# Why "stupid" should be retired as an insult **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682 "2015-05-10T04:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/1 "2015-05-10T04:17:48Z")
I think it is time for insults referring to cognitive or learning, such as “stupid,” “idiot,” “dumb,” etc. to be retired as insults, IMHO. It is denigrating to people with learning disabilities or a low IQ even if the people being insulted aren’t themselves “dumb.” And these insults are used by people across a broad spectrum of backgrounds and political views; liberals, in my experience, are just as likely as conservatives to use “stupid” or “dumb” as insults. Now, someone may object, \*"But some people \*\*are \*_stupid!"_ - Yes, no doubt, but some people are fat or gay, too, and I think we can agree that using the terms “fat” or “gay” as insults would be inappropriate. Just because someone \*is \*something, doesn’t make using that something as an insult, appropriate. Furthermore, intelligence - or lack of intelligence - is something that many people are born with. To mock someone for lack of intelligence is to mock them for a trait they were born with. And there is already a precedent for this. Similar insults such as “retarded” are already frowned upon and on the way out, so why should insults like “stupid” or “idiot” not be equally disapproved of as well? It is not a big jump to go from having “retarded” retired as an insult, to having “stupid” retired as an insult likewise. (Someone might reply to this thread with, “This thread is stupid,” but that’s a pretty easily anticipated reply.) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/2 "2015-05-10T04:19:23Z")
Anyway, just as a further follow-up: I realize that a thread of this type is likely to quickly turn inflammatory, simply because of its argumentative content, but I hope we can still have a very civil discussion anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/3 "2015-05-10T04:26:54Z")
Well, my nephews and, I believe, my cousin’s kids were raised considering “stupid” a bad word. So there are definitely people who agree with you, for whatever reason they do it. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/4 "2015-05-10T04:38:09Z")
It’s too useful, rhetorically, to be retired. You might just as well ask, “Why can’t we all get along” and retire all insulting language. Also, the link between low functional intelligence and stupidity is not as strong as you might think. Some of the smartest people in the world have done some monumentally stupid things. Ever go out the door and realize you’ve locked your keys inside? You could have an IQ of 160…but, damn, that was stupid. (Expensive, too: locksmiths are not cheap.) And where would our own BBQ Pit be without the “Stupid ” threads? “Infelicitous idea of the day?” “Less than wholly admirable idea?” “Idea most likely to redound to the discredit of the sponsor?” Nah. Call it like you see it. Some ideas are just bone-jarringly stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/5 "2015-05-10T05:30:18Z")
Might as well just retire _insults._ ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/6 "2015-05-10T05:48:41Z")
Stupid is a bad word, which is why I use it Judiciously. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/7 "2015-05-10T05:55:11Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I think it is time for insults referring to cognitive or learning, such as “stupid,” “idiot,” “dumb,” etc. to be retired as insults, IMHO. > It is denigrating to people with learning disabilities or a low IQ even if the people being insulted aren’t themselves “dumb.” And these insults are used by people across a broad spectrum of backgrounds and political views; liberals, in my experience, are just as likely as conservatives to use “stupid” or “dumb” as insults. > Now, someone may object, \*"But some people \*\*are \*_stupid!"_ - Yes, no doubt, but some people are fat or gay, too, and I think we can agree that using the terms “fat” or “gay” as insults would be inappropriate. Just because someone \*is \*something, doesn’t make using that something as an insult, appropriate. > Furthermore, intelligence - or lack of intelligence - is something that many people are born with. To mock someone for lack of intelligence is to mock them for a trait they were born with. > And there is already a precedent for this. Similar insults such as “retarded” are already frowned upon and on the way out, so why should insults like “stupid” or “idiot” not be equally disapproved of as well? It is not a big jump to go from having “retarded” retired as an insult, to having “stupid” retired as an insult likewise. > > (Someone might reply to this thread with, “This thread is stupid,” but that’s a pretty easily anticipated reply.) Live is like a box of chocolates… ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/8 "2015-05-10T06:16:53Z")
If I wasnt so sensitive I would say that this thread is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/9 "2015-05-10T06:27:21Z")
Indeed, let us neuter our language such that no one’s feelings could possibly be hurt, even if they’re too cognitively-challenged to know their feelings _should_ be hurt. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/10 "2015-05-10T06:40:09Z")
