MovieChat Forums > Insecure (2016) Discussion > Words to use instead of the "n-word"

Words to use instead of the "n-word"

posted 8 years ago by sunsetinny
30 replies | jump to latest

Hello actors and writers of the show "Insecure". Hello avid fans of the show "Insecure". Due to the numerous times I have heard the n-word used on this show and my extreme dislike of the word, I thought I would suggest other words to replace the n-word. Now I already know there will be some defenders of the n-word. I understand your points, I just disagree with them (because you are wrong :) Here are the list of words that can replace the n-word. If anybody reading this is affiliated with the show, please use any of the below words as a substitute for the n-word. I will give the standard as well as the urban replacements. I can't think of all the words, so please feel free to add on :)

Standard - loser, deadbeat, failure, disadvantaged

Urban - hurb, raider fan, slouch, jack wagon, douc_e bag, pu_k azz, heab, sucka,

Standard - Man,he,guy,boyfriend, friend, neighbor, brother, fellow

Urban - Moob, bloke, god, dude, boy, *beep* coon, snicker, dooncoon, nword, darky

Standard - Theif, criminal, crook, robber, cheat

Urban - Hood, gangster, bad man, skel, shady, mook, rap sheet, crimey, stickup kid, gang member

I could go on, but you get the point - don't you? 😀

I invite anyone to add on. Let's have some fun - shall we ☺

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

More substitutes:

Standard - Idiot, stupid

Urban - Dummy, retard

[–] ChocolateButt 8 years ago

http://i.imgur.com/iSsngzr.gif

"What race are you? If you don't tell me I'll just...assume the worst."

[–] lunchtime916 8 years ago

That isn't how it's used in the black community though. If any other race uses it, it's a pejorative and those terms apply. But between black people on a racially homogenized setting it's a thr equivalent of, "bro", "fam", "brethren." To remove the worday from the show because it makes some uncomfortable wold detract from the authenticity of the show, setting and charactersee tbh.

I have many friends who say it regularly and a good friend who ends almost every sentence with the word but I never say it at all. It doesn't bother me he uses it but I notice that he does and often. If he randomly stopped I'd think something was wrong, just as if I suddenly started saying it he would wonder what was up with me lol. I feel like this same dynamic is reflected in the show. Some characters use it more than others but some don't use it at all and I think thats an accurate representation of how many black people address each other and interact.

[–] lunchtime916 8 years ago

Sorry for all the typos...typed all that on my phone after binge watching the season lol.

[–] pensivewon 8 years ago

I like your answer.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Hello Lunchtime916,

I will ask you to listen more closely the next time you hear it from someone other than your good friend. I hear the same excuse all the time about "the equivalent of, "bro", "fam", "brethren."" By far most of the time it's not. The n-word is used as an insult by both African Americans and non-African Americans. Non-African Americans use it as an insult ABOUT a Black person, while African Americans just use it as an insult. See the difference? The average listener can't tell the difference. Nuance don't come easily to people 😃

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

Sunsetinny,
You are not completely accurate. It is not always an insulting term, it depends on the context. Sometimes it IS the equivalent of "bro," etc. and sometimes it is the equivalent of "dude," or "person." I previously lived in Las Vegas and now live in California, and have heard some non-blacks(usually Asians, Latinos, Polynesians, or other people of color) use it towards other non-blacks, especially in the younger generations. Ex: 15-year-old Mexican says "I overheard the girl say 'That n**** don't like me." (The girl was referring to him). I am not saying that it cannot be an insulting term, but many times it is not. It is not incumbent on the speakers to change their modes of expression, it is incumbent on the listener to learn the nuances. Just a side note, in an interview, Issa stated that there were so many uses of the N-word because that's how her and her friends REALLY talk.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Some African Americans are so immune to insults, they don't even know when they are being insulted or insulting. If you are African American, I include you in the immune group.

Let's look at your example, which is typical in the Black community, although in your example, it's a Mexican girl.

"That N-word, don't like me"

Let me ask you geradersond, was that a compliment? Was that a positive statement? Here is my point to refute yours; yes it's not always an insulting term, but BY FAR MOST OF THE TIMES IT IS. I would say 95 to 99 percent of the time, it's an insulting term. Used just like it was originally created for; insults. People like yourself just don't hear it as an insult anymore, even when it is used as one.

