Isn’t the word “tacky” just a classist slur?

[Anonymous]

It's a judgmental term, for sure, but do we now have to eliminate all judgmental words from the dictionary? I hope not. Political correctness has gone a bit too far. What's next? Eliminating all adjectives?

[Anonymous]

To me, no. There are LOTS of wealthy people who do tacky things - monogram things, drive needlessly big/expensive cars for an image, wear things with prominent logos, get fillers and other weird bodily changes, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen “tacky” being thrown around a lot more often on this board. Sometimes to describe rude behavior, but also just to describe preferences/tastes associated with people who didn’t grow up in certain exclusive communities from certain preferred regions of the US.

Isn’t this just classist nastiness that we should do away with? Aren’t we as a society over praising people for being born in the right place and judging people too dumb to be born in a rich eastern seaboard town?

I do not think you have the right hold on Tacky -- tacky does not depend on where you were born or grew up.

I don’t think you have a grip on the point I’m making. I’ve known plenty of class travelers who have sufficiently conformed their behavior to the “old money” aesthetic sufficiently to avoid being called tacky. But as for those who fall short, or even just don’t want to, this is an ugly word.

Jerk and a$$hat are ugly words, but they are important monikers when one’s behavior warrants such use.

True! And if that’s what you mean (or poorly mannered, or unkind) just say that. Not terms loaded with classist connotations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, no. There are LOTS of wealthy people who do tacky things - monogram things, drive needlessly big/expensive cars for an image, wear things with prominent logos, get fillers and other weird bodily changes, etc.

Again, this isn’t a judgment of someone’s income. Class has a deeper meaning than that.

[Anonymous]

It’s definitely tacky to call anything “tacky.” You shouldn’t be in the business of policing other people’s behavior. As far as deciding what you should or should not do or communicating that to your children, pick different language and try to be specific about why it’s bad. If you can’t, that may be a sign your assessment isn’t valid.

[Anonymous]

Next time I'm driving, and somebody cuts me off I'm going to say "How poorly mannered!". Yeah, right. They're an a$$hat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a judgmental term, for sure, but do we now have to eliminate all judgmental words from the dictionary? I hope not. Political correctness has gone a bit too far. What's next? Eliminating all adjectives?

But what is it judgmental of? If it’s poor manners, unkindness, conceitedness, why is “tacky” the better word?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s definitely tacky to call anything “tacky.” You shouldn’t be in the business of policing other people’s behavior. As far as deciding what you should or should not do or communicating that to your children, pick different language and try to be specific about why it’s bad. If you can’t, that may be a sign your assessment isn’t valid.

I disagree. We should be in the business of policing other people's behavior. Maybe if we did, society would be better off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a judgmental term, for sure, but do we now have to eliminate all judgmental words from the dictionary? I hope not. Political correctness has gone a bit too far. What's next? Eliminating all adjectives?

I think the point is that tacky people can be good people so to disparage them based on tackiness is ignorant. The problem is not the sound of the specific syllables it’s the superficial judgement. That is the part that is ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Next time I'm driving, and somebody cuts me off I'm going to say "How poorly mannered!". Yeah, right. They're an a$$hat.

I’m agreeing with you. A$$hat is perfectly accurate. I’m disagreeing that you should say something classist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s definitely tacky to call anything “tacky.” You shouldn’t be in the business of policing other people’s behavior. As far as deciding what you should or should not do or communicating that to your children, pick different language and try to be specific about why it’s bad. If you can’t, that may be a sign your assessment isn’t valid.

I disagree. We should be in the business of policing other people's behavior. Maybe if we did, society would be better off.

But which behaviors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s definitely tacky to call anything “tacky.” You shouldn’t be in the business of policing other people’s behavior. As far as deciding what you should or should not do or communicating that to your children, pick different language and try to be specific about why it’s bad. If you can’t, that may be a sign your assessment isn’t valid.

I disagree. We should be in the business of policing other people's behavior. Maybe if we did, society would be better off.

Do you really want religious nutters policing your behavior because that’s where this attitude leads. See; Afghanistan or all of human history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Next time I'm driving, and somebody cuts me off I'm going to say "How poorly mannered!". Yeah, right. They're an a$$hat.

That’s a perfectly reasonable emotional response but a serious discussion would conclude that the other driver is actually a complex person who does some good things and some bad things. They are not actually a 100% Asshat.

[Anonymous]

I think of tacky as standing out in a bad way or bad taste that stands out, regardless of class. It doesn't necessarily mean trashy or come with a judgment that is related to wealth or upbringing (which trashy does). A bright and branded designer track suit is something I'd find tacky but it wouldn't be trashy. I find most designer handbags that overdo their branding tacky but a lot of rich and wealthy people here love them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think of tacky as standing out in a bad way or bad taste that stands out, regardless of class. It doesn't necessarily mean trashy or come with a judgment that is related to wealth or upbringing (which trashy does). A bright and branded designer track suit is something I'd find tacky but it wouldn't be trashy. I find most designer handbags that overdo their branding tacky but a lot of rich and wealthy people here love them.

I think, definitionally, you’re wrong about this. You may mean that, but as a matter of word definitions and history, it has a classist meaning.