Insults are supposed to be insulting. The basic message is: you’re bad and you should feel bad. But with more flair. **Ableist** : lame, autistic, retarded, stupid, moron, idiot, spaz, downie, glue eater, cretin, cripple, window licker, etc. **Ancient racism/classist** : philistine, pleb **Anti-Southern/classist** : redneck, hick, inbred, white trash **Body shaming** : ugly, fat, hambeast, pencil necked, four eyes, weak, skinny, short, tall, smelly, big nosed, narrow eyed, hairy, mouth breather (or maybe that’s albeist, guess it depends on why) **Heteronormative** : gay, fag, dyke, cocksucker, too gay to lift **Loser/status shaming** : geek, nerd, coward, lazy, no lifer, neckbeard, basement dweller **Mental health shaming** : crazy, nuts, freak, fucked up in the head **Misandrist** : dick, prick, beta, compensating, ballless, limp dicked, small dick **Misogynist** : douche, frigid, ice queen, bitch, pussy, cunt, slut, whore, harpy, ball and chain, boob, sugar tits **Patriarchal** : bastard, motherfucker **Racist** : insert your favorites, there’s a whole rainbow of possibilities That doesn’t leave much. Pretty much just asshole. Most everyone has an asshole. That would get old after awhile, though. But such egalitarianism! Then again, you could classify that along with other bodily waste insults as dehumanizing, which has a poor track record. I can already hear the cries of “problematic.” There’s Victorian-esque upper class harumphering where you can insult someone with a tone of voice or by phrasing things just the right way without ever saying anything taboo and while maintaining plausible deniability. I’m too stupid and lazy for that, though. There’s been some interesting movement on the word faggot over the last couple years. I can’t remember the comedian, but he said how most of his gay friends weren’t faggots, but a lot of his straight friends were complete faggots. I think South Park did an episode along a similar vein. The new meaning would be something like an overbearing narcissistic drama queen, or maybe someone sensitive and emotional, but it only seems to be applied to men who act like women. So I guess it jumped from anti-gay to misogynist. I did know a gal once who jokingly called some of her girlfriends faggots, but I think it was more for novelty than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/11 "2015-05-10T07:44:25Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Insults are supposed to be insulting. The basic message is: you’re bad and you should feel bad. But with more flair. This, for sure. A thing about the word “stupid” is that it feels so good to say or write: it’s very satisfyingly explosively contemptuous. If English’s primary go-to word signifying “intellectually challenged”, were a duller one, perhaps people’s use of it would be more sparing and more restrained. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/12 "2015-05-10T08:02:06Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > This, for sure. A thing about the word “stupid” is that it feels so good to say or write: it’s very satisfyingly explosively contemptuous By this logic, any insult is justifiable; what about the N word? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/13 "2015-05-10T08:24:05Z")
You seem to be operating under the assumption that an insult automatically signals contempt for the group being referenced. I disagree. Calling someone (figuratively) blind or deaf (or, for that matter, retarded) isn’t hating on those people. It just calls the recipient of the insult negligent; as though they have a medical reason for their inability to see/hear/understand something. > [@Velocity](#): > > By this logic, any insult is justifiable; what about the N word? Racial slurs carry with them the assertion that belonging to a particular race is bad; the speaker should be held accountable for that. It’s not the same as contending that stupidity is an undesirable trait. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/14 "2015-05-10T08:31:56Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Indeed, let us neuter our language such that no one’s feelings could possibly be hurt, even if they’re too cognitively-challenged to know their feelings _should_ be hurt. This. People who say or do things formerly called “stupid” will now simply be described as un-smart, plus-un-smart, or double-plus-un-smart. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/15 "2015-05-10T10:05:58Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > This, for sure. A thing about the word “stupid” is that it feels so good to say or write: it’s very satisfyingly explosively contemptuous. > [@Velocity](#): > > By this logic, any insult is justifiable; what about the N word? I just meant that words can feel good to use – whether people ought to use them, is a different matter. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/16 "2015-05-10T10:16:42Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > By this logic, any insult is justifiable; what about the N word? Is this thread really about the word stupid or is it to defend using the N word? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/17 "2015-05-10T13:28:19Z")
This thread is stoopid. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/18 "2015-05-10T14:57:48Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > There’s been some interesting movement on the word faggot over the last couple years. I can’t remember the comedian, but he said how most of his gay friends weren’t faggots, but a lot of his straight friends were complete faggots. [Louis CK.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcja4WFFzDw) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/19 "2015-05-10T15:05:27Z")
I understand that among those of the genteel South, the word “stupid” has been replaced by the phrase “Bless his/her heart.” ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682/20 "2015-05-10T15:07:00Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Is this thread really about the word stupid or is it to defend using the N word? Possibly it’s about the word thug. I can’t know for sure, so just to be safe, we should assume that all defenders of the word ‘stupid’ are racists. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-stupid-should-be-retired-as-an-insult/719682.md?page=2)