Lastly, it IS incumbent on the speaker to change their modes of expression, which is the reason why the character Molly doesn't use that language in her law firm, and most African Americans don't use the word around other racial groups, nor on their job.

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

No, I did not say it was a Mexican girl. I said it was a Mexican male to whom she was referring. It was not a compliment nor an insult, it was just a statement of matter-of-fact. She was just pretty much saying "I like him but he does not like me." He did not take it in an offensive manner and she did not mean it offensively.

You make a lot of assumptions without any data. Show me your objective research, in which you have documented all instances in which the term is used and how you determined if it was used in a derogatory manner or not. Then do the statistics to get the percentages. Let me know your results. Also, document all the instances of when African Americans use it.. Until then, please stop making statements with blanket quasi-facts. I most certainly use it with my non-black, non-white friends

I am African-American and I know when I am being insulted, even subtly. I do not need you to be the identifier of insults. If you don't like the word, don't use it and request that it is not used in your presence or towards you. However, do not try to be the word police for everyone or try to demean other who make different choices. I could call you ignorant for not realizing that words have nuances and different meanings depending on the context. If my lover calls me "baby" that a whole different scenario from a random dude on the street calling me "baby," even though it is the exact same word.

Issa got the green light to do her show, it is her artistic expression. You are free to disagree but I love it just the way it is, n-word and all.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Oh, geradersond, don't feel insulted because you lack an understanding of indirectness, and I was not being subtle. I don't consider it an insult, just a observation that I stated plainly.

I don't need data, when something is obvious. Do I need data to prove that people breathe? When taken literally or figuratively, by far most times people say the N-word, it's as an insult. You can deny it all you want. Even your example was an insult about the guy. The Mexican girl wasn't saying "that great guy doesn't like me" or "he's cute, but he doesn't like me". Who says that? Stop being oppositional because you are wrong. Again, you are so immune to your speech that you don't even hear yourself.

I never asked you to identify insults, because even if I did, you would fail miserably. I never asked you to respond to my messages, and I will call out a lie when I see it. I am willing to bet that YOU DON'T SAY THE N-WORD in front of your non-black friends on a regular basis. You might slip up every now and then, but to say you talk the same to your non-black friends as you do to your non-white friends is a lie. Deny all you want, but then you would be a liar. Want to know how I know this? Your vocabulary and your logical conclusions. You may not understand craftiness, but you are obviously intelligent.

I don't like the N-word and I tell people not use it around me.

Issa received the green light because her show displays Black people in a negative light. It's no different from "Love and Hip Hop" or the "WorldStar" website.

You already know I will not watch this garbage again.

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

Who says that? Many people, especially the younger generation in a certain lifestyles. That is EXACTLY what the girl was saying, I didn't say SHE was Mexican. You say I don't understand indirectness, but you appear to have an issue with reading into written material or are having comprehension difficulties.

I am not being oppositional nor am I wrong. But if you are correct, I am saying provide some proof. It doesn't exist to be true just because you say it does, and it has nothing to do with breathing. We are not discussing people breathing. Stay focused. You made a statement, "When taken literally or figuratively, by far most times people say the N-word, it's as an insult." The is a generalization on so many levels but the burden of proof is on you, as you are the one making the statement.

Okay forget ALL instances, how about a representative sample? Do some statistics on a representative sample of instances. Hell, do some subjective questionnaires. Your logical fallacy is bandwagon. You appealed to the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation.

I am not a liar, you don't know my life. I use the n-word with the same frequency with my black and non-black friends. That being said, I don't use the n-word on a frequent basis. But my non-black friends are about that life so they know what I mean when I use it. Your logical fallacy is also ad hominem. You attack your opponent's character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument.

Issa received a greenlight because she developed a fan based from her web series "Misadventures of an awkward black girl." If the show "Atlanta does not depict black people in a negative light, I don't know what does = College drop-out, drug dealer, physical assault, poverty, incarceration, unwed motherhood, n-word moments, infidelity, loss of employment due to drug use. How is that positive? I am not saying that I have an issue with depicting these issues, I am just saying since you accuse Insecure of depicting black people in a negative light, what are the positive attributes of "Atlanta?" For Insecure, they are educated, jail-free, not impoverished, responsible drinking, no other substance use, employment, social justice and community involvement.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

A worthy challenger :)

1st - I can't assume the girl was Mexican? What is the probability that the girl was something other than Mexican (you already know it's less than 50% since Mexican's tend to date other Mexicans). Yes the girl "could" have been non-Mexican, but the probability is that she was Mexican.

