My informal poll includes only about a dozen confirmed respondents, a couple of which suggested they, in kind, polled others. I can't count them as there are no numbers by which I can measure. But thus far, no woman asked has expressed a negative response as regards being referred to as "a babe". There was one who, despite my attempt to be specific, answered as if the question referred to being called "Babe", as one might use "Sweetheart", "Honey" or some other familiarity. Another seemed to take it the same way, but had no problem personally. Unfortunate. But I will endeavor to poll more women as to get a better idea of how this horrible, horrible gaffe of mine is actually received.
I recall my oldest recounting how she overheard a student refer to her as "the hot teacher". I don't recall her taking offense. The idea is absurd. I submit that unless a woman is some lefty man-hating feminist wackjob, I won't come across one who would seriously object to being regarded as "a babe", which, as anyone who is not some lefty man-hating feminist wackjob would tell you, is no different than being regarded as "attractive".
What woman, indeed what human being, would bristle at such a suggestion? Geoffrey seeks whatever he can to have me regarded in a bad light, and hoped this would be another way. I still haven't heard from him as to whether his own womenfolk would find the description degrading. I'm certain that any woman who would so claim is being incredibly dishonest, or sadly worse, deflecting the implication that they have not, to their knowledge, been so regarded.
The poll continues. I'll update here.
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40 comments:
I agree that calling a woman a "babe" is stating that she is very attractive. And I can't see any woman finding that to be insulting!
I asked around [4 women aged 25 - mid 50s] if they would be offended if they overheard a man refer to her as a babe, or found out a man considered her a babe.
Not one said they'd be offended, and all also thought that if someone were offended it would be strange.
I made sure to draw a distinction between believing she "is a babe", and referring to her as babe, i.e., in condescention.
I'm still trying to figure out why my use of the word was considered as lacking class. It's a compliment and the person who so questioned my use of the word has done far worse many times.
"I'm still trying to figure out why my use of the word was considered as lacking class. It's a compliment and the person who so questioned my use of the word has done far worse many times."
Have you tried whistling and making a thrusting motion with your pelvis?
parklife,
Why do you bring in such a red herring. This was never a part of any discussion, nor is it germane to this one.
You seem to be demonstrating a lack of reading comprehension.
Glenn,
That's just a clinical idiot trying to pretend he's clever. Sad, isn't it?
Parkie, The poor little troll-boy. Whatever you say, cretin.
marsha.. I'm impressed by the scientific research going on here. Keep up the good work! **cough**misogyny**cough**cough**
Glenny... Perhaps, in the interest of science and his own fetish, marsha should put on one of his dresses.. high heels.. and take a stroll through town. Let us know how you feel when somebody calls you a "babe".
Honestly, I dont think most women would be upset by being called a "babe". They would be grossed out that some old man was objectifying them.
Now Benny is projecting his transvestite fantasies onto me. How typical.
Perhaps, cretin, you can enlighten us all on just where in this poll one might find anything akin to "misogyny". What an incredible buffoon you are. You demonstrate your absolute ignorance of women. AS this poll is illustrating so far, women are not the least bit offended by the thought that anyone, that would be anyone, would view them as attractive. Go ahead, putz. Try and find one that would be. Then while you're at it, try to explain where in this post one can see an example of anyone, much less your imagined old man, objectifying women.
OR, maybe you could explain why it so important to people like yourself (that would be the below average lefty as well as lefties in general)to create negative qualities to attach to people of the conservative persuasion. They are indeed creations since none of you can ever prove your allegations about us, just as you have never proven any negative allegation you've leveled against me.
I don't anticipate any legitimate response to any of the above, as you are simply a cowardly punk incapable of serious thought. All I'll get from you is the usual lame attempts to mock. Cretin.
LOL! @ Cretin
As I stated before, I'm impressed by your scientific research. Its this kind of focus and depth of knowledge Im sure you put into making all your decisions... or..
You might be the dumbest person on the "internets". Try "teh Google" if you want to find people who dont appreciate being called "babe". I think you broke the idiot scale.
One or two of my conservative blogger buds have questioned my lowering myself to the level of a troll such as Parkie. Partly I do it for the fun of it, until boredom sets in, and partly to engage in what St. Paul spoke of when he referred to becoming as another to lead him away from his wickedness. Of course, it's more for the fun of it. Parkie makes it so easy as his comments could stand alone as mockery without any additional mockery from me. His every comment condemns him as the cretin he seems so intent on portraying.
Take his last two. He tries to accuse me of being a transvestite. That is silly enough on its own, presenting himself in a terrible light for the mere suggestion of such a thing. But he believes that a transvestite would be offended by be regarded as attractive or "a babe", which means the same thing. He doesn't see the stupidity of his own suggestion. But then, perhaps when he is so dressed, he IS offended by such attention. That would be his own problem, for I doubt one could find a woman who is offended by being considered attractive or "a babe", which is the same thing. So far, I've not come across one woman who feels otherwise. The polling goes on.
