I suppose the rules state that we have to start by unequivocally condemning the OP. Dehumanizing others is how we get ourselves ready to harm or kill them. It’s what we do in wars, it’s what we caution against in our LEO, and it is the bread and butter of hate groups.
I’ve been on the receiving end of dehumanizing language before, both as a member of a group and as an individual, and I will say that it didn’t much endear me to their argument. My emotional gut reaction is to return the favor, and to reply in kind, but that is not the direction to peace, but to division and war, so we have to suspend our base desires to retaliate against those who seek to harm us, as there just is no way out through hatred and violence.
I dunno, Bone, you didn’t specifically and categorically denounce the OP, so, as long as you are making lists of those who were not vociferous enough in their condemnation, you should add your own. If Little Nemo’s denunciation wasn’t enough, if those who considered the OP already admonished and didn’t feel the need to reiterate what had already been iterated make it on your list, then your comment was not a condemnation of the content of the OP, but rather, just a dismissive insult to the poster, as well as a lazy swipe at those you have named.
While you are at it, here’s a name to add to your list.
Now, as a question to you Shodan, do you use dehumanizing language here because you feel that Asashi really deserves it? Is it fair to use that language if you feel that the those you are directing it at deserve it? Since Asashi felt that those he directed his comments at deserved it, does that make it okay, in your opinion?
Or do you just have a very small penis?
I would argue quite strongly that calling someone subhuman is worse than an insect. Calling someone an insect is obvious hyperbole, and while it can have dehumanizing aspects to it, it is specifically not meant to be taken literally. Metaphorical comparisons to animals is not inherently dehumanizing. If you say that someone is “fast as a cheetah”, you are not taking away their personhood in that sentence. You could make less favorable comparisons between political opponents and the habits of an animal, like an insect, without actually calling into question their humanity.
Now, if you call someone “subhuman”, then you are asking the very specific removal of their personhood the prime meaning of your statement. You are specifically questioning the humanity and their rights to continue existing.
Then of course, octupus’s NPC comment. This is language that is made for the very purpose of dehumanizing others, to make the claim that they have no sentience, no awareness, that they only exist for the amusement of the “players.” It is rooted in hate, and the only use it has (outside of gaming contexts) is that of pure hate.
So what do we have here? We have one liberal who is regularly chided by those on his political side for his hyperbole. Probably drunk and posting some rather hateful things from a place of pain and despair. Is then roundly condemned for his latest tirade by most of those on his political side.
Then we have in response, two entirely sober posts from the “right” using terms that originated specifically to dehumanize others.
Oh, of course, there’s the plutonium kid with his “swine” comment.
So, we have many if not most of the liberals that posted in this thread condemning the OP’s comments, yet, only one condemnation at all of any of the conservative dehumanizing speech of NPC, and none at all for the “subhuman” or the “swine” pejoratives.
Hmmm, is that where you point out the usually part?