Historically fool was also used for people with metal disabilities. Same as idiot, dolt, simpleton, dumb, and virtually every other word we have for “crazy” and “stupid”
Besides which, crazy people aren’t necessarily stupid people, so fool wouldn’t work for that.
Ableist use of the world fool is so rare I’ve never heard of it before today. The usage referring to the job fool is much more common, and thus the word is much less offensive than ps*cho. If we’re trying to avoid harm, we should choose the least offensive word, right? Or just not use that kind of word at all.
I don’t think Mr T feels that way. It’s about learning to draw the feeling of your insults from a new source. See, we have a language of reference to cultural ideas just like Star Trek’s Tamarians. Darmok and Jalad at Tenagra. Ours is just less concrete. When you use the word ps*cho, it hits hard because you’re drawing on cultural hatred and fear of psychotic and ASPD people. Society doesn’t feel as strongly about court fools, and that’s why nobody feels their sense of hatred light up in reaction to the word. But if the only reason your insults hit hard is because everyone hates mentally ill people, you’re using the wrong insults.
From that point of view, possibly yes. But is there a better alternative in English?
For someone who acts very stupid and dangerous. Something like “daredevil”, but with clearly negative connotations.
Fool.
Historically fool was also used for people with metal disabilities. Same as idiot, dolt, simpleton, dumb, and virtually every other word we have for “crazy” and “stupid”
Besides which, crazy people aren’t necessarily stupid people, so fool wouldn’t work for that.
Ableist use of the world fool is so rare I’ve never heard of it before today. The usage referring to the job fool is much more common, and thus the word is much less offensive than ps*cho. If we’re trying to avoid harm, we should choose the least offensive word, right? Or just not use that kind of word at all.
Where do you think the job title came from?
Hmm, maybe, actually. Though it’s a softer word.
I don’t think Mr T feels that way. It’s about learning to draw the feeling of your insults from a new source. See, we have a language of reference to cultural ideas just like Star Trek’s Tamarians. Darmok and Jalad at Tenagra. Ours is just less concrete. When you use the word ps*cho, it hits hard because you’re drawing on cultural hatred and fear of psychotic and ASPD people. Society doesn’t feel as strongly about court fools, and that’s why nobody feels their sense of hatred light up in reaction to the word. But if the only reason your insults hit hard is because everyone hates mentally ill people, you’re using the wrong insults.