How to post anonymously? December 3, 2009 6:09 AM   Subscribe

Where is the link on to how to post an anonymous askme?

I looked, I swear. I'm swamped with work today and have an immediate personal issue I want to put in an askme but can't do it under my username. Anyone know where the link describing this process is? I know I saw it once, but can't find it now.

Sincere thanks.
posted by digitalprimate to Etiquette/Policy at 6:09 AM (26 comments total)

If you go to AskMe and click on "new question", and look halfway down the page, there's a link stating "If you'd like to ask a question anonymously, use this form here."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:12 AM on December 3, 2009


Ah, many thanks, and sorry for the retarded question (stressed and no time here...)
posted by digitalprimate at 6:24 AM on December 3, 2009


You might also want to see if the mods can delete this question; otherwise, people could figure out who wrote your anonymous AskMe question if you post it soon.
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:37 AM on December 3, 2009


Dear Askme,

why do some overly-sensitive people find the word "retard" offensive?

--Anonymous.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:49 AM on December 3, 2009 [14 favorites]


Isn't it strange how when you're flying an Airbus and you're on final, the goddamn autopilot starts swearing at you if you're coming in fast?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:58 AM on December 3, 2009


Of course, all anonymous personal questions posted in the next 5 hours will be attributed to you.
posted by DU at 6:59 AM on December 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


So I understand why retard and gay are off limits as negatives, and I never used them that way anyway, but why isn't lame?
posted by ODiV at 7:11 AM on December 3, 2009 [3 favorites]


So I understand why retard and gay are off limits as negatives, and I never used them that way anyway, but why isn't lame?
Because that would be dumb.
posted by fish tick at 7:14 AM on December 3, 2009 [7 favorites]


Where is the link on to how to post an anonymous askme?


It's in the dark places of your heart.
posted by The Whelk at 7:28 AM on December 3, 2009


Yeah, only a moron, idiot or imbecile could object to "lame".
posted by DU at 7:29 AM on December 3, 2009


What I don't understand is why "retarded" is off-limits when it's not even acceptable to refer to those with mental disabilities as "retarded."

At least the misuse of "gay" is consistent with the fact that "gay" is acceptably used to describe homosexual people.
posted by explosion at 7:32 AM on December 3, 2009


What I don't understand is why "retarded" is off-limits when it's not even acceptable to refer to those with mental disabilities as "retarded."

Saying "mental retardation" or "mentally retarded" is still acceptably used in medical circles. It has a stigma because it's been used inappropriately.
posted by Pax at 7:37 AM on December 3, 2009


So is it just a "too soon" thing? Will retard eventually join the ranks of the acceptable mental-capacity based insults? Or does it have enough inertia now to stay taboo?
posted by ODiV at 7:38 AM on December 3, 2009




Sorry for the "retarded" comment. Been talking to my friend from Southie too much.

And I don't care particularly about anyone here figuring out that I asked the question, I just don't want to leave a google trail about it.
posted by digitalprimate at 7:42 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


And I don't care particularly about anyone here figuring out that I asked the question, I just don't want to leave a google trail about it.

What if someone you know happens to be a Mefite? Or someone could Google this question based on knowing your username, then go into the AskMe archives for 12/3/09... Unlikely but possible.
posted by Jaltcoh at 7:46 AM on December 3, 2009


So I understand why retard and gay are off limits as negatives, and I never used them that way anyway, but why isn't lame?

Oh, it is. You just haven't been hanging out with the right people. I've hung out with people* were use of the following words was discouraged to various degrees: dumb, lame, using the word blind as a metaphor as in "blind to the truth", dude, crazy, guy, idiot, moron, stupid, nuts, insane, psycho, invalid.

*It wasn't the same people against the same words.
posted by nooneyouknow at 7:47 AM on December 3, 2009


Saying "mental retardation" or "mentally retarded" is still acceptably used in medical circles. It has a stigma because it's been used inappropriately.

As far as I'm concerned, it's still acceptable, period. The fact that some people use "retarded" as an insult shouldn't ruin it as an appropriate descriptive word any more than "gay" should be off-limits just because some people use "that's so gay" to mean bad.
posted by Jaltcoh at 7:49 AM on December 3, 2009


Same here Jaltcoh, and that’s why it should be discouraged as a derogative as I think most people* agree. Wasn’t there a passionate MeTa about this awhile ago?

Oh well, I’ve only just started policing myself from using that word once I got one of the coldest stares in my life from my girlfriend.

*this being MetaFilter “most people” refers to all people that agree with me on this issue, not those other people that don’t agree with me. To be honest, I don’t even think they exist.
posted by Think_Long at 8:01 AM on December 3, 2009


I personally try to avoid using "lame," and I think there's a legitimate critique of the way disability as metaphor is embedded in our use of language.
posted by Mngo at 8:26 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


Yeah, personally I shy away from any word that could possibly offend somebody. Anyone who disagrees is doubleplusungood.
posted by Afroblanco at 8:38 AM on December 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


O NO MONORAIL CAT WATCH OUT MAJOR DERAIL AHEAD
posted by Rhomboid at 8:39 AM on December 3, 2009 [6 favorites]


Think_Long: I agree (therefore I am).
posted by Jaltcoh at 8:52 AM on December 3, 2009


Dude. That is so crippled.
posted by katillathehun at 9:34 AM on December 3, 2009


If we're on the topic of words that may be offensive, I once sat in on an Ottawa disabilities committee meeting where someone said that sports announcers shouldn't use the phrase "He's running like a maniac," because it is offensive to maniacs. True story.

To be fair, you probably don't want to offend a maniac.
posted by yellowbinder at 9:35 AM on December 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


Thread's ostensibly asked-and-answered at this point, and I'm not sure this is either a great venue for or a great start to this particularly side-discussion, so I'm going to close this up.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:37 AM on December 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


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