# You know what I hate? How the word empowerment lost its original use and context **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 28, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678 "2018-01-28T21:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/281 "2018-02-02T08:07:08Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Wha??? That sentence has words, but means nothing. Fine, I would argue I am not really changing topics since the original context of thread is gone and can constantly change at any time. Did I make myself clear? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/282 "2018-02-02T09:15:03Z")
Right, I think it’s pretty clear this idiot is just a troll, and I’m not going to play with it anymore. Have fun, guys. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/283 "2018-02-02T10:42:29Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Fine, I would argue I am not really changing topics since the original context of thread is gone and can constantly change at any time. > Did I make myself clear? If you constantly change the subject it makes it impossible to have a constructive conversation about any particular subject. Pick one subject and stick to it if you’re interested in actual discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/284 "2018-02-02T16:23:42Z")
Eh, it’s just a defensive measure because the kid is too weak to defend any of the points he’s made. Ask him a question, he changes the subject. Lucy, in life this discredits you and makes people think you’re not worth engaging. If you are doing this to people in your real life and you wonder why they’re not your friends or don’t stick around to talk to you, this is why. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/285 "2018-02-02T16:46:58Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > I got a question, do I have priviledge? Being raised by a single mother and not haven’t had a friend technically in almost 11 year’s? Me being still socially rejected? > > I know I am making some bold statements and on the other hand I do want to fight my ignorance. Privilege is not a binary factor. It is situational, multifaceted, and multi variable. It does not necessarily mean life is easy. It means life is\* easier\* than without it. Being poor sucks for anyone. Being poor and black usually sucks more. Being poor and black and gay is even worse. Being poor and black and gay and disabled is even worse. Change any one of those factors tends to make things easier. A rich, white, straight, cis male who is seriously disabled may have it worse than a poor, black, but healthy transwoman, but he is better able to deal with his disability than she would be. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/286 "2018-02-02T17:28:28Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > Privilege is not a binary factor. It is situational, multifaceted, and multi variable. It does not necessarily mean life is easy. It means life is\* easier\* than without it. > > Being poor sucks for anyone. > Being poor and black usually sucks more. > Being poor and black and gay is even worse. > Being poor and black and gay and disabled is even worse. > > Change any one of those factors tends to make things easier. A rich, white, straight, cis male who is seriously disabled may have it worse than a poor, black, but healthy transwoman, but he is better able to deal with his disability than she would be. Interesting to see disability play a big role. Yet ableism is not as big in our culture. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/287 "2018-02-02T18:38:53Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Interesting to see disability play a big role. > > Yet ableism is not as big in our culture. It’s not as big as racism, sexism and homophobia in the national conversation, but it’s still big. I say this as someone who’s been confined to a wheelchair at various times in his life, who has had to confront ableist attitudes even in places like hospitals and rehab nursing homes. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/288 "2018-02-02T23:28:43Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > What purpose does Love have to serve? :dubious: > > Because if we want to argue purpose, I’ll point out that two old people getting married don’t produce children either, nor is any male-female pair being forced to have children. So quiet clearly, marriage is NOT entirely about the production of children, or it would be limited to male-female pairs who intend to produce children and end once they are done doing so. > > Did you know that the ancient Egyptians had no laws against homosexuality? In ancient China, [it was considered a fact of life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_China). Smart assery to follow… All life ends with death. So why bother marrying and procreating anyway? Just more future corpses to feed the worms, who also eventually die anyway. Life with no hope, no purpose, ultimately no value. Yer welcome for my little ray of sunshine 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/289 "2018-02-03T05:31:26Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > It’s not as big as racism, sexism and homophobia in the national conversation, but it’s still big. I say this as someone who’s been confined to a wheelchair at various times in his life, who has had to confront ableist attitudes even in places like hospitals and rehab nursing homes. And don’t the disabled still face big time discrimination in the transportation department? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/290 "2018-02-03T09:45:31Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Well to the best of luck I wish this can country can better its political culture. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > [Yes we can can!