[Closed] Mocking the afflicted

My brother had Cerebral Palsy and was called at the time Spastic. This was the 80's and Spazzer or Spazmo were common insults.

Used to be quite challenging then not to over react.

The thing is that most people are simply not aware or thinking about these things. It meant no different to call someone a Spazmo than an idiot and if I ever pointed it out they would use a different word.

It is not targeted or even particularly intentionally nasty, it is just thoughtless and awareness.

Still, I agree with your basic point and sentiment

My grandad had a stroke aged 69 (I was 12 at the time) and it is probably the most horrific memory of my entire life. I'm now 34 an it's only recently that I'm realising what a profound effect it has had on me.

He had it on bonfire night. After visiting him in hospital, my mum wanted to take me and my sister to our annual fireworks and bonfire display to try and keep life normal for us I guess. To this day, fireworks make me want to disappear off the face of the Earth.

EDIT. Wow, that was fairly cathartic typing that. My grandad unfortunately passed away the following February.... thought's are with you though OP, it's a whole different kettle of fish that you're encountering.

WCA, I completely understand and I’d call the treatment of CP sufferers a success.

I probably laughed at the the outcomes of strokes myself at one point in time. Only now do I understand that it’s really not funny, and watching TV next to the affected person whilst the world laughs on is really quite uncomfortable.

Tom, that sounds like a horrible experience and I really feel for you. “The day” for us is something I try to forget but am sure it will be something that flashes back forever.

I’d also be interested to hear of other experiences with other illnesses and disabilities. I’m sure there are loads that I misinterpret or misunderstand, so it would be great to learn more.

I can't condone people being mocked for their disability.

But, as strange as it sounds, sometimes people laugh at the most inappropriate things.
It seems to be a way for them to get an angle on a subject or topic that may become a major focus later in their life.

For example, as a kid you may have laughed when hearing about a road traffic accident.
Then as an adult, road safety becomes a major theme in your life.

Sometimes the gallows humour is a way to grasp a grim subject.

Trouble is for nearly every bit of comedy there's probably somebody out there who it really hits a raw nerve. It would be almost impossible to avoid upsetting anyone ever.

Not the same I know but when I was out of work certain adverts on the telly just seemed to hit me, remind me that I wasn't normal as I wasn't working. They weren't even necessarily offensive or bad adverts, just reinforced I was in the club of people they were aimed at. I guess a lot of people on low incomes or difficult personal circumstances get this all the time. At least as a society the ignorant use of casual insults based on medical conditions has reduced.

Trouble is for nearly every bit of comedy there’s probably somebody out there who it really hits a raw nerve. It would be almost impossible to avoid upsetting anyone ever.

Yep, there is obviously a balance somewhere but you'll never get it right for everyone.

I remember the 70s/80s well, Joey Deacon on Blue Peter and everyone learning the "Joey" move to ridicule someone. In the end the Spastic society changed their name to Scope to get away from the fact they nearly every child in the 80s used 'Spastic' as an insult. I blame Blue Peter myself.....

The use of Spastic or Spaz has far from gone away - it's still well used by teenagers who have no idea of it's origins.

The use of Spastic or Spaz has far from gone away – it’s still well used by teenagers who have no idea of it’s origins.

Yep, I've called people out on it on here a few times over the years. MrsMC has a very mild form of CP. It affects how she does certain things and makes life just that bit harder, but it has also made her the driven success that she is. I'm her token bit of mediocrity.

Humour is tricky. My wife finds some situations caused by her disability humourous, I've laughed at daft stuff when I've been injured and not been able to physically do something. It's the intent behind the humour that is the crux of it - is it mocking the condition or people who have it, or is it trying to make light of it?

"Window lickers" is the phrase that lights my fuse. Would happily punch out anyone who uses that vile term.

But, as strange as it sounds, sometimes people laugh at the most inappropriate things.
It seems to be a way for them to get an angle on a subject or topic that may become a major focus later in their life.

They do, and that's fair enough, it's one way to try and process something you may not have experienced before, but I'd say there's a massive difference between that and using "are you having a stroke?/you spastic" etc etc either mockingly or in the pejorative.

Trouble is for nearly every bit of comedy there’s probably somebody out there who it really hits a raw nerve. It would be almost impossible to avoid upsetting anyone ever.

