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stalfosknighttoday at 3:03 PM2 repliesview on HN

Why are we defending the feelings of chatbots? Does the word clanker upset you too?


Replies

s-davebtoday at 5:12 PM

It’s not about defending the feelings of chat bots but it does normalize name-calling for the person who is using the word clanker.

It’s not good for your mental health.

wizzwizz4today at 3:11 PM

It mildly upsets me, because I think the impulse to denigrate that which we oppose is a harmful one which, if cultivated, we can all too readily turn on people who don't deserve it. But it's not a real slur for real people. (Note that in Star Wars, where many people got this slur from, droids are – or at least, have the potential to be – people, albeit they are usually enslaved, and subject to arbitrary mind wipes.)

However, I couldn't care less about the feelings of chatbots. What I do care about is the feelings of the people to whom the slurs were originally directed, and (generally) the kind of culture that this creates. The use of slurs is a symptom, rather than a cause, but complaining about slurs does get people asking the kinds of questions you're asking, which is a positive.

I would not have said anything if the word "clanker", alone, had been used. But if you look at GP's other comments, I think you'll see evidence to support my musings about the kind of attitude that the practice of slur use cultivates.

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