2nd - What kind of statistical proof would satisfy you? Seriously, you want me to determine the population size of N-word users, and decide on the margin of error? Determine the confidence level and standard deviation? Get the Z score which will then give me an adequate sample size? Then create a questionnaire that will enable me to truthfully equate the number of people who use the N-word as an insult versus those that do not? YOU REALLY WANT ME TO DO ALL OF THAT? That's laughable and perhaps impossible. Also it's really not that important for me to do it. If you can't believe anything is true unless you see a statistical report, then nothing I can say will prove true to you. I have observed most people using the N-word in an insulting manner. A subjective questionnaire wouldn't be reliable.

3rd - You talked about nuance? I didn't call you a liar unless you denied the different way you talk to non-black people. I see you tried to change or qualify your previous statement. Now your non-black friends have to be "about that life" where before, you didn't mention that little fact. You previously said "I most certainly use it with my non-black, non-white friends".

You claim you don't use that N-word that frequently. Why not? Be honest with yourself and stop with the excuses. WHY DON'T YOU USE THE N-WORD as part as your regular speech? Let's get real here.

I've already talked about the good of Atlanta in the "Does Insecure need to take lessons" thread, but I left out one important point. The show addresses injustices experienced by African Americans and it does it in a hilarious way (reason for Golden Globes wins). Insecure is just soap opera garbage that degrades Black women in particular and Black people in general (I didn't do a statistical analysis to determine whether the show is garbage or not 😁

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

OMG! I am not challenging YOU, I am challenging some of your statements.

I don't know the ethnicity of the girl, the person telling me the story was Mexican but in Vegas people in his age group date all over the place ethnically. And also in California. What difference does it make what ethnicity the girl was, the point is the person she was referring to was NOT BLACK. The point is also that he was not offended by the reference.

By happenstance overhear the n-word being used. Ask the person who used the word if they intended to offend. Ask the other person if they were offended. Do this ten times and report back the results. I've made the statistics simply for you in terms of percentages. Yes, I really want you to DO SOMETHING besides bloviate nonsense. Actually, I believe a random sample size of 1,000 is considered good enough to somewhat generalize the results in typical scientific research. I don't think you really about substantiated your claim OR satisfying me, you are just lazy and want to spew your opinions without having them challenged.

It's not that I don't believe anything is true without statistical support, it's that I do not believe you statements with regard to the use of the n-word and think that your percentages are waaaaaaay off.

You stated, "but to say you talk the same to your non-black friends as you do to your non-white friends is a lie." By inference, you are calling me a liar. I DID say that I use the n-word with my non-black, non-white friends. What difference does it make if they are "about that life," the fact remains the same. if I am going to use the n-word, I'm not going to use it with people who find it unacceptable or offensive because I am going to be respectful. But then, those people probably will not be my friends but I like to be able to "let my hair down." My non-black friends don't HAVE to be about that life, that's just the way it is. I teach them but if they are uncomfortable they can say "ninja" or "nunchuck" because "n-word"is just awkward as f-word. I am most always honest with myself. I will not abandon myself when I most need my own support- a favorite mantra of mine.

I don't use the n-word often because I do more listening than talking. And because I am don't get to talk with my friends often anymore and when we do talk it's not about topics that utilize the n-word. I love the n-word. My friend wrote a paper on its uses in different context. It's like the word "girl." The way you say it and the context can change the meaning. I just think the power of language, its uses, and the way it changes through time is fascinating. I cannot wait until the word "conversate" gets acceptable usage because so many people say it and it makes sense that the word should be conversate rather than converse. The n-word (and its variations) is part of my regular speech but I don't use it as a filler or hesitation.

I did not ask you about the good of Atlanta, I asked how did it depict blacks in a positive light. Different question requiring a different answer than those previously given.

Very well you consider Insecure garbage and you will no longer be a viewer? Well to me "Atlanta" is some southern, low-life, ghetto *beep* that I will no longer be wasting any more of my time watching. I already knew that white people considered dog's lives as more important than black people's from the Michael Vick sentencing. DUH! Tell us something we don't know, n-word.I get it if that's how ya'll roll in the south or whatever, but we don't all get down like that because that life sucks! Later for that, it's like watching paint dry. And if the white man commended you with awards and that makes you happy, great for you! I don't need the Golden Globes to validate my experience and what I enjoy.

