Katawa Shoujo Forums

I'd actually argue that calling an anorexic "string bean" is okay because anorexics are delusional morons who have lost grasp on reality due to their feeble minds being consumed by superficial bullshit. But then, I'm a cynic with very little patience for the stupidity of my fellow man.

The English language might have a word for someone who revels in ignorance about what psychiatric experts have called a very real psychological condition for decades, but I'm pretty sure "cynic" is not it.

To follow up on Guest Poster's remarks, the "friendliness" of a nickname is not determined by the giver, but by the receiver.

And "friendly" is a word denoting intent. The giver of a name determines the intent and therefore determines the friendliness.

The way I see it, the giver of a name determines his own intent, but that's about all. Whenever you hear one of those stories on the news about kids who kill themselves after years of bullying, it usually turns out that 90% of their bullies weren't sociopaths who were actively seeking to destroy their victim, but dumb empathy-challenged kids who thought they were just having some friendly harmless fun right up to the end and were sincerely baffled their actions actually hurt someone. Their defense that they didn't mean any harm ultimately doesn't make a difference in practice.

In the end, both 'crispy' and 'bacon' are IMHO rather tasteless ways to address burn victims regardless of intent and as mentioned in my previous post, it's mostly the association that's being made that does it.

Guest Poster wrote:

I'd actually argue that calling an anorexic "string bean" is okay because anorexics are delusional morons who have lost grasp on reality due to their feeble minds being consumed by superficial bullshit. But then, I'm a cynic with very little patience for the stupidity of my fellow man.

The English language might have a word for someone who revels in ignorance about what psychiatric experts have called a very real psychological condition for decades, but I'm pretty sure "cynic" is not it.

The way I see it, the giver of a name determines his own intent, but that's about all. Whenever you hear one of those stories on the news about kids who kill themselves after years of bullying, it usually turns out that 90% of their bullies weren't sociopaths who were actively seeking to destroy their victim, but dumb empathy-challenged kids who thought they were just having some friendly harmless fun right up to the end and were sincerely baffled their actions actually hurt someone. Their defense that they didn't mean any harm ultimately doesn't make a difference in practice.

In the end, both 'crispy' and 'bacon' are IMHO rather tasteless ways to address burn victims regardless of intent and as mentioned in my previous post, it's mostly the association that's being made that does it.

Well, I don't know what that has to do with anything but if anyone knows the word you're looking for, it'll be Google. And it doesn't matter what fancy label you stick onto an idiotic reality-denying delusion. Whether you call it a "psychological condition" or a "religion", it's all the same delusional crap born of feeble minds. If somebody can't figure out the obvious fact that "malnourished and scrawny" does not equal "fat and gross" or that "deliberately starving yourself to death" does not equal "a good fucking idea", the only ignorance in play is their own. I've known anorexics. Some had the sense to listen to reason and cut that shit out. Those who refuse to utilize reason have only themselves to blame. But now we've strayed off-topic so, disregarding this, back to the point:

No bully in history has ever thought they were just having "friendly harmless fun". Bullying is an aggressive act by definition and aggression is never friendly, even if harmless. The very act precludes any notion of friendliness toward one's victims. That's why they're called bullies.

And of course it's tasteless. But a lot of things are tasteless. Justin Bieber fans, for example. And dead baby jokes. And OtakuNinja. The initial idea for Katawa Shoujo was tasteless. The shed scene was, to many, tasteless. But more to the point, calling a burn victim 'bacon' isn't just tasteless but also cruel as hell. That's why nobody actually does it. I believe it was Tomate (I may be mistaken) who mentioned the valuable skill of differentiating reality from fiction

I don't understand how I can think that the bacon nickname isn't very funny, yet still feel compelled to laugh. Is it because the alternative is to cry?

So is the OP really ignorant enough to not get how this could be on the offensive side or are people just actively trying to come up with something stupider than "Hanabro?"

Pyramid Head wrote:So is the OP really ignorant enough to not get how this could be on the offensive side or are people just actively trying to come up with something stupider than "Hanabro?"

Everything is 20% cooler when bro is added in the end of the word. lol jk

Whether you call it a "psychological condition" or a "religion", it's all the same delusional crap born of feeble minds. If somebody can't figure out the obvious fact that "malnourished and scrawny" does not equal "fat and gross" or that "deliberately starving yourself to death" does not equal "a good fucking idea", the only ignorance in play is their own. I've known anorexics. Some had the sense to listen to reason and cut that shit out. Those who refuse to utilize reason have only themselves to blame.

Ah yeah, the old "people suffering from a mental condition should just walk it off or reason it away"-line. You'd make one hell of a therapist. You're right...we're better off not dragging the discussion into that direction.

No bully in history has ever thought they were just having "friendly harmless fun". Bullying is an aggressive act by definition and aggression is never friendly, even if harmless. The very act precludes any notion of friendliness toward one's victims. That's why they're called bullies.