Pretty much this. My nephew is disabled (serious brain damage) and my brother was killed by a car driver. I’m not offended by things like Timmy on South Park as a result. I get upset more by comments on driving threads in here than by films or comedy that involve people getting hit by cars. I might not like it, but I think censoring comedy can be a slippery slope. Very difficult balancing act and at some point you’re going to be offended.

I tend to avoid comedy or comedians that don’t work for me. I’d rather stab my ears and eyes with knitting needles than look or listen to Chubby Brown or watch The Big Bang Theory. I can watch Father Ted, Dave Chapelle and South Park all day though.

It was something i'd never really consciously thought about when younger, and having been a rugby lad and a squaddie a sense of humour that was pretty dark and based on mickey-taking was second nature.

But i now am a family man with a 10 year old Type 1 diabetic daughter, i get sick of diabetes being a punch line to every joke about people eating too much sugar or sweets, i've had loads of stupid comments about "well you need to stop giving her sweets then", people not realising T1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease and nothing to do with diet.

I've had an old lady in a swimming pool come up and abuse me for "mis-treating" my daughter as she thought the injection marks on her body were abuse and she could kick-off in the middle of public and shout at me

Humour is tricky. My wife finds some situations caused by her disability humourous,

Context is key. When used by the disabled in a self deprecating way its very different from the same thing said by the ablebodied

I know a blind chap who referred to himself as "the blind git" A wheelchair user universally known as "wheely Jim" who also referred to himself as "Raspberry" and who also had a great line in passive aggressive comebacks ie when asked by strangers if he wanted a hand he would reply " no thanks - I'm in a hurry"

I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus

I wibble when I piddle
Cos my middle is a riddle

I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus

I dribble when I nibble
And I quibble when I scribble

Hello to you out there in Normal Land
You may not comprehend my tale or understand
As I crawl past your window give me lucky looks
You can read my body but you'll never read my books

I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm knobbled on the cobbles
Cos I hobble when I wobble
Swim!

So place your hard-earned peanuts in my tin
And thank the Creator you're not in the state I'm in
So long have I been languished on the shelf
I must give all proceedings to myself

I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus
I'm spasticus, I'm spasticus
I'm spasticus autisticus

54 appliances in leather and elastic
100 000 thank yous from 27 spastics

Spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus
Spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus
Spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus
Widdling, griddling, skittling, diddling
Fiddling, diddling, widdling, diddling spasticus

I'm spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus
Spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus
Spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus

Spasticus, spasticus
Spasticus autisticus

I'm spasticus!
I'm spasticus!
I'm spasticus!
I'm spasticus!
I'm spasticus!
I'm spasticus!
I'm spasticus!
Spasticus!

In the case of Family Guy, they do also make jokes about cancer and a whole host of other illnesses not to mention societal problems.

The problem with Family Guy is it's just not very funny. If the joke they made was funny maybe you wouldn't have found it so offensive.

“Window lickers” is the phrase that lights my fuse. Would happily punch out anyone who uses that vile term.

Never heard of it in English, in French it means just browsing, "faire du lèche-vitrine"; I use it all the time in shops as it always get a laugh being 40 years out of date....

We have it all the time with my son's T1. He's 19 now, but folk still stay 'can he eat that'. Yes, he can eat just what he likes so long as he has the insulin. He's as thin as a rake and eats double what I do.

MIL had a severe stroke over 10 years ago - it's been horrendous as she's paralysed down one side. She could just about shuffle across the room after some recovery, but it's been steadily down hill, falls, lengthy hospital stays, to the fact that she's immobile now and in a Nursing Home. She keeps saying she wants to go home and her daughter's won't allow her. The fact is we managed until last year to keep her at home, but after a fall, she refused to try and move - we couldn't manage her - one of us would have to live in permanently and give up employment (she couldn't pay them).

Strokes are nasty.

Kids are horrid. Some adults too.

It is a thin line to tread though, there are believers of genuinely offensive humour and then there are the professionally offended who would find offence in anything. I would rather have the choice to which comedians I watch or listen to than for all of them to be bland not daring to cross that line.
Even one of my teachers called me a Spastic bitd ☹️

Using disabilities for humour is mostly just another example of "punching down", which a lot of people find uncomfortable if not outright offensive. Usually the only comedic value is that it's shocking and gets a response.

