If You Aren't a Snowflake, What are You?

sionisaissionisais Shipmate
edited June 2018 in Hell
The term "Snowflake" appears to be used to describe anyone who advocates care and mercy for those unlike themselves, especially the disadvantaged and minorities. I've been looking around for a term for those on the other side of the fence, who dish out this term willy-nilly, and I think "Hailstone" is appropriate.

Hailstones are ugly, cause pain and are generally useless. Why can't they behave like rain, which isn't half as bad. The contrast between Snowflakes and Hailstones is like that between bees and wasps.

What does the team think?
«1

Comments

  • I think “snowflake,” when used about a person, means something very different here.
  • It's not a way of using "snowflake" I'm familiar with.

    Though, often those on the other side might be more appropriately called "heilstones".
  • sionisaissionisais Shipmate
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    I think “snowflake,” when used about a person, means something very different here.

    OK then, what does it mean? Bleedin' heart librul is another, similar term, but it is sprayed around pretty widely.
  • mr cheesymr cheesy Shipmate
    I'm not a snowflake, I'm sick sorry and tired.
  • LeRocLeRoc Shipmate
    Is this the Social-progressive mindset thread, but in Hell? (If so, I approve!)
  • sionisais wrote: »
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    I think “snowflake,” when used about a person, means something very different here.

    OK then, what does it mean?
    I've only come across it in two contexts.

    1) Someone who sees themselves as special and unique (reference to no two snowflakes being the same)

    2) Someone who refuses to let their opinions be challenged, or who seeks protected status for themselves or others (reference to snowflakes melting). I suppose if applied to those who seek to ban far-right speech to protect others then there might be an overlap with those advocating mercy and care for others.
  • Simon ToadSimon Toad Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    A snowflake is a vulnerable and weak person who melts under pressure, not necessarily but usually someone who would be called a liberal in the United States.

    I'm not troubled by it, and I think Hailstone is not a bad term for an aggressive and argumentative person with the capacity to cause a small pain, but who melts into nothingness quickly, but is dangerous in a large group.

    I don't want to appropriate snowflake, and I think I would simply ignore the person who used it against me or unleash a torrent of aggressive abuse, depending upon my state of mind. Usually the former I am happy to say.

    I really like the term Social Justice Warrior. I like it when people call me that and I use it sometimes to describe myself. I picture myself as a Maori warrior with my warpaint on and my mates with me, doing a Hakka at a Japanese Whaling Boat unlawfully killing whales in the Southern Ocean. We are on the deck of the Steve Irwin and we have to do something like a Hakka to stop the blood from freezing in our veins.

    SO YOU RECKON WE'RE FUCKING SNOWFLAKES DO YOU?

  • Nick TamenNick Tamen Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    Here, a “snowflake” is a person, particularly a young person, who views him- or herself—or maybe more often whose parents view him or her—as so uniquely smart, talented and generally amazing that the normal rules of life and of institutions like schools should not apply to them. It’s often paired with “special”—“She thinks her kids are all special snowflakes.”

    I’ve never heard it used here with the other meanings given above.
  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    I am not a snowflake; I am a socialist.
  • sionisaissionisais Shipmate
    I suppose I'm going on my observed use of the term in social media (not here, much), which has got careless and broad recently, as is the won't of those looking for a conveniently derogatory label. Maybe I'm being over-sensitive. Social Justice Warrior however is too much of a mouthful for your average knuckle-dragging Heilstone.



  • MarsupialMarsupial Shipmate
    It's not a way of using "snowflake" I'm familiar.

    I was first introduced to the term ("special snowflakes") by a high school teacher who used it to refer to those of her students who (as she saw it) expected their every idiosyncrasy to be indulged and their manifest academic inadequacies to be overlooked in the name of respecting their individuality (every snowflake is unique...), self-esteem, or whatever. Not to be confused with those students who were trying their best and just needed extra help.

    The term has become debased in some political contexts to refer to anyone of generally liberal views. Not really the same thing, but I can see how the shift happened.