It comes in many forms from the aggressive beating up a victim or stealing his belongings to the more passive practice of social exclusion or use of supposedly-funny nicknames when passing them by in the schoolyard. The latter, if things ever escalate, do have the tendency to react with the "Geez, we were merely joking"-line.

But more to the point, calling a burn victim 'bacon' isn't just tasteless but also cruel as hell. That's why nobody actually does it. I believe it was Tomate (I may be mistaken) who mentioned the valuable skill of differentiating reality from fiction.

Someone who only calls fictional black characters on TV niggers and claims he's not a racist because he doesn't throw the n-word at people in person ignores the fact that his mindset nevertheless makes the black skin=nigger connection, just not openly. You think if a burn victim or someone who personally knows a burn victim views this forum and finds people looking at a picture of a fictional burn victim and going "baconface", they won't find it objectionable, just because that particular burn victim in the picture happens to be fictional? I don't think people reason that way.

Pyramid Head wrote:So is the OP really ignorant enough to not get how this could be on the offensive side or are people just actively trying to come up with something stupider than "Hanabro?"

No, Its because I know that there are no burn victims in my school.
Not a single one. I also made them quite small so it can be easy to miss unless you know it was there.

It's actually quite chuckle worthy, that this entire thread has gone to a debate wheter this morally right or wrong.

I'm the kind of guy that chooses to take my game seriously. I did with KS but on an end note decided to have some "fun" with it.
I mean hell what is the true fun of a game when you can bullshit around with it anyway?

EDIT : Furthermore, If anyone did bring it up to me in offense, I would say "I'm very sorry that you were offended by this, I had no clue that this would have offended you."
I rarely make a joke that could potentially offend someone. I keep them in the realm of ridiculousness most the time so no one bats an eye at it.
Not everyone can know everything about anything.

Guest Poster wrote: Someone who only calls fictional black characters on TV niggers and claims he's not a racist because he doesn't throw the n-word at people in person ignores the fact that his mindset nevertheless makes the black skin=nigger connection, just not openly. You think if a burn victim or someone who personally knows a burn victim views this forum and finds people looking at a picture of a fictional burn victim and going "baconface", they won't find it objectionable, just because that particular burn victim in the picture happens to be fictional? I don't think people reason that way.

Bacon is not the fucking "b Word", its not comparable to Nigger. Its more akin to calling a black guy "Chocolate", and that's not really offensive.

So, my over-sensitive forum mates, I'll throw the gauntlet and declare a challenge: My avatar is a picture of Chibi Hanako with the words "get bacon!", according to half this forum, it's really offensive, so i ask that you guys bring forth burn victims, so that they may gaze upon my avatar and judge it.
If the majority of the burn victims say that my avatar is offensive, we scrap this whole Hanako Tagging thing.
If the majority of the burn victims say that my avatar is not offensive, then this outrage stops.

And remember folks, this topic is not about "Hey, lets yell "Bacon" at random burn victims" its about Tagging places with a chibi Hanako and the words "Get bacon".

Bacon is not the fucking "b Word", its not comparable to Nigger. Its more akin to calling a black guy "Chocolate", and that's not really offensive.

I still think a black burn victim would prefer to be called the n-word over anything bacon-related because the former at least mocks the part of his skin that wasn't mutilated. And if you think calling black people chocolate in public is gonna get you laughs instead of offended reactions, I'd suggest trying it out on the workfloor and see how quickly your boss gets on your case. In general, you have to be pretty good pals with someone before you can come up with that kind of nicknames. Any less and people will just think you have no social skills.

The challenge thing is kind of silly, btw. Nobody I know would go to such lenghts just to make a point on some internet forum. What's a whole lot more likely to happen is that people will make their case, realize the other side is probably not gonna change their mind and give up at some point. Nobody's telling you to change your avatar...we're just reserving the right to call the whole bacon-thing objectionable and elaborate our reasons for doing so 'cause that's what happens during internet discussions.

Tomate wrote: Remember folks, this topic is not about "Hey, lets yell "Bacon" at random burn victims" its about Tagging places with a chibi Hanako and the words "Get bacon".

Thank you very much Tomate for trying to remind us the point of this topic!

Remember folks, this topic is not about "Hey, lets yell "Bacon" at random burn victims" its about Tagging places with a chibi Hanako and the words "Get bacon".

And that makes it better in what way?

Is slapping up racist drawings of people better than calling them ethnic slurs to their face? They're both pretty horrible things to do.

The very fact that this topic has gone on for sever pages should tell you that "yes" some people are offended by this and don't find it funny.

Anybody else here know somebody that insists on wearing long pants and long sleeves in 90+ degree weather because they don't like people looking at their scars? Anybody else know a girl that wanted to be a fashion model but has said the only thing she can model for now would be horror movies? Have any of your friends known you for well over a year before they were even comfortable wearing short sleeves around you in their own house?

