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Post by famvir on Aug 27, 2014 15:08:02 GMT -4
Spaz and spastic were the derogatory for those with uncontrollable movement, like someone with cerebral palsy. It's not too great a leap to see the connection between that term and any of the other kid like terms used to insult and demean that are based on physical and mental disorders. I grew up in Southern California before the 80's, and it was definitely a pejorative even back then.
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 20:11:08 GMT -4
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2014 15:31:05 GMT -4
I've never heard the words spaz or spastic applied to anything in the health/medical realm, other than "spastic colon." I call HGTV a spaz all the time because she has a case of the dropsies, ya know, all the time. And I never say the "r" words.
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Post by famvir on Aug 27, 2014 15:36:58 GMT -4
It might be a SoCal thing, but definitly a thing. I'll ask MrF about it tonight, he grew up in MPLS/St Paul. I'm surprised at the regional differences.
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 20:11:08 GMT -4
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2014 15:51:49 GMT -4
I've never heard the words spaz or spastic applied to anything in the health/medical realm, other than "spastic colon." I call HGTV a spaz all the time because she has a case of the dropsies, ya know, all the time. And I never say the "r" words. Same here, I had no idea it was a derogatory term until this song came out and folks complained about it. I don't really use it at all but I have had it said about me.
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Post by Freelance Exorcist on Aug 27, 2014 17:44:09 GMT -4
Well, add me to the group that had no idea that "spaz" was considered offensive. In my experience, used as a noun, it referred to someone who was really hyper or excited. Used as a verb, it basically meant to lose your shit over something.
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Post by famvir on Aug 27, 2014 18:29:55 GMT -4
The odd thing is Weird Al grew up in the same place and is about the same age as I am, but he obviously didn't have the same experience as I did.
More than likely, the term got defanged with time, which is why to so many of you it is surprise that there are some that find it offensive.
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Post by ladyvorkosigan on Aug 28, 2014 0:32:09 GMT -4
I grew up in Western Canada in the 80s, and I was always (dimly) aware of the origin of "spaz"/"spastic". I think part of it is being somewhere where "spastic" is also being used as slang. The connotations from "spastic" are more easily derived, and then connected to "spaz" as well.
(Don't know if it explains how famvir knew and Weird Al didn't, though, if they're from the same area)
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Post by Ninja Bunny on Aug 28, 2014 2:07:14 GMT -4
I remember spaz too and it was pretty mild as insults go.
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Post by eclair on Aug 28, 2014 9:21:55 GMT -4
I remember being shocked when I was in London in the late 80s and in the underground there were posters to raise awareness for cerebral palsy, but the text used the word "Spastic". To describe the people with cerebral paslsy. Something like, "Spastics need your help to live normal lives". I don't know if they would still use that word today. But I was shocked, I tell you, shocked.
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Post by forever1267 on Aug 28, 2014 12:41:53 GMT -4
I just remember it as one of the camp counselors in Meatballs.
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