[ludston]

It is, and autism is just the swap-in vulnerable minority of the day that is socially acceptable to be the butt of the joke.

If you don't understand what I mean, swap out "autistic" for "retarded" and the joke still functions, but a lot more people will be offended by it.

I still laughed though.

[JauntyHatAngle]

I don't think that makes sense.

I'm not disagreeing with your overall point, but autistic in that comment is attempting to capture that "literal rhetoric but socially unaware" style of argument people can have when they argue a point too black and white.

"Retarded" does not imply this

I would say the problem with the comment is more in line with how OCD or adhd is used, improperly. Like despite autism being a spectrum with traits that can't be reduced to that one stereotype.

It's being used to invoke a stereotype of neurodivergence. Not as a stand in for general stupidity.

[ludston]

> Not as a stand in for general stupidity.

It's being used as a stand in for a very specific example of stupidity, and it is "clever" because it evokes strong imagery in an unexpected way. Which is why it is funny. But still offensive. It's best to avoid black and white thinking about things like this, as hard as it is for the ego to admit that it takes pleasure from cruelty.

[bcrosby95]

Yeah, shit's re.... dumb I mean. It's interesting we're still allowed to use dumb this way.

[ludston]

Most of our insults against intelligence come from medical terminology originally. Every word eventually starts being used offensively, and then a new one gets coined and the cycle continues.

[NopIdoN]

yeah like how dipshit used to be a term of endearance

[ludston]

I assume you're being sarcastic, but moron, retard, stupid, dumb, idiot, mad, imbecile, mongoloid, spastic, lame, lunatic, maniac and psycho were all used as medical terms before they became stigmatic. Filter out sexual and scatological insults and there is very little left.

[NopIdoN]

Challenge accepted, turkey neck! Let's see who runs out first. Hit me