# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/121 "2018-01-29T17:16:11Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > That’s one of the few reasons i brought rape up. False rape accusations also increased, I found a chart on it. Will see if I can find it again. I am going to interject here and note that the last time I saw a chart that was ‘proving’ false rape accusations were skyrocketing it turned out that with a deep dive what happened is that a lot of the rape cases ended up being chartged sexual assault cases because penetration didn’t happen or could not be proven. That was scratching the surface of what they considered ‘false’ on that chart. I wish I could find the link, but the deep dive also found that the ‘fake rape’ charges included cases where the DA had to drop the case. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/122 "2018-01-29T17:27:27Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > I am going to interject here and note that the last time I saw a chart that was ‘proving’ false rape accusations were skyrocketing it turned out that with a deep dive what happened is that a lot of the rape cases ended up being chartged sexual assault cases because penetration didn’t happen or could not be proven. > > That was scratching the surface of what they considered ‘false’ on that chart. I wish I could find the link, but the deep dive also found that the ‘fake rape’ charges included cases where the DA had to drop the case. Interesting… I wonder also the same thing for prisons. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/123 "2018-01-29T17:28:28Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Does the school offer a class in Critical Thinking and Analysis? Technically the social skills one is a critical thinking class. And I been trying to work on my critical thinking lately. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/124 "2018-01-29T18:12:25Z")
You aren’t working very hard. > [@Superdude](#): > > I forgot…which liberal meeting was it where we all decided that Whoopi Goldberg was the person who defined all words and phrases for us? Last Thursday. Weren’t you there? ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/125 "2018-01-29T18:31:36Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > And what about all the whining about ladies in video games, what about the wage gap, what about the sex trade, etc? > > As for the sex trade > Between 100,000 and 300,000 girls are sold into slavery each year in the United States. This sensational claim is a favorite of celebrities , journalists, advocates, and politicians—both conservative and liberal. The source for the figure is a 2001 report on child sexual exploitation by two University of Pennsylvania sociologists. But their 100,000–300,000 estimate referred to children at risk for exploitation—not actual victims. What does any of this have to do with the OP? For “whining about ladies in video games,” if you want to relitigate GamerGate you’re wasting your time. All of their talking points are 100% false and their leaders are alt-right manipulators. For the sex trade, you’re absolutely right! The stat you mentioned and many others frequently cited by anti-sex work activists are totally made up. There’s a whole network of evangelical anti-sex work charities that just blatantly make stuff up to secure government grants to fight child prostitution and/or sex trafficking, and then funnel that money into their campaigns against birth control or abortion. It’s unclear why you brought this up though. Literally the only group of people who fight for sex worker rights are those intersectional 3rd wave feminist SJWs that you seem to not like. Sure, some clueless celebrities have bought into the anti-sex work propaganda and briefly got some air time repeating those lies, but they usually either get their facts straight or just get bored pretty quickly. Ashton Kusher is one that comes to mind. What is your point exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/126 "2018-01-29T18:41:37Z")
> [@PigArcher](#): > > What does any of this have to do with the OP? > > For “whining about ladies in video games,” if you want to relitigate GamerGate you’re wasting your time. All of their talking points are 100% false and their leaders are alt-right manipulators. > > For the sex trade, you’re absolutely right! The stat you mentioned and many others frequently cited by anti-sex work activists are totally made up. There’s a whole network of evangelical anti-sex work charities that just blatantly make stuff up to secure government grants to fight child prostitution and/or sex trafficking, and then funnel that money into their campaigns against birth control or abortion. > > It’s unclear why you brought this up though. Literally the only group of people who fight for sex worker rights are those intersectional 3rd wave feminist SJWs that you seem to not like. Sure, some clueless celebrities have bought into the anti-sex work propaganda and briefly got some air time repeating those lies, but they usually either get their facts straight or just get bored pretty quickly. Ashton Kusher is one that comes to mind. > > What is your point exactly? I thought I got the offer to talk out with you guys some liberal assertions. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/127 "2018-01-29T18:58:09Z")
Hold on Lucy. You’re in a cross fire here. Slow down, pick your targets carefully, and relax. You don’t have to respond to everyone, that will just wear you out. Focus, Breath, Focus, Wax on, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/128 "2018-01-29T19:18:40Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Interesting… > > I wonder also the same thing for prisons. In what way? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/129 "2018-01-29T19:22:41Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > I thought I got the offer to talk out with you guys some liberal assertions. So far you are not bringing ‘liberal assertions’. You are bringing alt-right strawmen. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/130 "2018-01-29T19:24:18Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > In what way? Since I am interested in figuring out most rape statistics as of now. They say male-on-male rape is bigger than any kind if we include prison. I watched a video on the topic a week ago. Link: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HglwU77VWXg/hqdefault.jpg "No Escape: Prison Rape in America - The Rules of the Game: Prison Rape and Reform") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HglwU77VWXg) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/131 "2018-01-29T19:29:14Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Since I am interested in figuring out most rape statistics as of now. > They say male-on-male rape is bigger than any kind if we include prison. I watched a video on the topic a week ago. > > Link: > [https://youtu.be/HglwU77VWXg](https://youtu.be/HglwU77VWXg) OK, see the problem you have here is your approach - most of us liberals look at the horrific stats for prison rape and say “cripes! this is horrible. Prisons are not for needlessly brutal punishment, they are suuposed to be for reform”. You are looking at those stats and saying "Yay! With these prison figures we have more male-on-male rape statz than those wimmens gettin’ raped!: Its not a competition. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/132 "2018-01-29T19:38:18Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Since I am interested in figuring out most rape statistics as of now. > They say male-on-male rape is bigger than any kind if we include prison. I watched a video on the topic a week ago. > > Link: > [https://youtu.be/HglwU77VWXg](https://youtu.be/HglwU77VWXg) Please, **NO MORE YOUTUBE**. Just no more. None. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Thank you. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/133 "2018-01-29T19:52:38Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Does the school offer a class in Critical Thinking and Analysis? I’d settle for “Your Ass from a Hole In the Ground - a Comparative Study.” ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/134 "2018-01-29T20:05:43Z")
Actually, [one more YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6EaoPMANQM) is required. I don’t think I need to explain the astounding resemblance to the hero of the hour among present company. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/135 "2018-01-29T20:10:45Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Actually, [one more YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6EaoPMANQM) is required. I don’t think I need to explain the astounding resemblance to the hero of the hour among present company. \*“…Please try to understand before one of us dies!” \* Fucking brilliant! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/136 "2018-01-29T20:21:30Z")
Luciano, I am by now 100% confident that I’m [wasting my time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearls_before_swine) on this, but you _need_ to read these [two](http://homepages.wmich.edu/~korista/baloney.html) [articles](https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/03/baloney-detection-kit-carl-sagan/) over and over until you see them in your sleep ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/137 "2018-01-29T20:43:25Z")
Why are y’all expecting too much from me? Even when I gave my unbiased message, y’all tried to spin it to make it seem conservative-biased I support a strong balance of both. Full conservativism= Basically NK Full liberalism= Venezuela ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/138 "2018-01-29T20:47:38Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Why are y’all expecting too much from me? > > Even when I gave my unbiased message, y’all tried to spin it to make it seem conservative-biased > I support a strong balance of both. > > Full conservativism= Basically NK > > Full liberalism= Venezuela Your second thread STARTED in the Pit, and you’re whining already? You might want to lurk for a few days before you hurt yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/139 "2018-01-29T20:51:57Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Your second thread STARTED in the Pit, and you’re whining already? > > You might want to lurk for a few days before you hurt yourself. This isn’t my 2nd thread… ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-what-i-hate-how-the-word-empowerment-lost-its-original-use-and-context/807678/140 "2018-01-29T20:52:14Z")
> [@Luciano700](#): > > Why are y’all expecting too much from me? > > Even when I gave my unbiased message, y’all tried to spin it to make it seem conservative-biased You’re hitting all the conservative hot-button catch phrases (sjw, BLM, "identity politics, etc) Even complaining about how the word “empowerment” has changed (or that you think it has). You seem very uptight and overly concerned about little things that don’t matter. Maybe turn off the internet for a few weeks and get a new hobby? [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=6) [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=8)