Unfortunately phrases like spaz, mong, joey, window licker, retard etc still very much in use. Not sure that most people using them understand the implications. These sorts of words are just the very obvious tip of the iceberg. There is a whole other layer of language and behaviours that are just as offensive and widespread. IME folk will come out with stuff about disability that would be absolutely beyond the pale if the subject was race or religion. It's also not always the folk you'd expect.

I lost my Dad to a massive stroke a few years ago. He was only in his 50's.

Personally, I wouldn't take offence to "are you having a stroke or something". To me, it's not a direct personal insult. It's just an unfortunate turn of phrase.
On the other hand, if someone was to make fun of the after effects of someone suffering a stroke, I'd say that's out of order.

As has been said, humour isn't black and white. Direct insults are a bad thing, but humour/comedy, is always liable to offend someone. I also agree with the earlier comment about gallows humour.

Having had a series of strokes and TIA’s since February - it doesn’t trouble me at all. Luckily, I have so far had minor lasting symptoms like word-finding difficulties and slurred speech - but they cannot do anything to reduce the risk of occurrence (Side-effect of having to take another medication), so I am very likely to suffer longer-lasting and significant symptoms from an almost-certain future event.

So will it bother me in the future - probably still not. I am far more troubled by the practical and emotional impact it will have on my family, the likely loss of financial stability and my own capability - all of which could be more ameliorated by a better-funded social security system.

For me, if you are really going to to be offended - be offended by the erosion of security that successive governments have progressed, that will seriously impact the people who have strokes and those around them.

The use of Spastic or Spaz has far from gone away – it’s still well used by teenagers who have no idea of it’s origins

It's still used quite freely in the US - it's regarded as being more of a taboo term in the UK, but if kids are watching a lot of American media (TV shows, YouTubers, etc).

I remember working on a Bratz video game, and we had to explain that we couldn't use particular clips from the TV show due to the term 'spaz' being offensive in the UK. Mind you, the Bratz TV show also had the classic line 'C'mon girls, breathe down to size zero'...

I'm totally unaware of the whole 'Joey' thing?! Never heard/seen it used.

Stole my thunder Tom, never heard of Joey

Retard still seems to be acceptable on here, I'd say it's no better than spaz tbh.

I can “go off on one” at Diabetes comments too as my daughter is Type 1.

I even got an apology off a fairly well known cycling journalist (nobody from Singletrack I hasten to add) after he said something along the lines of “eating too many sweets”.

My daughter deals with it better. A Jester at an English Heritage site was handing out Haribo and my daughter said “No thanks”. He asked if she was scared of going diabetic and she replied that she already was, but Haribo aren’t vegetarian. That shut the **** up more effectively than the punch in the mouth that I was going to threaten him with.

I’m totally unaware of the whole ‘Joey’ thing?! Never heard/seen it used.

You weren't at comprehensive school in the early 80's then!?

In the perfect way local councils choose to do these things - in our town they chose to site the school for disabled and learning difficulties kids right next to the comp school. Really not a good site for them.

Have some biking mates that use Joey a lot, as in "what a Joey" when someone crashes. I don't even think they could tell you where it came from. The bluepeter show about Joey Deacon was 1981 so likely to quite a specific age group at school in 80s that got into it.

You weren’t at comprehensive school in the early 80’s then!?

Born in 75 and went to a rough as **** secondary, mibbe it was an English thing?.

Have some biking mates that use Joey a lot, as in “what a Joey” when someone crashes

nothing to do with joey deacon though

Could be, mates that use it a lot are English of a similar age to you I guess.

In the perfect way local councils choose to do these things – in our town they chose to site the school for disabled and learning difficulties kids right next to the comp school. Really not a good site for them.

It's now a lot more common for kids with disabilities to be in mainstream schools, with pros and cons. It does help in the sense that our daughter has a relationship with 2 kids in her class that have serious disabilities. So at a young age she can quite easily talk more positively about disability than most adults. Obvious downside is as you allude to but separating people with disabilities isn't the right solution.

I think Joey in terms of mountain biking comes from America and I'd be surprised if the origin of that was Joey Deacon.

I actually never heard Joey as an insult when I was at School in the 80s so I'm not sure if it's as widespread as people think.

Yeah. Joey Deacon was a well-meaning but hopelessly misguided attempt by the BBC to raise disability awareness. They interviewed Joey on Blue Peter, trying to demonstrate that despite his obvious physical affectations he was just a nice, regular guy.