  • RdrEmCofERdrEmCofE Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    Politicized insult

    [massive text dump deleted]

    Snowflake

    [fixed your damn link, too - DT]
  • edited June 2018
    So, you're only contribution to this discussion is to quote a great chunk of material in violation of Wikipedia's copyright, that we could have easily looked up ourselves. And, you couldn't even get the URL coding right.

    You snowflake!
  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    " Snowflake" as used to describe individuals on the left is a pejorative.
  • lilbuddhalilbuddha Shipmate
    Caissa wrote: »
    " Snowflake" as used to describe individuals on the left is a pejorative.

    But is more applicable to those on the right who use it.
  • I suppose it's my job to do something about that, but I object to having to tidy up other people's crap. Something something snowflake.
  • mr cheesymr cheesy Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    I don't consider it to be an effective insult.

    "Children isolated and separated from their parent because they are migrants is bad"

    "Gah, you bloody snowflake. Why are you such a wuss, grow a pair.."

    "?!"
  • So, apparently we have its general slang usage and its alt-right specific usage.
    mr cheesy wrote: »
    I don't consider it to be an effective insult.

    "Children isolated and separated from their parent because they are migrants is bad"

    "Gah, you bloody snowflake. Why are you such a wuss, grow a pair.."

    "?!"
    I agree. And that leaves me wondering why we’d want to dignify it by having a come-back insult. I mean, it may feel good to return insult for insult, but does it adance the ball at all, or does it just have everyone rolling in the mud?

    I think if a comeback is needed, “wrong” works just fine.

    Meanwhile, social justice warrior is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. It sounds way too self-righteous or something.

  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    So, apparently we have its general slang usage and its alt-right specific usage.
    mr cheesy wrote: »
    I don't consider it to be an effective insult.

    "Children isolated and separated from their parent because they are migrants is bad"

    "Gah, you bloody snowflake. Why are you such a wuss, grow a pair.."

    "?!"
    I agree. And that leaves me wondering why we’d want to dignify it by having a come-back insult. I mean, it may feel good to return insult for insult, but does it adance the ball at all, or does it just have everyone rolling in the mud?

    I think if a comeback is needed, “wrong” works just fine.

    Meanwhile, social justice warrior is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. It sounds way too self-righteous or something.

    Yeah, well very few people identify as it; like "politically correct" or "do gooder" it's mostly a way the right have of trying to make giving a shit about marginalised groups seem like a Bad Thing. Not entirely unlike "Social Progressive Mindset".
  • Nick Tamen wrote: »
    So, apparently we have its general slang usage and its alt-right specific usage.
    With a specific usage that's so specific it seems practically no-one here as ever heard that usage.

    Added to which, that usage is so radically different from the more general usage, indeed totally inconsistent, it has everyone confused as to why it's an offensive slang in that context at all. That is those of us who aren't thinking "are you guys such complete morons that you can't even think up an offensive term that actually seems to be offensive?"
  • not entirely menot entirely me Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    Here, a “snowflake” is a person, particularly a young person, who views him- or herself—or maybe more often whose parents view him or her—as so uniquely smart, talented and generally amazing that the normal rules of life and of institutions like schools should not apply to them. It’s often paired with “special”—“She thinks her kids are all special snowflakes.”

    I’ve never heard it used here with the other meanings given above.
    Excellent description. This is my understanding too.
    Marsupial wrote: »

    I was first introduced to the term ("special snowflakes") by a high school teacher who used it to refer to those of her students who (as she saw it) expected their every idiosyncrasy to be indulged and their manifest academic inadequacies to be overlooked in the name of respecting their individuality (every snowflake is unique...), self-esteem, or whatever. Not to be confused with those students who were trying their best and just needed extra help.
    I was first introduced to the term “special snowflake” by a 16-yr old student who did work hard and just needed a bit of extra time in exams because of his slow reading and writing. He asserted that he wasn’t a special snowflake and to be fair to him he was anything but.
  • RdrEmCofERdrEmCofE Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    So, you're only contribution to this discussion is to quote a great chunk of material in violation of Wikipedia's copyright, that we could have easily looked up ourselves. And, you couldn't even get the URL coding right.

    You snowflake!

