I know it’s used toward Trumpist politicians so far. Was the context such that “weirdo” was the only sensible choice?

I feel troubled by this because Keep Austin Weird, Keep Portland Weird, etc., which is normally celebrated. And I’m weird.

  • infinite_ass@leminal.space
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    3 months ago

    I just recently heard it used that way. To describe “conservatives”. Much like “yikes” I guess. They assign a new meaning to it and thus it is so.

    Words are different these days. Like, words used to have a secondhand association with reality. But now it’s thirdhand.

      • infinite_ass@leminal.space
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        3 months ago

        Language evolves with every generation, yes. But I offered something different from that.

        I offered that the relationship between word and thing was becoming more tenuous. Like two telephones drawing further apart. The conversation breaking up.

        We talk less about reality now. We talk more about talking.

        • ColonelThirtyTwo@pawb.social
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          3 months ago

          And how is calling conservatives “weird” how you describe?

          Compared to conservatives calling anything left of them “communist”, calling a party backing a felon president and a vice president that can’t even make small talk at a doughnut store “weird” is very fitting.

  • LesserAbe@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I’ve seen people say there’s good weird and bad weird, and if you don’t mind calling yourself weird it’s probably the good kind.

    As for calling maga people weird I think it’s effective because their whole deal is about vibes. “We’re strong, we’re smart” and it really bothers them to be perceived otherwise. It’s also not something you can “debate”. Either people accept it or they don’t. What are you going to say “no, I’m not weird”? Sure thing buddy.

  • njm1314@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    You say recently but it’s always kind of been a pejorative. It’s softened in the last few decades but it was always an insult.

  • Zachariah@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Good weird = you get called weird, and you’re like, “duh, we’re all weird”

    Bad weird = you get called weird, and you respond defensively and have to prove how normal you are to everyone

  • EleventhHour@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    “pejorative” is probably a better word. calling it a “slur” is a bit strong.

    but Tim Walz started it when he called JD Vance “weird.” It just sorta stuck because, well, he’s right.

  • Maeve@kbin.earth
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    3 months ago

    Wasn’t in response to people bullying Walz’s son for proudly pointing at his dad, crying, saying “I love you, Dad,” or something similar, during one of his father’s speeches?

  • rhythmisaprancer@moist.catsweat.com
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    3 months ago

    I dont think it is helpful to see it as a slur. This is more like “use my words against me” and it works, really well. The right wing folks this is messing with identify as being normal, predictable, sensible, strong, etc. Not weird. So when one of them goes to a donut shop and has their internal record get stuck on “OK, good” it looks abnormal, unpredictable, nonsensical, and perhaps even weak. AKA weird, and we can make them uncomfortable with that.

  • Boozilla@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    The weird window has shifted. Having purple hair and a nose ring used to be “very weird”. Now nobody blinks an an eye at that stuff.

    But being attracted to your own daughter (and admitting it publicly) and fucking a couch (and admitting it publicly) are still considered very weird.

    • MrBobDobalina@lemmy.ml
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      3 months ago

      Get them on the real stuff, there’s plenty of it. The couch thing is known to be made up and is just misinformation now (well, always was).

      He certainly seems like someone who might fuck a couch because he’s fucking weird, so keep the jokes about it coming, but the book excerpt was fake

  • calabast@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    Don’t worry about it too much. I don’t think this current trend will completely overtake the word “weird”, but even if it does, you’ll still be good-weird, Republicans will still be bad-weird, and people will know the difference, no matter what we call those things.

  • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work
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    3 months ago

    I think there’s a different between being weird and being a weirdo. Weird people can be fun, but you have to watch out for weirdos.

  • spacemoss@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I feel the same way. In the end, this is the english language where the words are made up and none of the definitions matter.

  • Today@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    It’s only bad if you’re offended by it. Embrace the weird = all good. Spend all your time trying to convince people that you’re not weird = super weird.

    • sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz
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      3 months ago

      As I read somewhere recently, there is good weird and bad weird. You know which is which by how the target reacts. Almost all my friends are weird. Good weird. Except for Steve.

  • B1naryB0t@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 months ago

    It was said as a common sense criticism of the Republicans by VP candidate Tim Walz. It serves as a criticism without giving them any intellectual credibility, which is important against fascism. Fascists love when you try to debate them or allow them in the conversation, and calling them weird shuts it down.