Unfortunately it had the opposite effect, it was like pouring petrol on a fire. Schoolkids spent the next few years shouting "Joey!" and belming at each other. It's hard to imagine anyone of around my age who hasn't heard of him.

My brother had Cerebral Palsy and was called at the time Spastic. This was the 80’s and Spazzer or Spazmo were common insults.
...
It is not targeted or even particularly intentionally nasty, it is just thoughtless and awareness.

"Spaz" was common at my school, you'd hear it daily. Then one day someone yelled "spaz" at another kid who was actually disabled and it was one of those "and then the Earth momentarily stopped rotating" oh-shit moments.

The next day we had an extraordinary full school assembly. The head teacher relayed the incident and calmly explained that the target in question was in fact 'spastic' and just how upsetting and hurtful such words can be. I think he also gave a bit of an explanation about the illness and how it affects people's lives.

Making it personal had a profound effect. Overnight "spaz" became what I suppose today we'd call socially unacceptable. I don't think I ever heard it in school again, if I did it was rare and would immediately have been pulled up by everyone else.

I actually never heard Joey as an insult when I was at School in the 80s so I’m not sure if it’s as widespread as people think.

In very common usage round our way, said in a particular way, with particular physical actions to mimic his disability.

I probably used it myself 🤦‍♂️ 1981 I'd have been a dumb, hormonal and ignorant asshole.

Wasn't aware that there was another American MTB origin to the phrase - can someone enlighten me before I go off on one at someone for the wrong reason?

Schoolkids spent the next few years shouting “Joey!” and belming at each other.

We did, all the time, at primary school. Kids are dicks. All changed at secondary school... we had one pupil who took a few GCSEs two years early, as he had a degenerative disease that meant he would die before getting to the final year of school. He was genuinely respected by everyone, and the way he lived his life focussed minds and made everyone think twice about our behaviour.

Wasn’t aware that there was another American MTB origin to the phrase – can someone enlighten me before I go off on one at someone for the wrong reason?

Couldn't tell you what the origin is, tbh. Just heard it over the years in videos and pinkbike comments from North Americans.

I think Joey in terms of mountain biking comes from America and I’d be surprised if the origin of that was Joey Deacon.

It was huge in school playgrounds in the 80s, everyone did the Joey move as an insult. He was on Blue Peter ever month or so for a year.

from Wikipedia:

Blue Peter and cultural impact

In 1981, during the last year of his life, Deacon was featured on the children's magazine programme Blue Peter for the International Year of the Disabled. He was presented as an example of a man who achieved a lot in spite of his disabilities. Despite the sensitive way in which Blue Peter covered his life, the impact on the public was not as intended. The sights and sounds of Deacon's distinctive speech and mannerisms were picked up on by children and he quickly became a figure of ridicule in school playgrounds across the country, the term "Joey" being used as an insult for a person perceived to be stupid.[4][5]

The thing is that most people are simply not aware or thinking about these things. It meant no different to call someone a Spazmo than an idiot and if I ever pointed it out they would use a different word.

So, you do know where 'idiot' comes from?

Born in 75 and went to a rough as **** secondary, mibbe it was an English thing?

Nope. Heard it lots in Glasgow too.

I was born in 86 so before my time then I guess....it'd certainly gone from the play ground of shithole comprehensives in the late 90's.

Apparently we've already done it..... https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/does-anyone-else-remember-joey-deacon/

So, you do know where ‘idiot’ comes from?

This is the problem. No matter what word you use to describe people with disabilities, even words that you would think couldn't possibly be twisted to have negative like 'special', they end up being used as insults.

And sometimes they transcend insults and enter into widespread use, like with idiot.

Not sure what the solution is.

I have aspergers and adhd and dyslexia and do not care if someone calls me something rude about being disabled taking the Mickey or for banter. I find it funny really.as really I know I am quite normal in my own way and take meds that sort me out really well.it was hurtful before it all got sorted though. Whars bad is prejudice.

This is the problem. No matter what word you use to describe people with disabilities, even words that you would think couldn’t possibly be twisted to have negative like ‘special’, they end up being used as insults.

It's an inherent problem with language generally. The goalposts are ever-moving and with the best will in the world it's difficult to always get it right.

I got chastised elsewhere on the Internet the other day for using the word 'moron.' I replied that I'd no idea that this was problematic, asked why and asked what they suggest I use instead, but didn't get an answer. Is moron problematic / offensive? I've no idea any more.