But then, as if that idiocy wasn't enough, he presents more. And I'm not referring to his many typos. From the post that provoked this one wherein I refer to a Greek athlete as "a babe", which means to everyone who uses the expression, "an attractive person", to this one where I speak of my polling efforts, he continues to conflate my intention with that which I have continuously maintained is NOT what is being put forth. There is no reason for me to try "teh" Google to find how women feel about being called "Babe", since that isn't what is at issue here. I cannot find the words so simpleminded that will help Parkie to understand. He needs to have his mommy try to explain the difference that is so obvious to most.
One more time for the pathetic little troll-boy: This is not about calling any woman "Babe", as I do with my wife and she with me. THAT, like calling a woman "Honey", "Sweetheart", "Lovebuns" or any other familiarity is NOT the least bit similar to referring to a woman as "a babe", which means the exact same thing as "attractive".
Benny's constant demonstrations of abject stupidity have been provoking another round of deletions of this comments. But really, even that is more effort than the unfortunate loser is entitled to receive. I will simply let his comments stand for the time being with no more than maybe a "Whatever you say" as acknowledgement that his crap is even being read.
He needs our prayers, people. Mine is that he finally is able to work up the courage, and maybe smarts, to log an actual comment of substance and thought, well reasoned (or at least as well as he is able-which I doubt is much), instead of settling for poor excuses for what he surely regards as witty reparte.
Parky,
Do you honestly need a woman here to offer her own opinion?
Here's mine: I do not find it insulting whatsoever.
Any woman that does find it offensive clearly isn't aware of the meaning of a compliment, or she's too focused on who is calling her a "babe." If that man happens to be rather suspicious, then obviously she does not want the attention drawn to her. However, that still doesn't detract from the fact that being referred to as a "babe" is a compliment.
It simply means men of any kind are noticing her attractive nature.
P.S.
A word of advice: before you grace Marshall's blog with your unfortunate presence, discovering what an apostrophe is would probably come in handy. You type like a blithering twit that has yet to advance from the fourth grade.
It seems to me the disagreement is simply one of cultural context and, perhaps, class distinctions.
Epithets like, “babe,” or “hon,” or “dude” are perfectly acceptable in several contexts. Muscle beach; a Baltimore diner; almost all truck stops.
In other contexts such means of address would immediately create organization strife and disciplinary action. Major corporate offices; university faculty meetings; court rooms.
Most of us translate depending on the context where we are. We have the ability to use several kinds of discourse.
Marshall, in his severe rigidity, simply cannot. Nor can he see the point in it.
If, like Parkie, you weren't so determined to find fault, you would then understand the issue is simply whether women are offended by the knowledge that anyone might regard them as attractive, which is what being called "a babe" means. It is NOT an epithet. It is a description. As stated ad nauseum, this is distinctly different than calling a woman "Babe". Why is this so difficult for self-desribed superior minds to understand? Your imaginary black wife might not like being described as attractive, but I defy any of you lefty frauds to find a real woman who has a problem with it.
As to context, are you suggesting that my blog is somehow bound to a standard that prohibits the use of colloquialisms? It is not my desire to posture myself, as you do, as someone more intelligent than I truly am. That's YOUR schtick and hasn't worked very well at all for you. Your comment here is evidence. No one needs you to inform us of when certain language is appropriate.
In addition, the last line is rather contradictory. If I am rigid (severely so), would it not be logical to assume that I am rigid in the proper form of discourse for the situation, BECAUSE of knowing the point in doing so?
"almost all truck stops"
heh.. :)
"find a real woman"
Cretin.. I thought you knew.. only conservatives are real women... therefore we dont know any.
oh.. marsha.. dont you find this discussion a bit absurd? I mean, being that you support the party that hates women, youre the wrong person to even start this conversation.
Sure, little troll-boy. Whatever you say.
"Whatever you say."
Why are you so intimidated?
Now THAT is funny. How could anyone possibly be intimidated by a troll who says nothing? Ever.
lol.. marsha.. you are so predictable. Try to say something interesting.
Any predictions on when you'll say something interesting, substantive, thoughtful, expressing why you think as you do (assuming you think) or why your position (assuming you have one aside from the one where you bend over and ram your head up your ass) might be correct or more logical compared to those over whom you laughingly like to believe you hold any level of superiority? That you could possibly think I am in any way intimidated by anything YOU'VE ever put forth is about the most comedic concept ever. It's just too bad you didn't mean it to be so, as that would have been a first for you, to have posted an attempt at humor that worked.
Conversely, it is not surprising that absolutely no prophetic ability is required to know that you will, without too much of a wait unfortunately, post another insipid and pointless comment. It's like knowing day follows night and night follows day. It just is
lol.. marsha you really cant take it.
How do figure little cretin-boy? More importantly, what exactly do you think you're bringing that is so troublesome? At worst, you're like the neighbor's annoying little kid with crappy diapers yelling unintelligible nonsense through the fence trying to get a rise out of the adults. You're hard to take in exactly the same way because you're no better. Unlike that little kid, you'll never grow up and provide an adult comment. You're too pathetic for that.
"what exactly do you think you're bringing that is so troublesome?"
idk.. you tell me..
The answer, cretin, is that you bring nothing to the table except your most offensive presence. That would be as in "offensive smell of some roadkill". Nothing of value whatsoever. But then, you aren't capable of better, as your too long history has clearly shown.
Heh.. Youre still digging..
Heh.. You're still empty and void of substance, lacking in class and courage to state an opinion of any worth whatsoever. I'm not "digging". I'm stating what is plain to see. Note how you have never had anyone defend anything you've ever said here. What is there to defend? You say nothing. You are nothing. Nothing but a name over a worthless, substance free comment of no value to anyone.
"What is there to defend?"
I have no idea what you are doing. Yet.. you continue to dig and dig. You type all those words.. just to act like an ass. Congratulations.
"I have no idea what you are doing."
No doubt. None whatsoever.
"You type all those words.. just to act like an ass."
Oh, is THAT it? To "act like an ass"? Quite a losing proposition if it is my purpose. In the first place, I could not displace you as the biggest ass that appears here, and secondly, whether I could or not, I'd just be an ass. No. That's YOUR job. And you do it so very well. You make it look easy. You must be an ass.
Got any other pathetic attempts to get the upper hand, loser? I've got no problem allowing you to expose yourself as such to all who visit here. Just keep typing. At least until your momma calls you to lunch.
Keep twisting marsha...
How do you manage to drone on in your empty chamber for so long? You are always willing to comment, especially when no comment is required.
Does tossing insults around make you more Christian?
There's no twisting going on over here, little Benny. But YOU seem to have your diapers in a bunch. Are you trying to suggest by your last comment that you do not expect responses to your inane and insipid comments? Do you expect me to simply let your pathetic drivel soil my blog with no acknowledgement, as if such crap is welcome here? I continue to allow you to comment hoping for something of substance. You leave turds. Not exactly the substance for which I was hoping.
It seems you're also suggesting that if I maintain that I am a Christian, then I must tolerate your crap in silence. What a comletely moronic, albeit typical, suggestion. Keep in mind that I have never, ever, suggested that I am a perfect example of a Christian, and in fact, have stated many times that I am far less than one. So, in the spirit of such, I recommend that you go pound sand. OR, perhaps you'll restrict your commentary to only that which shows an attempt to actually engage as an adult. If you have no idea on how that is done, and that seems absolutely to be the case, simply ask.
More more more.. dig dig dig...
How do you get from here:
"Does tossing insults around make you more Christian?"
to here...
"It seems you're also suggesting that if I maintain that I am a Christian, then I must tolerate your crap in silence."
You need anther vacation.
"dig dig dig"
Just what in the hell is this supposed to mean, anyway, Benny-boy? Can you at least muster the courage to explain that?
As to your last, I'll explain. Be sure your momma's nearby to explain the big words for you.
If you are going to ask the goofy question...
"Does tossing insults around make you more Christian?"
...it implies something about you and what you're looking to accomplish with your inane comments. As you continue to demonstrate, your only purpose for visiting seems to be simply to spew accusations you never support, drop little tidbits that are supposed to mean something you won't spend a moment explaining (and then presume that I must research every vague reference you make lest I then be accused of failing in some way) or just act as if you are in the know about something that is not apparent whatsoever. In short, you're worthless as a visitor, even one who is in opposition to my positions. You pretend I'm lacking in some way, without any explanation for how that might be so. I've begged for something that would suggest you actually have a brain in that head you keep up your ass, but you refuse to provide anything. And then I'm supposed to act in a manner that suggests to you that I am the type of Christian YOU think I should be, when you don't have the slightest clue about what being a Christian is all about. I am NOT beholden to ANYONE'S definition of Christianity, least of all yours. You've shown you're not worth the slightest effort to accomodate you in any way. You certainly make no effort of your own.
And again, there is a difference between "throwing around insults" and what I'm doing here. What you do is throw around insults. What I do is label you according to your constant childish actions here and am more than willing to again, and as often as necessary, illustrate why each "insult" I throw your way is merely the appropriate word that aligns with your behavior here.
So, as I have made no argument to suggest that "throwing around insults", regardless of how appropriately placed they might be, makes me "more Christian", it is plain that you ask such questions for the very dishonest purpose of demanding tolerance in the face of your bullshit. Ain't gonna happen here, loser-boy. Psuedo-sanctimony is Danny T's cup of tea. Not mine.
If my standing invitation for you to engage in real discussion on any given topic isn't "Christian" enough for you, then I once more encourage you to go pound sand and soil other blogs with your presence.
Still rollin'.
Why dont you throw in some insults..
How much time did it take you to write that last post?
Still trollin'.
Why don't you throw is some thoughtful comment suggesting you can actually think? How much time did it take for you to realize you cannot refute my words with a reasoned response? I'd wager immediately. To think that you actually risked by trying to compose a good response is too sad to consider regardless of how likely. And you are, indeed, a very sad case.
10 min? 15 min?
haha.. thats exactly what I thought.
haha...you "thought"...hahahahah!! That's funny!!!
awww.. marsha.. thats the best you can do..
You give no effort. Why should I? You certainly haven't shown you're worth any.
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