Oh yes, I’m guilty of a couple words, including “bitch”, too. I know this might make me sound like a bad person (maybe I am?) , but when I say to my spouse in a joking manner “are you being a little retardigrade?” I waste no thought to consider how actually mentally retarded people might feel about it. Because if I started there, I’d have to ask myself where to and why to stop and which ways of conveying that you’re (sarcastically, sometimes) unhappy with a person or situation are fine. I know calling someone a pussy is considered sexist. Is “Hey, don’t be a dick” as well? I can’t see a good reason why it wouldn’t be. I think calling someone an idiot or stupid is not good because it would be offensive against mentally challenged people? I can’t easily think of a snappy way to convey to someone that I really don’t like them without it being offensive to some group in any way.

I guess what I mean is, if someone extremely narrowly passes you in traffic and blows exhaust smoke in your face, is there a relevant subset of people who would think “Oh, person, that really wasn’t nice of you and frankly quite rude” instead of a much more snappy “Oh you goddamn cocksucking idiot!”?

I keep thinking to the South Park episode with the chopper bikers where the kids call them fags and the adults try to tell them that it’s homophobic of them, and the kids kinda lose their minds trying to explain that it’s (for them) about insulting the bikers and they really have no bad thoughts towards homosexual people.