Is moron problematic / offensive?

Gordonist.

I normally stick to f***tard. Nothing anyone could possibly find offensive in that, surely?

The "-tard" bit is pretty non-PC.

But then, I do remember Riti Sped's blog so...

Amazing that spaz can be typed on here, yet the f word can't.

Re moron - I'm sure it'll end up offensive, as will idiot and nitwit.

The “-tard” bit is pretty non-PC.

Is someone who swears a lot a Custard?

What about bass players?

The “-tard” bit is pretty non-PC.

I was quite happy being self congratulatory about how tolerant I am but now you've gone and ruined it by suggesting that I may have to re-evaluate the things I say.

I shall now throw my toys out of the pram, declare you a bunch of 'PC gone mad' lefties, and go and rant about it on twitter and facebook where a bunch of slightly desperate sounding people will agree with me.

Good day, sirs!

I have Aspergers and reminded of it each and every day by my other half in the most unpleasant ways possible- apparently i am an uncaring, emotionless, zero empathy, heartless b*d

Thing is i have aspergers so i really dont give a * what i am called 🙂

I would rather be me than an emotional sponge

Aspie also, I'm probably 50% higher-functioning sociopath and 50% emo manbaby. I cry watching The Repair Shop FFS.

There's always [i]someone[/i] who'll be offended by any joke/humour/cartoon/etc etc
If it's not aimed at you, just turn it off and don't watch it again. For everyone who is offended, maybe there are 10 who find it funny... and hey! Isn't laughter damn important for mental health? It is for mine!
This is the same conversation as has been going on for ages
.

Good day, sirs!

Sexist.

Sexist.

You are now violating my civil rights! I shall report you to the moderators and the police!!!

Cisgendered white males are the real oppressed minority!!!!!!!

I got chastised elsewhere on the Internet the other day for using the word ‘moron.’ I replied that I’d no idea that this was problematic, asked why and asked what they suggest I use instead, but didn’t get an answer. Is moron problematic / offensive? I’ve no idea any more.

Some people dislike any insult that has an origin based in disability. Idiot, cretin, moron, imbecile, and more recently flid, mong, spaz etc, were all originally medical terms to describe people with varying learning or physical disabilities (cretin is specifically congenital hypothyroidism, mong is Downs Syndrome, flid refers to thalidomide, etc).

It's sometimes hard to tell what's just an evolution in language, and what's a massive slur. For example, I'd never dream of using flid or mong, and I've tried to make sure that I don't use retarded, but I find it harder to drop idiot or moron, for example.

Cisgendered white males are the real oppressed minority!!!!!!!

Genetically speaking, pale skinned, green eyed redheads are the real oppressed minority but you don't hear Mick Hucknall whining on about it.

I got chastised elsewhere on the Internet the other day for using the word ‘moron.’

I don't know how better word this, but you'd have to be a moron to be offended by someone using the word moron.

[edit]maybe better wording would include the f word that rhymes with ducking between "a" and "moron" in the above sentence.

Only in the West where people play jokes on the afflicted.

We were brought up not to mock the unfortunate as karma will repay those who mock others many folds.

Yes, I like watching Family Guy, American Dad and Rick & Morty because they are funny but not all.

karma will repay those who mock others many folds.

That's me humped then

That’s me humped then

That severity of the karma retribution depends on the individual intention.

I think Jim Jefferies lays it out quite well in his latest comedy special where he talks about where the boundaries are for jokes and how they move. Some of his earlier career jokes just aren't acceptable for repeating now, but at the time were on the edge.
Comedy can be about pushing the boundaries, I find most of what Frankie Boyle, Jimmy Carr, Jim Jefferies does funny, but not everything.
There's a reason most of the sitcoms from the 70's and 80's aren't repeated ad nauseum, they just aren't acceptable by current accepted standards.
My own personal trigger points on comedy are suicide and parkinsons for very personal reasons. There's jokes that i would have laughed a few years ago about them that just make me feel glum about now
And anyone with half a soul cries at the repair shop.

Only in the West where people play jokes on the afflicted.

There's plenty of this all around the world, Japanese game shows as a starter for ten.
To me it's more of a human condition than a cultural one

And anyone with half a soul cries at the repair shop.

I’m tempted to google this, but fear I may start crying. What is it?

