Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - When insults become compliements (and vice versa)

Baraka_Guru · 08-20-2009, 10:57 AM

This just popped into my head....

With changing societies and language, it's interesting to look back at what things used to mean at another time. It's funny sometimes to see what they now mean comparatively.

Take insults for example. The art of making insults is centuries old. But in the 20th century, and now in the information age, things change(d) rather quickly.

Here are a couple of insults that now pass off as compliments (or simply pass off as a positive):

"Your mother wears combat boots!"
(Women serving in combat roles is now something that gets a lot of respect and cred.)

"You're a geek."
(Can generally mean "you're cute" or "you're into cool stuff.")

Can anyone think of any others?
What about compliments of the past that are now insulting?

08-20-2009, 10:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	When insults become compliements (and vice versa) This just popped into my head.... With changing societies and language, it's interesting to look back at what things used to mean at another time. It's funny sometimes to see what they now mean comparatively. Take insults for example. The art of making insults is centuries old. But in the 20th century, and now in the information age, things change(d) rather quickly. Here are a couple of insults that now pass off as compliments (or simply pass off as a positive): "Your mother wears combat boots!" (Women serving in combat roles is now something that gets a lot of respect and cred.) "You're a geek." (Can generally mean "you're cute" or "you're into cool stuff.") Can anyone think of any others? What about compliments of the past that are now insulting? __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot