What don't you understand? We're talking about using the term ghetto to refer to people and not places.

The word literally describes a place and I think its oppressive to define a person by the place they live even if they happen to fit the stereotype.

11/1/2015 10:11:50 PM

Well, no shit.

Only worthless losers routinely find the need to describe others as "ghetto" or "white trash" or whatever the fuck it is.

I've done it myself a couple times ("trashy" and "garbage")...and, yeah, it's shameful. It's something people should regret.

Because it's derogatory and nasty and ugly...not because it's "racist."

[Edited on November 1, 2015 at 10:46 PM. Reason : FUCK ALL YOU GHETTO ASS BITCHES.]

11/1/2015 10:40:49 PM

Ghetto is a coded term for the blaxxorz.

11/1/2015 11:20:28 PM

Quote :

"you used duct tape as a temporary fix for your punctured bicycle tire? man that's non-gentrified low-income neighborhood as hell"

ghetto is the new nigger-rigged

11/2/2015 9:48:22 AM

Too $hort In the Ghetto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKgsuGurM4I

11/2/2015 11:39:49 AM

^^dude, afro-engineered, please... this is the 21st century man.

11/2/2015 4:14:04 PM

I think Jews have the most claim to being offended by the G-word.

11/2/2015 4:48:41 PM

because jews are still identified as being ghetto or living in the ghetto or living the ghetto lifestyle or anything even relevant to today's view of the term ghetto? bitch please.

11/2/2015 4:58:39 PM

Earl isn't even from the United States and learns about new urban music through Vevo recommendations, yet he's an expert on how certain subcultures use slang terms.

11/2/2015 6:12:33 PM

word ownership. Complicated stuff.

11/2/2015 6:15:42 PM

I've heard the term 'bootsie' used in lieu of ghetto. Is it more or less racist than ghetto? Please, I have a match.

11/2/2015 6:24:42 PM

You're asking a mostly white audience if the term, "bootsie/bootsy," is racist?

11/2/2015 10:04:33 PM

All of the race / gender / sexual orientation questions on TWW are posed to a 90% educated liberal white audience, who think their utopian views should certainly apply to all people, because they know best from reading online articles and whatnot.

11/2/2015 10:09:44 PM

I mean, white people rarely even say "bootsie." They also don't use "bougie."

Despite the fact that the words mean slightly different things to most older folks, "bootsie" is clearly a creative interpretation of "bougie." And "bougie," of course, is strangely a derivation of bourgeoisie.

Regardless, both words are perfect examples of how all people are obsessed with this classist, racist nonsense, including the African Americans who devised those terms and likely still call things "ghetto," too.


There's too much to examine.

^I hear ya.

[Edited on November 2, 2015 at 11:24 PM. Reason : Like, yeah...]

11/2/2015 11:23:58 PM

Quote :

"You're asking a mostly white audience if the term, "bootsie/bootsy," is racist? "

Does it matter if it's said by a non-white person? Because I can't recall a time I've ever heard a white person say it. Would it OK for a non-white person, but not OK for a white person to use ironically, or in jest? This is all so complicated!

11/3/2015 1:46:36 AM

Quote :

"Regardless, both words are perfect examples of how all people are obsessed with this classist, racist nonsense, including the African Americans who devised those terms and likely still call things "ghetto," too."

But bougie/bourgeoisie i thought was to describe "uppity" people who become arrogant or condescending after attaining wealth/status*. This is the opposite of what people mean when they call something ghetto/trailer.

I'd never heard "bootsie" but it seems used more in the sense of ghetto/trailer.

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 2:00 AM. Reason : * based entirely on an episode of Fresh Prince of Belair]

11/3/2015 1:59:14 AM

right. when i've heard it used, it's meant the same thing as ghetto/whack/lame/etc, which is why i asked...

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 2:01 AM. Reason : .]

11/3/2015 2:00:34 AM

LOL

Y'all are some nerds, thinking words are supposed to have consistent meanings. That's generally what "bougie" means to older folks, guys, but there was a semantic shift at some point, and for many people, "bougie" is now just a general putdown. (There are a lot of reasons for this shift, which I won't bother going into.)

And then--I suspect--people morphed it into boosy and later bootsie cause it's fun to say and easier to spell. And they didn't give a shit about bougie's origins or original meaning anyway.

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 6:41 AM. Reason : ]

11/3/2015 6:24:46 AM

What if you combine both words? How racist is that?

https://youtu.be/2CbS5fxO5MI

11/3/2015 6:49:39 AM

White folks breaking down black-speak ITT. I came for the lulz and as usual, TWW delivered.

11/3/2015 7:25:18 AM

You're the guy who claims that black people never use the N-word negatively, right?

11/3/2015 8:09:32 AM

I feel like people complaining in this thread should navigate over to here:

http://www.brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=626285

11/3/2015 8:27:31 AM

I like Bootsy Collins.

11/3/2015 9:02:58 AM

^^^nope. that's the other black guy. sorry toots.

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 9:29 AM. Reason : they all post alike.]

11/3/2015 9:26:01 AM

^^^ Word. I think the real dripping- wet- pussy move is racial stereotyping, picking on an individual or group of people because of their social class, and making fun of anyone different than yourself.
And the real ballsy move would be to challenge the status quo of being a shitty human being in America.


But, whatevs.

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 9:30 AM. Reason : H]

11/3/2015 9:29:37 AM

Quote :

"the real dripping- wet- pussy move "

this seems incredibly sexist.

but i have the weirdest boner right now, so i'll just see myself out of here.

