Dave McClure’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day | Hacker News Reader

Dave McClure’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

uptake.co

7 pointspbreit9 comments

I wonder if the word 'bitch' is now considered unacceptable in any circumstance or if the context is what makes it such an outrage. I suspect it is the latter, which leads me to wonder if there may be some sort of double standard in the kinds of vulgarity one can casually employ. I mean, I see the term 'bitch' being tossed casually in episodes of sex in the city, and conversely amongst men in a more, for the lack of a better term, 'locker room'-like context. From my limited observations of such interactions, I feel like tension arises in the use of the term from across people of different genders.

If the end goal or point of all this is complete and utter gender equality, then should we strive to get to a place where people can call each other a 'bitch' and have it interpreted as an offensive but not necessarily gender related remark? I apologize if my thoughts have offended anyone.. this is the logical chain of thought I've waded though in my head but I realize I could just very well be off base, considering how sensitive this subject can be. If I've caused any offense, I apologize in advance and would like to express that I am just curious what everyone else thinks about this and don't mean to justify Dave's actions or anything like that..

Just would like to sort of work it out in my head, and would appreciate input from the community, I guess.

My 2 pence:

It was 100% about the context. Dave used the word in a derogatory, very serious fashion, from a position of power. The word has gotten tossed around so much over the past few years that I think people have begun to lessen its severity, and that's dangerous.

Just as two gay men may jokingly call each other f__, or two black men may choose to use the word n_____ to refer to one another, that's a right that's afforded to them because of their position. At no point will it ever be OK for someone on the outside of that circle to throw these words at someone on the inside.

To be fair, I can't stand any of these three words, and I wish that they'd be completely forgotten from within the English language. But I'm on the outside of all three of these circles, so it's not my place to say what is harmful to those within them.

This is valid, I really do appreciate the response. I have no I intention of trying to offend, I was just going through a chain of reasoning in my head and really just wanted to know if there was a flaw.

It does seem like there was, so thank you for enlightening me.

"if the context is what makes it such an outrage. I suspect it is the latter, which leads me to wonder if there may be some sort of double standard in the kinds of vulgarity one can casually employ"

You wonder whether words spoken in varying contexts can carry various meanings? That's not a particularly wild guess.

Yes, words mean different things coming from and to different people.

Dude you don't have to be an asshole, I was really just honestly asking for people to give me some honest feedback on my line of thought.

I've attended one of Dave's lectures - he does have a very direct and sometime vulgar attitude. However, as the writer says, he did cross the line this time (and paid for it great).

Hang on, isn't Dave McClure an idiot? He speaks like an idiot. He writes like an idiot. He spells like an idiot.

You guys, I honestly think he might be an idiot!

The foul language could actually do him good in the long run... "interesting things happen when Dave gives a talk". He can stand out of the P.C. crowd.

Theoretically, one wouldn't want to limit their crowd to a group of juvenile assholes.

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