Both Insecure and Atlanta got renewed for second seasons so that's good. I can't wait for the next season of Insecure because as black woman, I do not feel degrade. And as an educated, middle class black woman, I feel that my struggles are depicted and can relate!

Question, you're not one of those Hotep n-words, are you?

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Almost forgot about you. I've been out of town, but will be back Sunday to put you are your views to rest. I have something special just for you.

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

Oh, I also wanted to point out how different the character Earn is from the actor who portrays him. The actor graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in dramatic writing. The actor was hired at the age of 23 to become a writer for the comedy series 30 Rock. The actor's baby mama appears to be white. The actor is not about the life he portrays in the character in any way. Not in background, not in his present life.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Don't hide from me now Geradersond. I made a thread just for us :)

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

Oh I am not hiding, just don't know where thread it. Only get links to this one.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5024912/board/thread/265544836

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

ok will check it out later

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Oh my God!!!!!!

I know this is not you?

Coping and Surviving: African American Women and the Aftermath of Sexual Assault

http://psychdiscourse.com/index.php/2013-08-20-02-30-17/version-46-2012/spring-2012-v46-1/128-spring-2012-v46-1/general-articles-v46-1/269-module-summer2012-pagebook

The person who wrote this should know the psychological effects of negative name calling! Especially the effects it has on young children and teens. This article couldn't be you!

The small chance that this is you, PLEASE DON'T CALL YOUR CHILDREN THE n-word! I know you love the n-word, but PLEASE DON'T CALL YOUR CHILDREN THE n-word!

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

That IS me. Who is calling their children the n-word. I mean, to their face? You have made such a big leap on this one. I NEVER said you should call your children the n-word. Reel it back. I don't condone namecalling in general, the point is that it is not always an offensive term. It's about perception. I am sure that the effects of namecalling have already been studied at some point. I have no interest in studying that, I have moved on to forensics and neuropsychology.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

How am I making such a "big leap"? YOU SAID you love the n-word? Why wouldn't you share something you love with your children? I love science and jazz and I shared my love of them with my daughter. She also loves science and she played in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra.

That was no leap, because parent share things with their children. You may not have children, so I will leave this one alone.

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

I love martinis, but I would not share that with my children. I love sex, but wouldn't share that with my children. I wouldn't curse around my children. Some things are just not age appropriate, some things are for adults. Even the gang member on Insecure covered his daughter's ears when he spit some "knowledge" to Lawrence about his relationship.

Some things you can share when they are adults, Some things you let them grew into on their own, if it happens that way. I do have a daughter who is technically grown, another thing I did not share with her? My love of sweets. I tried to eat healthy in front of her and then would pig out on junk food after she went to bed. Things I DID share with her? My love of reading, my love of dance. I also tried to expose her to things that we might not necessarily share,such as piano lessons, I figured just because I wasn't into into I should not deprive her of it, it might be her thing. I am pretty sure that she uses the n-word with her friends all the time. I see her Facebook sometimes. She is in college, does not have any children, does not have a criminal record, and does not abuse substances. If using the n-word is as worse as it gets, I'll take it!

How old are your children?

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Special needs, non-verbal son is 15 and daughter is 18 and in college also. I know she doesn't use the n-word, but like your daughter, she does not have any children, does not have a criminal record, and does not abuse substances. If using the n-word is as worse as it gets, I'll take it also!

See, we can agree on something 😃

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

Yay!

[–] cristalle1 8 years ago

Great post! I love Issa but this really bothers me, we got to do better than making this word the norm. Everyone that watches it thinks all black people talk and refer to each other this way...not true. When did this become OK? Thanks for posting this.

[–] geradersond 8 years ago

Issa is not making it the norm, it's already the norm in certain social circles. See previous response I wrote.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Agreed, it's already normal in certain ignorant social circles 😃

[–] RidiculousPasta 8 years ago

I can't with ya'll responding to this tired little troll like he's even trying to have a real discussion and not trying to make you mad. Like flame him and move on. Stop being so damned nice. It's sad.

[–] sunsetinny 8 years ago

Hey Ridiculous 😃.

You sound a little angry I don't like this show. Why so mad?