    I melt before your withering bombastic rebuke! "I'm Melting! I'm Melting"! And Ding, Dong the wicked witch is dead. :worried:

    And thank you for fixing the link, even though so ungraciously.
  • mr cheesymr cheesy Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    In fairness, Wikipedia is CC-BY, so it isn't a violation to post a chunk of text from a page, just to do so without properly attributing it.

    It is rude, boring and tedious, of course.
  • I fixed the link.

    I suggest you read up on Ship's policy regarding posting copyrighted material. Because your lack of contrition has been noted.

    And for the avoidance of doubt, futher comments regarding hostly intervention need to be made in Styx.

    Doc Tor
    Hell host

  • Nick Tamen wrote:
    I agree. And that leaves me wondering why we’d want to dignify it by having a come-back insult. I mean, it may feel good to return insult for insult, but does it adance the ball at all, or does it just have everyone rolling in the mud?

    You might remember that the cousin who stood to inherit Longbourn on the death of Mr Bennet and make his wife and children beggars in the streets was called Mr William Collins. Upon inquiry, Mr Collins confirmed that he was in the habit of practicing stories and little turns of phrase that might please his patron Lady Catherine De Burgh, a lady of the highest virtue.

    I like to do that with insults.
  • Sorry. I’m afraid I don’t remember that; I’ve never read any Jane Austen, nor seen any movies of her books. (Well, except “Clueless.”) I mean, I had to google the names to figure out who you were talking about.

    But I’ll take your word for it.
  • Simon ToadSimon Toad Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    sorry Nick. I'm a huuuuuge fan, and a purist in a quirky way. I should have made it clear. Like Jane Austen, I enjoy a good laugh at myself and those around me.
  • No problem. I was kind of hoping you’d have a suitable insult for the guy who’s never read Jane Austen.

    And I’m totally on board with laughing at myself and those around me. As often as not, it’s what gets me through the day.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    What Nick and not entirely me said.

    I've mostly heard it on American TV shows, and mostly referring to other people's kids, the sorry state of education and the world, etc.

    E.g. "they're all taught that they're precious, little snowflakes who can do no wrong, and no one can ever lose at anything--they all get award ribbons".
  • mr cheesymr cheesy Shipmate
    Ah, see that seems to make more sense as an insult than the alt-right sense that I've heard and not understood.

    I suppose the idea is that the opponent is a poor, fragile flower who went to a hippy school where everyone was awarded prizes for participating and as a result is beautiful but unable to stand the strain of room-temperature political discussion for very long.

    Which still doesn't work on me. This doesn't resemble me or anyone I've ever met.

    If someone was to tell me I'm a snowflake - implying that a life-affirming opinion I hold is due to my cotton-wool lifestyle and hippy education - that still isn't insulting. It'd be like claiming my views were due to me being an astronaut.

    Meh. I'm not an have never been an astronaut.
  • jay_emmjay_emm Shipmate
    mr cheesy wrote: »
    I suppose the idea is that the opponent is a poor, fragile flower who went to a hippy school where everyone was awarded prizes for participating and as a result is beautiful but unable to stand the strain of room-temperature political discussion for very long.
    My understanding is it's a step more hellish than that.
    It's more or less putting the burden of any problem on the targeted groups (and by implication on the supporters).

    So wrt #metoo it's the pathetic women snowflakes who are too fragile to take perfectly reasonable (male) behaviour. Or at the least too fragile to be willing to defend themselves. And as for those men who clearly get upset at stuff that's not even their business.
    Especially when compared with the terribly persecution they (real men) get so, which is totally different and needing protection. Sometimes people even say they are wrong, in public!

    Which is of course utter bilge
  • mr cheesymr cheesy Shipmate
    Ah ok, that makes more sense.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    To put it another way, it's how Daily Mail readers are encouraged to imagine millenials.
  • So, to know that these insults exist, and how they are used, I'd need to start reading the Daily Heil?

    Price.Too.High
  • sionisaissionisais Shipmate
    So, to know that these insults exist, and how they are used, I'd need to start reading the Daily Heil?