**** wit seems safe so I shall continue to use it.

What is the repair shop? It's a shop, where they repair stuff. Well, more of a studio really, cos (apparently - and I learnt this off here) they don't charge anyone.

I got chastised elsewhere on the Internet the other day for using the word ‘moron.’ I replied that I’d no idea that this was problematic, asked why and asked what they suggest I use instead, but didn’t get an answer. Is moron problematic / offensive? I’ve no idea any more.

Moron was one of the words used to describe people of low IQ along with cretin which is why its now considered by some offensive

Its not ( IMO) really that offensive but perhaps best avoided.

How about using dimwit instead?

Tsn't that kinda meta? "Referring to an idiot as a 'moron' is offensive because it's traditionally a word that's been used to describe idiots."

I mean, calling someone an idiot is inherently offensive whatever words you use, it's an insult. There is no politically correct alternative. Calling someone a dimwit is unlikely to illicit a response of "oh hey, thanks!" (unless you're extremely correct in your assessment, I suppose).

At best what you're positing here is saying "You're a bloody idiot! (No offence intended to any other idiots who may be reading.)"

I shout "thrombus" at idiots in cars - its medicalese for "bloody clot"

“bloody clot”

Clot is a corruption of clodhopper, so your stereotypical slow-witted country bumpkin. It's clearly very offensive to farmers, you insensitive monster.

Dickhead it is then. Safest insult going. If it offends you, well, you’re clearly a dickhead.

Clearly offensive to the cranially phallused.

Minefield, isn't it.

pusillanimous MUCK-SPOUT!

Dickhead it is then.

In that case I prefer Funkhead

I once had a middle aged guy come into the shop looking for a bike, he asked me to help him decide, so i asked him the usual what type of riding etc, and he told me he was a spastic, i was genuinely surprised that it (WAS) actually a condition, I’d only ever heard the word used as an insult before then (1992 ish).
When i asked what actual difference that would make, he explained that he had limited movement in his joints, so i recommended a ladies frame, and we ended up getting him shorter cranks as well.
He was over the moon with it, so much that he actually contacted my boss singing my praises.
Ignorance isn’t always bad, it depends on the person i suppose.
Re: casual insults, on the one hand, it’s probably not personal, but on the other I guess it would wear me down too.

🙂

I can't think of any inoffensive insults!

I would cry if i had to watch the Repair shop....

For those of you who have not seen it here is a short synopsis...

Episode eleventeen
We found Grandads wooden leg in the attic, lets take it to the Repair shop, Nice Hipster gives it a coat of Briwax they all have a good cry....

Now you see why my other half hates my Aspergers self..

a right one airhead arse ass berk birdbrain blithering idiot blockhead blunderer bogan bonehead boob booby bozo bright spark buffoon bungler burk charlie child chinless wonder chump clod clot clown crackpot crank cretin cutup deadhead dickhead dimwit dingbat dipstick div divvy dolt doofus dope dork duffer dullard dumb-ass dumbbell dummy dunce dunderhead eejit fathead figure of fun flake flibbertigibbet fool frat boy galah gimp goof goofball goon goose half-wit headbanger headcase horse's ass hoser idiot ignoramus imbecile jackass jerk joker klutz knucklehead laughing stock lemon loser lug lummox lump mopoke moron mouth-breather mug muggins mugwump muppet mutt need need your head examined nincompoop ninny nit nitwit numbskull numpty numskull nut nut job nutcase nutter oaf peabrain peasant pillock pinhead pipsqueak plonker pooh-bah prat putz retard right rocket scientist sap scatterbrain schlub schmo schmuck shithead silly silly billy simpleton stupid thicko tit tosser troglodyte turkey twerp twirp twit wally wasteman wazzock zombie

Ok, education time, what's the origin of window licker, ironically it's a phrase I picked up on here. Always thought it was related to the idea that licking windows is a stupid thing to do, bit like licking a frozen metal lamp post or electric fence, hence the person doing it is stupid. Is there more to it then?

Ok, education time, what’s the origin of window licker, ironically it’s a phrase I picked up on here

It's something only a moron would do.

Interesting etymology of moron on the wikipedia page.

In that case I prefer Funkhead

😂 That just sounds like somebody that is really in to Funk. So a pretty apt description.

Some people dislike any insult that has an origin based in disability. Idiot, cretin, moron, imbecile

Fair enough, but what words can I use to describe our current government and Prime Minister then?