’t a mistake, what is it? Do you believe a mistake has to be unintentional? You’re correct. I am probably conflating “mistake” with “accident.” There’s still something about the use of the word “mistake “ in contexts like this one that doesn’t seem accurate to me. “I was an asshole,” sounds accurate. “I made a mistake” sounds like regret at being caught. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/15 "2019-12-15T00:22:04Z")
> [@pool](#): > > The news articles I saw said he is a youth minister, so I’m not sure if that is his primary job or just something he does. I’m assuming they’d be more forgiving than a lot of other employers. I read that he works in sales of some sort. But he volunteers as a youth minister and Boy Scout leader. He also has two daughters. I wonder how he’d feel if someone treated his daughter like this. They arrested him Saturday for misdemeanor sexual battery and he’s been banned from all Savannah running events. Good! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/16 "2019-12-15T00:28:40Z")
His decision to act intentionally was a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/17 "2019-12-15T00:51:22Z")
His lawyer calls him a ‘[loving husband and father](https://www.ajc.com/news/runner-who-allegedly-smacked-savannah-anchor-backside-charged-with-sexual-battery/zSRxTIHYEUVaT2E1OeIUpL/).’ I wonder what his wife thinks? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/18 "2019-12-15T01:30:49Z")
I just found it amusing, I’m watching The Love Letter in the background while I read the boards, and as I’m about halfway through this thread, this dialogue perks my ears: A: “It was a mistake” B: “No, it wasn’t a mistake” ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2019, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/19 "2019-12-15T03:23:01Z")
Along the same lines: “I misspoke.” No - you said something that was false, and which you definitely knew (or most certainly should have known) was false. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859/20 "2019-12-15T03:30:32Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Paywalled, but a national news story for those who didn’t see it. I saw this quote from another source. I do not claim to read his mind. I do not know if he is telling the truth in that quote. However, I can state from personal experience that accidental bad timing and simple misjudgment of distance can result in things that look really bad to a bystander. Fortunately for me, I did not suffer any unpleasant consequences. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-stop-calling-things-done-intentionally-mistakes/844859.md?page=2)