Spiral Knights - Lifting some archaic censorship

Lifting some archaic censorship

21 replies [Last post]

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 02:07

Crossproduct

Same sex marriage has passed or about to pass in 3 states this election, and we'll see that trend continue as younger people with more accepting attitudes enter the electorate. Yet in Spiral Knights we see the word "gay" is censored. It is not considered a swear word, (even if some people use it that way, and with different meaning I might add), so why is it on the censor list? Sure players have the option to turn the filter off as I have done and urge other open minded people to do as well, but not all players want to see the more traditional swear words yet still want to be able to talk about issues that matter to them with their friends. It's only a small change but would probably mean a lot to some people.

Thanks for your time.

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 02:31

Darkbrady

Turn off your censor? I

Turn off your censor? I wasnae aware that people even left it on...

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 02:59

Crossproduct

Seems most people aren't even

From experience it seems most people aren't even aware they can turn it off.

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 03:06

Darkbrady

Really? Must have discovered

Really? Must have discovered that before I knew how to swing my sword~

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 06:13

Wuvvums

I could see why they censor

I could see why they censor "gay" though. While it is not a swear word it can be used as a slur and there are many times when people will use it in a negative connotation. There have been studies revealing that phrases like that's so gay to be rather harmful, and unfortunately I do believe in a lot of gaming communities you are more likely to see people use it as a slur (especially in PVP) than in a good manner.

It's like how they banned the use of the word "rape." We could have meaningful discussions about rape, but in a gaming environment you're more likely to see the users say "you got raped!" while challenging one another. While we could report people who abuse these certain words, I think Three Rings found it better to drop or censor them.

This doesn't hinder meaningful discussion though. I think homosexual is not a censored word, but also Takei has been so kind as to let us use his name if we can't say gay. So discuss away.

(To be honest I haven't found Spiral Knights or MMOs to be a good platform to have discussions like these anyways. I've had my fair share of sexism and misogyny and such).

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 06:22

Little-Juances

Our society still uses such words as insults or derrogatory terms. Same with moron or retarded. We havent fully evolved yet.

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 06:55

Canine-Vladmir

society bro. and the word Gay is pretty bad in some countries.
SK isnt on American Soil, its on the internet!
beside, you no play CoD yet? ex)" i eat g-- a-- noobs like you for f--- breakfast! "

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 09:37

Luguiru

It used to mean happy.

Now look what people did to it.

In fact, 'queer' used to socially mean weird. "See that chap with the squiggly tusks growing out of his eyeballs? How queer."

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 10:54

Ghret

Fact!

If a word means something which can be construed as something offensive/undesirable e.g. mentally retarded, it will be used as an insult.

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 11:12

Luguiru

Like the times I call people puddles.

You stupid puddle, being all soggy and unpleasant. Do everyone a favor and evaporate already.

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 12:58

#10

Crossproduct

Society will never get over

Society will never get over being offended by such words if they're constantly banned and censored. The only way to move forward is to accept that any word can be used for good or for ill, and the words used will always change with time defeating any such censors anyway, and the end result is censorship becomes accepted, which degrades our free society, something that should never happen.

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 13:08

#11

Luguiru

1984

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 16:06

#12

Skyguarder

The word "Gay" is censored

Because it can be used as a insult to replace perv, but in a more inappropriate way. Let's just say, it's out of hand

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 16:31

#13

Darkbrady

accept that any word can be

accept that any word can be used for good or for ill

That's somethin' that'll happen right around the time weed gets decriminalised. People will never accept that, it's too complicated to deal with intentions and emotions when the much simpler solution is to just paste power and emotion blindly onto words. S'how you can get incredibly rude questions with a side of "please".

Don't go holdin' your breath on this one~

Wed, 11/07/2012 - 16:38

#14

Thunderbog

stares

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 02:56

#15

Crossproduct

Because it can be used as a

Because it can be used as a insult to replace perv, but in a more inappropriate way. Let's just say, it's out of hand

Any word can be used inappropriately if used often enough in the wrong situations. That's how slang develops, there's always new words that mean the same old derogatory things. The correct response isn't to outlaw words, but look at the context of their usage.

It's funny you should say that. 2 states also legalized marijuana for recreational use, Washington (55%) and Colorado (54%).

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 03:29

#16

Xxpapaya

The papaya giggles

Apparently Homo Sapien is censored as well :P Guess us humans are insulting..........XD

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 17:45

#17

Addisond

I've never understood why applying metaphorical medical terms is bad. But we probably shouldn't be looking at origins of swear words and insults; that's not what they mean. I've heard thousands of people say the word "jerk" thinking they are being totally clean. However, homosexuality doesn't really have any features that could be deemed as bad when viewed through a non-bigoted lens.

Yes, two states legalized pot. That's totally different from decriminalizing it, which is already the case all over the place. If I wanted to go buy anything less than an ounce of pot in Oregon I'd be able to do so without any sort of significant repercussions. Also, the fed is probably gonna kill Colorado and Washington for passing these laws (that means suing them on the grounds that they're violating federal law). We should probably not be talking about this stuff on these forums, though.

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 18:14

#18

Spold

Gay is the name of a city and

Gay is the name of a city and it can mean happy but in Three Rings' eyes it means "homosexual".

I find it funny because retard isn't actually offensive, it just means slow and yet that is censored.

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 19:14

#19

Michaelb

Node 58425

Yaaay! +1

Good point.

Fri, 11/09/2012 - 12:36

#20

Diamondshreddie

Expanding on Ghret's post

Very briefly

Even the word ass, a synonym for donkey, has evolved into a swear by those exact means

If an ass/donkey is not reared with a persistent hand, and isnt being used as a load carrier, then it will act stubbornly, and harass your livestock.

and so, modern society ensued, therefore: life...

sucks don't it?

Fri, 11/09/2012 - 13:06

#21

Psychodestroyer

...

"I find it funny because retard isn't actually offensive, it just means slow and yet that is censored."

Well, technically it is, because modern use revolves around the use of the word implying 'slowness of mind', and therefore continuing on to 'Mentally challenged'.

I would know, having a relative who was pulled out of school for constant abuse by it.

Granted, she is quite 'slow', but that's what this argument is about.

Gay is used as the word to describe homosexuals. 'Retard', according to your definition, means 'slow'. Both, however, are frequently used as insults to people who deviate from the 'norm'.

I will relate this to the banning of Cameras and all digital recording devices from Cinemas.

Yes, they are banned. Why? Because people could use them to record movies the theater want's to sell tickets to. In other words, a 'bad way.'
Why do they ban them, and not just the people who use them the 'bad way?'

You have a camera. You take it into a cinema. You have it. They know you have it. You know you have it, and what you're not going to do with it. But They DON'T know what you're not going to do with it. To them, you have the tools. You can pull it out and use it any time you want. All it would take is a slip of vigilance, and you get away scotch free.

Also: An empty theater leaves no witnesses. (Although it does feel awkward watching a movie alone.)

More people are likely to be watching the movie on the big screen than looking for someone breaking rules anyway.

You guys probably see where I'm going with this, so I'll stop with the parallel.

Like people have said already, people CAN use it 'the bad way'. Sure you can punish people left and right for using it like that, but then it's pretty much the same as banning it. Also, there can be accidents. Once tried to say 'Sez who?' accidentally typed: 'Sex who?'

Not that I have anything against homosexuals either.

"but in Three Rings' eyes it means "homosexual""
So it does in the mind of just about every teenager currently in existence, you can hardly blame them for considering that.

In any case, I leave my filter off.

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Lifting some archaic censorship