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db-uqKLH-Bw) [Can the can!](https://youtu.be/xYoogY-UGio) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/291 "2018-02-03T14:27:35Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > You aren’t working very hard. > > Last Thursday. Weren’t you there? Nope. Missed that one. It was my turn to be indoctrinated into all teh ee-vuhl stuff that we liberals believe before my brainwashing wore off and I started to think that **Starving Artist** was right about everything. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/292 "2018-02-03T16:44:55Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > And don’t the disabled still face big time discrimination in the transportation department? Of course they do. People with disabilities face a ton of discrimination in a lot of areas. Who on earth is saying differently? ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/293 "2018-02-03T16:52:45Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Of course they do. People with disabilities face a ton of discrimination in a lot of areas. Who on earth is saying differently? Nobody, just pointing out a big one in there. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/294 "2018-02-03T17:01:52Z")
Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge, there Lucy. Done with you. You’re not capable of carrying on an adult conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/295 "2018-02-03T17:17:54Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge, there Lucy. > > Done with you. You’re not capable of carrying on an adult conversation. If you want to go a topic I could have a better conversation with you in, maybe I suggest checking this out [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20765710&posted=1#post20765710](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20765710&posted=1#post20765710) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/296 "2018-02-03T17:20:19Z")
> [@luciano700](#): > > nobody, just pointing out a big one in there. focus. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/297 "2018-02-03T17:25:03Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > If you want to go a topic I could have a better conversation with you in, maybe I suggest checking this out > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20765710&posted=1#post20765710](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20765710&posted=1#post20765710) Not much focusing going on there, either. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/298 "2018-02-04T20:37:40Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge, there Lucy. > > Done with you. You’re not capable of carrying on an adult conversation. Why would you expect so much in the first place from a 16 year old anyways? Maybe give a video that goes by the mark of social issues 101. Maybe I can understand social issues from a broader perspective, until then you can’t be expecting much from me and this is the first time since 2011-2012 that my exposure to social issues has been incredibly big . If you want to teach me more about the economy show the cons and pros of various economy and market types. If you want me to see feminism’s purpose in the model world, show me more statistics, same for racism and racial issues. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/299 "2018-02-04T20:43:40Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Not so bold when you keep trying to change the subject. > [@Luciano700](#): > > Why would you expect so much in the first place from a 16 year old anyways? > Maybe give a video that goes by the mark of social issues 101. Maybe I can understand social issues from a broader perspective, until then you can’t be expecting much from me and this is the first time since 2011-2012 that my exposure to social issues has been incredibly big > . If you want to teach me more about the economy show the cons and pros of various economy and market types. If you want me to see feminism’s purpose in the model world, show me more statistics, same for racism and racial issues. You wanna help fight my ignorance? Then actually help instead of giving off heat and expecting so much from me. I am trying to understand the world from a better perspective, I think ignorance about the world and it’s issues should never be tolerated at all costs. Educate our people at all costs. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/300 "2018-02-04T20:51:06Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Why would you expect so much in the first place from a 16 year old anyways? > Maybe give a video that goes by the mark of social issues 101. Maybe I can understand social issues from a broader perspective, until then you can’t be expecting much from me and this is the first time since 2011-2012 that my exposure to social issues has been incredibly big > . If you want to teach me more about the economy show the cons and pros of various economy and market types. If you want me to see feminism’s purpose in the model world, show me more statistics, same for racism and racial issues. Time for the lecture… First you need to learn how to focus on one thing at a time. Second you need to get out more and interact with more people so you can start developing a sense of how things are vs how people (you too) see them. Third, you really need to build up your internal bullshit detector. And finally, it is not our job to teach you. We can give you our opinions, we can give you examples or data, but it is not our job. I for one will NOT teach you. I’ve had too many shit heads demand more and more evidence, cites, proof, only for them to totally ignore it. So screw that. I won’t waste my time. Get off your ass, and teach yourself, just like we had to. Find your own cites and information. Just remember a lot of stuff out there is bullshit, given by too many trolls with an agenda. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678.md?page=16)