George Carlin on soft language

What Hacker News said

Recommends keldaris · 2019-07 · on “Living without the modern browser”

If there existed some form of global consensus across the English-speaking world on what the inoffensive version is, I'd be happy to abide by it. In the meantime, suggesting that people on a venue as global as HN have some sort of a responsibility to follow and observe the random cultural variations in whichever narrow bubble you were referring to strikes me as presumptious and absurd. I also wish more people valued clear language over these battles of ever more contrived euphemisms. George Carlin has a brilliant sketch on this very issue [1], which is both thoughtful and inoffensive (specifically references "handicapped" around the 5:30 mark). [1] [this video]

Recommends barelysapient · 2023-09 · on “Leaked screenshot shows Amazon now tracking individual employee attendance”

In our entitled and highly litigious society I call this Corporate Normal Form. First Corporate Normal Form is messaging derogatories, or things perceived as such, to have a unoffensive coating and makes speaking about them not immediately trigger your fight or flight response. On a related note, George Carlin has a funny skit about how messaging has gotten softer over the years that you might enjoy. [this video]

Cites dpc_pw · 2015-07 · on “GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'”

Idiocy of political correctness taking it's toll. Always relevant George Carlin: [this video] In 20 years, next Github will be taking down projects that have "cognitively impaired" in it, because that's what we're going to be using to insult each other.

Cites throwawayacc3 · 2022-12 · on “PhilTel is looking to install free payphones in Philadelphia”

It's not "imposing the necessity of the word", it's calling out the nonsensical euphemistic language that gets churned out by the most neurotic of society and then imposed upon everyone. George Carlin called this specific phenomenon out decades ago [0]. You can kvetch about using words that signal your virtue, but homelessness has a codified definition [1]. [0] [this video] [1] [LINK]

Cites dmix · 2022-12 · on “Are Progressives in Denial About Progress? Yes, but So Is Almost Everyone Else”

I’ve often wondered how George Carlin would react against the modern progressive movement towards gatekeeping speech. Especially with his soft language and dirty words bits. [this video] Sometimes it’s easy to get so wrapped up in your well intentioned culture where you end up being ridiculous and detach yourself from reality.

Cites vincnetas · 2023-04 · on “MRI Brain Images Just Got 64M Times Sharper”

Off topic: "high net-worth" is word "rich" not politically correct anymore or what is the thinking behind using three words instead of one? This reminded me of "George Carlin on soft language" [this video]

Cites fiforpg · 2024-12 · on “Toronto man creates tiny mobile homes to help unhoused people escape the cold”

Looks like this kind of soft / euphemistic language dates back to even earlier than that. Here is a YT clip of George Carlin railing against it in his 1990 special: [this video]

Cites latexr · 2025-02 · on “Tell HN: Y Combinator backing AI company to abuse factory workers”

> I'm biased of course, but when I read "$X is backing $Y to do $Z", I read $Z as what $X is specifically and intentionally backing $Y to do. Fair! I agree with you and I hadn’t realised the sentence as is was accusing Y Combinator in that sense. My intention was something along the lines of “Tell HN: Y Combinator backing AI company whose product aims to abuse factory workers” but it was too long and some nuance was lost in the trimming. > Nor is the phrase neutral; it's obviously accusatory. Again, I agree. But as I mentioned before, I also don’t see a non-critical stance which would make the situation worth commenting on, and I do believe it should be commented on. The only reason it’s wor