    Price.Too.High

    It's something to do with some of the social media forums I participate in. They aren't all Daily Mail readers, but they do read that rather than The Grauniad.
  • EliabEliab Shipmate, Purgatory Host
    Simon Toad wrote: »
    I really like the term Social Justice Warrior. I like it when people call me that and I use it sometimes to describe myself. I picture myself as a Maori warrior with my warpaint on and my mates with me, doing a Hakka at a Japanese Whaling Boat unlawfully killing whales in the Southern Ocean. We are on the deck of the Steve Irwin and we have to do something like a Hakka to stop the blood from freezing in our veins.

    That's cultural appropriation!

    People of colour don't just exist to provide an exotic background for your progressive fantasies, you know. I think you should check your privilege.

  • lilbuddhalilbuddha Shipmate
    And you are a snowflake
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    I’m not a snowflake.

    I’m a strong woman who is also kind and caring. Sadly these days, kind and caring is often seen as undesirable. :cry:
  • amyboamybo Shipmate
    Round these parts we say that we will become a fucking avalanche. I aspire to be part of that.
  • Boogie wrote: »
    I’m not a snowflake.

    I’m a strong woman who is also kind and caring.
    Which is exactly why the (apparent) use of 'snowflake' as an attempted insult to people like you is so f***ing stupid. Because, everything about you (and many others) says the exact opposite of snowflake - not going to melt away at first hint of criticism, not going to claim that you're special and the rules don't apply to you.
  • RooKRooK Admin Emeritus
    I often get the sense that the "rules" the snowflake label-users refer to are meant to be "nature's laws" or the "natural order". That it's the law of tooth and fang, and that men are meant to dominate and women are meant to submit, that black hats are always going to get guns to steal and rape and kill so white hats always need to have guns to protect their property, that only penis-in-vagina is right or good, that the virtue of self-sufficiency needs to be idolized by sacrificing anybody who ever needs anything.

    [throws up in mouth a bit]

    Maybe it's an unfair caricature. But it certainly feels like the self-assigned image that many loudly profess. #fucktrump
  • Sounds accurate to me, RooK.
  • sionisaissionisais Shipmate
    About where I am Rook. The “Anti-Social, Reactionary” mindset, or something very much like that.
  • Simon ToadSimon Toad Shipmate
    edited June 2018
    Eliab wrote: »
    Simon Toad wrote: »
    I really like the term Social Justice Warrior. I like it when people call me that and I use it sometimes to describe myself. I picture myself as a Maori warrior with my warpaint on and my mates with me, doing a Hakka at a Japanese Whaling Boat unlawfully killing whales in the Southern Ocean. We are on the deck of the Steve Irwin and we have to do something like a Hakka to stop the blood from freezing in our veins.

    That's cultural appropriation!

    People of colour don't just exist to provide an exotic background for your progressive fantasies, you know. I think you should check your privilege.

    Yes, it is.

    But I'm going to argue that its not, because I don't picture myself as a fat white guy done up in Maori tattoos and gear, but an actual Maori who is an actual warrior.

    Also, I'm not sure what checking your privilege means. Sometimes, I imagine going to a theatre where everybody is in the nude because they have all checked their privilege.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    And if you were a Maori warrior you would know that the word is haka. My Maori language skills aren't up to much, but I've never come across a double k in any word.
  • Indeed Huia :) Thanks for that. That's why I'm only a Maori warrior in my dreams. I don't even follow the Rugby!!
  • lilbuddhalilbuddha Shipmate
    This is a snowflake.
  • I'm not a snowflake. I'm a little weed, trying to grow taller - a thistle of course! But I do like ruby - you can't help but like it if you come from Scotland and live in Wales.

    Snowflakes - that's a daft name anyway. Snowflakes are complex structures so maybe not a
    insult. When they melt they provide water for little weeds like me!
  • LydaLyda Shipmate
    I decided to play to my strength and make my YouTube avatar a Snowdays snowflake. Say it loud and say it proud: I'm a snowflake! :+1:
  • RooKRooK Admin Emeritus
    "Snowflake" is a slur almost entirely utilized by Broflakes.
This discussion has been closed.