Just me? Okay. I suppose that makes me the expect on the subject. Then take my word for it.

Is anybody that thinks labeling burn victims as "bacon" actually friends with any burn victim? How about just disabled people in general? Anybody confined to wheelchairs, missing limbs, or fingers, or anything like that? Do they think it's cute having nicknames that stress their disabilities?

What really gets to me is that all the characters you could choose to insult, you pick the one in the game that has a backstory where she was constantly made fun of to the point where she developed severe mental trauma. The game outright tells you that making fun of people for things like this is wrong and hurtful and all I'm getting back in response is "yeah, but it's fun to make fun of her."

Now one of the arguments I'm seeing i that other people won't know who this character is. That means nothing. If they don't know who the character is, they're not all just going to assume it's some specific character that has "earned the nickname". They'll assume you're referring to burn victims in general.

If you are going to put up and tag picture of Hanako, why say "get bacon?" There are plenty o things you could say in it's place that wouldn't offend anyone. Just randomly pulling stuff fromt he shimie without any real thought to it, you could have used "Was she cute?", "tea time", "Tilehopper", "I'vegotogodosomething", "Checkmate", "Jitter", and I'm sure you could come up with something that isn't an insult if you actually stopped and thought for a moment.

Oddball wrote:

Remember folks, this topic is not about "Hey, lets yell "Bacon" at random burn victims" its about Tagging places with a chibi Hanako and the words "Get bacon".

And that makes it better in what way?

Is slapping up racist drawings of people better than calling them ethnic slurs to their face? They're both pretty horrible things to do.

The very fact that this topic has gone on for sever pages should tell you that "yes" some people are offended by this and don't find it funny.

Anybody else here know somebody that insists on wearing long pants and long sleeves in 90+ degree weather because they don't like people looking at their scars? Anybody else know a girl that wanted to be a fashion model but has said the only thing she can model for now would be horror movies? Have any of your friends known you for well over a year before they were even comfortable wearing short sleeves around you in their own house?

Just me? Okay. I suppose that makes me the expect on the subject. Then take my word for it.

Boo hoo, sad story but guest what? We are not bullying your friend.
We are just giving a nickname to Hanako, and a nickname that's been around some time, i don't know why the sudden outrage. 'sides, your friend is not even in this forum, you guys are just butthurt because SOMEONE somewhere may be offended, its like the Pascal Wager of tears.

What really gets to me is that all the characters you could choose to insult, you pick the one in the game that has a backstory where she was constantly made fun of to the point where she developed severe mental trauma. The game outright tells you that making fun of people for things like this is wrong and hurtful and all I'm getting back in response is "yeah, but it's fun to make fun of her."

Two words, bro: NOT REAL.
Moving on.

No. You're not bullying my friend.

You're insulting burnt people in general with he excuse that it's okay because "other people are doing it too."

Then you add to the ignorance of you post by saying that just because something is fictional it means nothing in it should apply to the real world and you can't learn anything from it.

As for somebody somewhere being offended? Me. Right here. I take offense at this.

Although I suppose in all your wisdom you'll find a way of saying that somehow my opinion and personal experiences shouldn't count for anything.

I suppose I'm probably expecting too much. For some reason, i thought people here might be half way decent human beings that didn't derive pleasure from mocking others. I suppose I was wrong.

Oddball wrote:No. You're not bullying my friend.

You're insulting burnt people in general with he excuse that it's okay because "other people are doing it too."

We are not trying to insult anyone, if anyone feels insulted, sucks to be him, it must be very hard for such person to live when a simple word can hurt so much.

As for somebody somewhere being offended? Me. Right here. I take offense at this.

Truly? You feel insulted by "Get bacon?" How can you live?! The constant thoughts of hungry kids and cancer patients must constantly haunt your mind, and every single minute of life is torture, since you are so very attuned to the pain of your fellow human.

Although I suppose in all your wisdom you'll find a way of saying that somehow my opinion and personal experiences shouldn't count for anything.

They count, not very much, but they count still. But you know, my over-sensitive friend, you are not the target demographic, but if you want i can remove my avatar,since it brings so much misery into the word.

I suppose I'm probably expecting too much. For some reason, i thought people here might be half way decent human beings that didn't derive pleasure from mocking others. I suppose I was wrong.

The word is OK, you are just being oversensitive. How did you survive High School?

You might not be trying to insult anyone, but you're doing a pretty good job at actually insulting people. Then you insult people that call you on your behavior. While I doubt you sincerity, but yes, I would appreciate it if you got rid of the avatar. Please.

And if you can work at showing a bit of common courtesy and human decency even towards those who don't share you personal experiences and outlooks, it would also be appreciated.

Not everyone enjoys jokes at other people's expenses.