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

[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.

1000%. Eliminating all shame has been the downfall of our society. Remember when it used to be shameful to be an adulterer? A liar, a cheater, a fraud? Now that’s just business as usual.

[Anonymous]

It’s easier classist or social-climby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

1000%. Eliminating all shame has been the downfall of our society. Remember when it used to be shameful to be an adulterer? A liar, a cheater, a fraud? Now that’s just business as usual.

Or a single adult woman? Those trollops! Or maybe they practice WITCHCRAFT! Please read a history book or two.

[Anonymous]

I think it often a comment on the behavior of people who one thinks should know better. It's not always "punching down." It's often aimed at people in your own socio-economic class or even higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Don't you need to continue working on your research paper?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's not kill manners yet. Society is barely hanging on by a thread.

It’s rude to call people tacky and trashy, so this is hardly an attack on manners.

It would be bad manners to show up for a formal church wedding in a string bikini -- tacky and trashy. Check!

[Anonymous]

plenty of rich and UMC people are tacky. In fact, they may be more tacky. So no. Wrong

[Anonymous]

frankly, this thread us classist. how can we, the elite class rulers, speak in more ideologically acceptable words among our class about the peasants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's not kill manners yet. Society is barely hanging on by a thread.

It’s rude to call people tacky and trashy, so this is hardly an attack on manners.

It would be bad manners to show up for a formal church wedding in a string bikini -- tacky and trashy. Check!

Inappropriate. Tacky or trashy implies that there is a group that does this regularly. I am not aware of any such group. Possibly satanists I suppose.

[Anonymous]

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?

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:frankly, this thread us classist. how can we, the elite class rulers, speak in more ideologically acceptable words among our class about the peasants

Unfortunately, your editor has taken the day off. Can you wait to reply next time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:plenty of rich and UMC people are tacky. In fact, they may be more tacky. So no. Wrong

This has already been addressed several times in this thread.

[Anonymous]

It’s not just a classist slur unless you take the position, as many in this thread seem to, that aesthetic judgments are purely arbitrary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's not kill manners yet. Society is barely hanging on by a thread.

It’s rude to call people tacky and trashy, so this is hardly an attack on manners.

It would be bad manners to show up for a formal church wedding in a string bikini -- tacky and trashy. Check!

Inappropriate. Tacky or trashy implies that there is a group that does this regularly. I am not aware of any such group. Possibly satanists I suppose.

Your opinions have no more value than those of us who disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

1000%. Eliminating all shame has been the downfall of our society. Remember when it used to be shameful to be an adulterer? A liar, a cheater, a fraud? Now that’s just business as usual.

+1000

Judgement isn’t always bad