# Is calling someone "close-minded" an insult? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 3, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265 "2014-04-03T16:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/41 "2014-04-08T07:29:36Z")
Poor modding. Look at what \*\*Czarcasm \*\*was responding to. Adaher basically says the topic is decided: “…we have actually established that we cannot force people to undergo medical procedures, I’d say it’s an open and shut case” \*\*Adaher \*\*says it’s a done deal, when in fact it obviously isn’t, and **Czarcasm** holds up a mirror. And I would be stunned to learn that I haven’t been called close minded on numerous occasions since it’s the number one thing woo woos say about skeptics constantly. It wouldn’t even occur to me that I’d been insulted. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/42 "2014-04-08T08:39:59Z")
An insult? Well, it’s certainly not a compliment. It’s a close call but I think the mod involved made his case. I don’t think it warranted an official warning though. The phrase _close-minded_ makes me shudder. How are you going to pronounce the _close_? If the s is voiced it sounds like someone obsessed with clothes, if it isn’t (as in _close call_) then it changes the sense of the word. No, it has to be closed-minded. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/43 "2014-04-08T10:39:18Z")
The term probably derives from a British sense of “close” meaning an enclosed area or alleyway. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/44 "2014-04-11T11:09:15Z")
I thought the warning was too much, too. I didn’t participate in the thread, but I did read it, and that warning stood out to me. I assumed it was a new mod stepping down hard on a former mod. > [@Princhester](#): > > The term probably derives from a British sense of “close” meaning an enclosed area or alleyway. I doubt it very much; it’s not commonly used in Britain. Not every variant can be blamed on the British! It’s more likely just a mis-spelling of closed-minded. Maybe Czarcasm should be modded for that instead. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/45 "2014-04-11T15:25:44Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > It’s more likely just a mis-spelling of closed-minded. Maybe Czarcasm should be modded for that instead. Sorry for the tpyo. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/46 "2014-04-11T15:44:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Sorry for the tpyo. It’s far too late for that. You’ll pay. Oh, yes you will. ## You will pay for that. Obviously the mods said what they’re going to say, and I expect we won’t hear anything further, but I still think it was ridiculous to give **Czarcasm** a warning for “close-minded.” Far worse insults happen all the time without mod notice, of the “attack the group” type: [hypothetical example] “Stupid liberals are always saying [paraphrase of something that was posted just up thread]. What morons.” I’ve been the target of these sorts of “indirect” insults, once or twice, and reported them to the mods, with no effect. And “close-minded” gets an official warning? Pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/47 "2014-04-11T21:06:04Z")
I somewhat agree with you, **Czarcasm** , and somewhat with the Mods. I think your post called for a Note, but not an Official Warning. Do you not agree you were pushing the line a bit? I just noticed that your warning was from Chance, and I got a similar warning in a similar close to the line but not over it situation. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/48 "2014-04-11T21:22:32Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/49 "2014-04-11T22:21:24Z")
A mere mod note, and we wouldn’t have had this thread. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/50 "2014-04-11T22:36:55Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > A mere mod note, and we wouldn’t have had this thread. Exactly! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/51 "2014-04-12T06:15:21Z")
Interesting question. Now the Staff here are quite receptive and interactive, not to mention generally reasonable. But- how often do they change their minds on something like this? Do we have many instances of a request to change a Warning to a Note that actually got a positive result or once the vote has been cast at Moderator central is that final and done? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/52 "2014-04-12T14:53:42Z")
I do not think it rises to the level of personal insult. But I did find the post in full to be dismissive and rude. I don’t think that calls for an official Warning. A gentler Mod not would have been more appropriate. But can we ban **Czarcasm** anyway? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265.md?page=2)