# I pit Novelty Bobble **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 6, 2021, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914 "2021-11-06T22:48:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/142 "2022-08-10T16:27:55Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Weeell, here’s a fact, White folks in positions of power can’t say “nigger” seven fucking times and not expect to be fired! > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > It is a fact that such an outcome is likely. Right. Such an outcome is so incredibly likely (and, may I add, almost certainly appropriate) that it is a fact that such a person should expect that outcome for that choice. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/143 "2022-08-10T17:50:44Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > And you prove my point, people do not want to give straight answers to straight questiosn. > > That wasn’t what I asked I was responding to this exchange: > [@Kimstu](#): > > > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > > > Others have made the point explicitly or implicitly that there are no circumstances under which the such words can be uttered. Or perhaps even worse, that there are only certain groups who can use certain words. > > > > I don’t know if they would choose to enforce that under the threat of law. > > I suppose it’s no use my suggesting, again, that we could reasonably defer all the performative worrying about potential disastrous societal implications of such a possibility until and unless we find out whether it’s actually true […] > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Hard to be quite sure what people actually think when straight answers are hard to come by. > > You might help a little on this […] > [@Kimstu](#): > > Do I think use of the n-word should be categorically banned by law as a carveout from First Amendment protections? No, I do not. Glad I could help. > > If you want to reframe your all-lives-matter-natter as a generalized debate on socially permissible and impermissible uses of racial slurs, I suppose you could start a thread on it in an appropriate forum and see if anybody’s interested. It’s not very straightforward of you to ask a bunch of different questions and make a bunch of different accusations, and then complain that somebody who responds to one of them is refusing to give a “straight answer” to one of the others. The rest of the discussion makes it clear that you don’t in fact know how to ask a “straight question”, at least not so that you’re capable of understanding the answers to it, which you then respond to by complaining that you’re not getting “straight answers”. So let’s try again with one of your subsequent questions, which you are apparently upset with me for not answering: > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Do you think that there are any circumstances under which using that word could be considered permissible? You will evidently have to explain clearly what you mean by “using” and what you mean by “considered permissible” in order to get an answer that you are able to understand as “straight”. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/144 "2022-08-10T18:37:09Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I was responding to this exchange: If you were responding to a question in a different post, i.e. not in the post that you were actually quoting then it is probably better if you make that clear by perhaps quoting or linking to the question you are choosing to answer. I mean, you even snipped off the direct question in that post, that I was asking and chose to answer another question that I was not. Your choice of course but anyone is free to go back and see what you did. > [@Kimstu](#): > > So let’s try again with one of your subsequent questions, which you are apparently upset with me for not answering: Is that really a “subsequent” question, or is it actually the one I directly asked you in the post that you quoted from? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/145 "2022-08-10T18:40:00Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Is that really a “subsequent” question, or is it actually the one I directly asked you in the post that you quoted from? It’s like someone tweaked the code for the A.L.I.C.E. to make it a sea lion. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/146 "2022-08-10T18:53:40Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Is that really a “subsequent” question, or is it actually the one I directly asked you in the post that you quoted from? It is indeed subsequent to the remark in the same quoted post that I was initially responding to. What I thought you were asking for my “help” on in that post was both your expressed uncertainty about opinions on legally banning the n-word, and your subsequent “Do you think that there are any circumstances…” question. About the former, I told you my opinion on legally banning the n-word, and about the latter, I suggested that you start a thread on it and see if anyone would be interested. If you still feel you need any “straighter” answers then those, then as I said, you can try to ask the question in a way that will allow you to understand the answer. At present your specialty seems to be framing a bunch of vague open-ended queries and criticisms and then complaining about the responses you get. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/147 "2022-08-10T19:26:42Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > …I consistently find your posts a frustrating combination of supercilious finger-wagging and maddening vagueness. You chastise people for their PC attitudes while clearly misunderstanding what they’re saying. It’s not an unwillingness to engage, it’s frustration with the low quality of your own communication. Hey, quit reading my mind! Try engaging him on transgender sports issues sometime. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/148 "2022-08-10T19:36:24Z")
No, please don’t. Pretty please. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/149 "2022-08-10T19:37:34Z")
Haha! Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/150 "2022-08-10T19:38:58Z")
I know. There are not many Dopers with whom I often feel that discussion is more actively adversarial than communicative—that is, they’re more scanning posts to find possible loopholes for semantic nitpicking than really trying to understand and engage with what the other poster is trying to say. But Novelty\_Bobble is one of those few, and they really increase the effort-to-value ratio of responding to them. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/151 "2022-08-10T20:44:49Z")
I only ever nitpick where it matters and only expose loopholes and inconsistent arguments to understand more about the arguments that people are trying to make. That can make people uncomfortable but this is just a message board and it is not real life. I know some people would prefer to have their claims to be accepted without question and take any questioning of it to be tantamount to a personal attack but that can’t be helped. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/152 "2022-08-10T20:49:51Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I know some people would prefer to have their claims to be accepted without question and take any questioning of it to be tantamount to a personal attack but that can’t be helped. I know some people who really like the passive voice. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/153 "2022-08-10T20:51:53Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Hey, quit reading my mind! Try engaging him on transgender sports issues sometime That is a fascinating subject, but frustrating. As with other contentious issues the default position is that any slight deviation from an accepted narrative is considered to be hateful and problematic. I think the tide is turning somewhat on that one though to a more evidence-based position, which seems reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/154 "2022-08-10T20:53:04Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I know some people who really like the passive voice. I confess I don’t actually know what is meant by the “passive voice”. Can you give an example? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/155 "2022-08-10T20:54:31Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I only ever nitpick where it matters bullshit ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/156 "2022-08-10T20:56:13Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > bullshit You may not be best placed to decide whether it matters or not. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/157 "2022-08-10T21:09:05Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I confess I don’t actually know what is meant by the “passive voice”. Can you give an example? Example: "Many [well-known concepts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_voice) are not googled by writers to whom they are unfamiliar. Instead of the individual effort of research, instruction and explanation are requested and expected from their fellow writers. Although this attitude is sometimes perceived as somewhat lazy and entitled, its persistence may be excused on the general grounds that it ‘can’t be helped’.‘’ ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/158 "2022-08-10T21:09:50Z")
You fuck up and say, “Mistakes were made.” That’s a passive voice. As opposed to, “I made some mistakes.” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/159 "2022-08-10T21:10:34Z")
Sure, the text of yours that I quoted is a fine example. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/160 "2022-08-10T21:10:37Z")
Nah, that’s the closely related passive-aggressive voice ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914/161 "2022-08-10T21:19:28Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > You may not be best placed to decide whether it matters or not. Nor, you useless wanker, are you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-novelty-bobble/953914.md?page=9)