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 9:31 AM. Reason : .]

11/3/2015 9:31:39 AM

Quote :

"As a group, black people have very little wealth compared to white folks. And, yes, they live in trailers, too--some of which are very nice."

I thought this was because they spent all their money on Chrome Rims, the latest Jordans, and Hennesey!

11/3/2015 12:16:38 PM

The rims are rented, the Jordans are stolen and/or knockoffs, and black people can't drink for shit so a bottle of Hennessy goes a long way.

11/3/2015 12:45:57 PM

I find black people who hate white people to be incredibly racist

or something :3

11/3/2015 1:13:42 PM

Who said anything about black people hating white people?

11/3/2015 1:43:04 PM

Can't we all just get along?

11/3/2015 2:14:11 PM

Quote :

"^^^nope. that's the other black guy. sorry toots. [Edited on November 3, 2015 at 9:29 AM. Reason : they all post alike.]"

AHA, I've been trying to remember who said that. I took a chance and went for it.

11/3/2015 4:12:43 PM

Quote :

"And then--I suspect--people morphed it into boosy and later bootsie cause it's fun to say and easier to spell. And they didn't give a shit about bougie's origins or original meaning anyway. "

That doesn't make sense. Bougie and ghetto are opposites. Bootsie and ghetto are synonyms. You're going to need to cite a source for this, I'm afraid...

11/3/2015 4:30:12 PM

I agree that it doesn't make sense. However, you're making a few mistakes when you assume: words mean the same thing to everyone, words don't change meanings, and we all perceive class differences the same way.

For instance, imagine a woman who drives a Kia Optima that her newest man bought her (but he's not making payments, and it's about to be repossessed)...and she's standing in the kitchen, shoving her $75 Halloween-themed nail designs in your face, insisting, "Mother fucker, do it look like these hands do dishes?!? This manicure cost 75 dollars!"

According to your understanding of the terms, is she bougie or ghetto? (And do you understand how this disconnect could eventually contribute to multiple interpretations of the term, especially when very few people care about French politics and communism?)

I can provide more evidence of how all these terms have become conflated. But you can find it easily yourself through urbandictionary, and Google searches that reveal random comments sections where people complain about other people who don't get it "right." I know several people who think bougie = ghetto. I don't bust out my nerd glasses and try to explain the "real meaning" to them because I also know that language doesn't work that way. Bootsy is definitely a West Coast term--I haven't heard it in NC; however, I'm inclined to believe it is a take on "bougie/boosy (sic)," whether it's supposed to be a sincere, silly, or sarcastic version...I dunno, but until other origins emerge...

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 6:06 PM. Reason : ]

11/3/2015 5:47:20 PM

Quote :

"For instance, imagine a woman who drives a Kia Optima that her newest man bought her (but he's not making payments, and it's about to be repossessed)...and she's standing in the kitchen, shoving her $75 Halloween-themed nail designs in your face, insisting, "Mother fucker, do it look like these hands do dishes?!? This manicure cost 75 dollars!""

This is an oddly vivid description.

At any rate, yes, I've only ever heard bootsie on the West Coast. My students say it disparagingly and my brown friends say it ironically. I can't recall any of my white friends ever using it, but I've never though it to be off limits.

I was a linguistics major in college, so yeah, I realize words mean different things to different people. Out West "dope" means meth, not heroin, or pot if you're older than 50. It also means "cool" or awesome, depending on the context.

I really just bought up the term because I wanted to actually type it out and try to have an intelligent conversation about. But yeah, TWW. Nm

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 6:30 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 6:32 PM. Reason : .]

11/3/2015 6:29:14 PM

11/3/2015 6:46:39 PM

whatever, you bootsie bitch

11/3/2015 6:51:38 PM

Optima woman...is she bougie or ghetto? You have to answer.

11/3/2015 7:02:38 PM

It depends on the station of who's labeling her.

One could argue she's being bougie for acting like a prima donna and insisting that washing dishes is 'beneath' her. And one could also argue she's ghetto for relying on her man to pay her car note, and getting her nails did instead.

I say we just label her as human being instead. The reality is that driving a soon-to-be-repo'd Kia Optima is shameful enough. No need to pile on the poor woman and call her names.

We can all agree that she's paying way too damn much to get halloween nails, when her cousins' friend could probably do it for free instead.

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 7:09 PM. Reason : .]

11/3/2015 7:08:14 PM

I hear ya.

But, heads up...you bougie. Just thought you should know.

11/3/2015 7:33:49 PM

she sounds ghetto fabulous

11/3/2015 7:35:31 PM

bootsie fabalootsie

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 7:41 PM. Reason : .]

11/3/2015 7:41:13 PM

The word Hood is incredibly racist

There, I said it.

11/3/2015 9:44:47 PM

I find the term "racist" incredibly ghetto.

11/3/2015 10:00:53 PM

11/3/2015 10:03:25 PM

Quote :

"I find the term "racist" incredibly ghetto"

11/3/2015 10:04:16 PM

What are the real "hoods", i.e. ghettos, in Raleigh? I know Walnut Terrace used to be one of the more notable public housing projects.

11/3/2015 10:08:24 PM

sorry wrong thread

[Edited on November 3, 2015 at 10:14 PM. Reason : .]

11/3/2015 10:14:01 PM

11/9/2015 11:00:55 AM

BUT I SPENT $5000 ON THOSE TICKETS

MY BROTHER IS ACTIVE DUTY. YOU'RE DISRESPECTING HIS SERVICE

11/9/2015 11:54:49 AM