Why is the word "cancer" considered offensive?

4Jhín·May 29, 2017·6 votes·2,047 views

21 Comments

TormentulaMay 29, 20177 votes

Because its not funny. Its a condition that has taken millions of lives and harmed even more lives related to them. Its one of those things thats just terrible to joke about, and families who have suffered as cancer victims or with cancer victims would find very offensive.

Automated RivenMay 29, 20171 votes

That's only partially true. I have multiple family members who have died from cancer. That is why I use that word to describe certain behaviors and activities. Because certain behaviors and activities function similar to the way cancer does in humans.

RallerenPMay 29, 20172 votes

Everyone should feel welcome in League. In a multiplayer game, that isn't possible, it's just human nature. Instead we go for the next best solution: We invent a system where as many people as possible feels welcome and comfortable.

By blocking certain words we sacrifice a very small amount of freedom for a more welcoming place for alot of people.

While some has an easy time brushing off offensive words, others have an incredibly hard time doing the same. So we help the weaker and the strong wont be affected.

Note: Im am not calling you toxic, or making any assumptions about you. My comments have been misinterpreted in the past so I wanted avoid that with this note.

Automated RivenMay 29, 20171 votes

I typically dont speak in game. if i do its pretty much banter before the first minion wave, or GJ and gg at the end of the game. I was refering to words I choose in actual life. I dont say much about what other people say in game except that if it isnt positive then its not helpful. On the forums 'cancer' is barely an offensive word imho compared to the likes of fuck retard and other such words that get thrown around.

SEKAIMay 29, 20173 votes

{quoted}

Because its not funny. Its a condition that has taken millions of lives and harmed even more lives related to them. Its one of those things thats just terrible to joke about, and families who have suffered as cancer victims or with cancer victims would find very offensive.

Why so serious?

Nothing wrong with that word itself really, as long as it isn't used maliciously. Context matters.

TormentulaMay 29, 20171 votes

Because as somebody who experienced relatives with cancer, it is not a fond memory to be reminded of. Of course I can't get touchy about the word itself because its everywhere and as you said the context how the word is being used makes a huge difference, I don't like seeing it in a joking context since its no laughing matter with what I've been through, and about 99% of the time it is in such a context either as a means of insulting or metaphorical comparison to make something minor relate to the dreadful experience.

Regardless, in what case isn't the word used maliciously when we're not speaking in medical terms? I may sound triggered by the term cancer (I'm really not, I'm just giving context as to why its a serious subject) but this is why the subject is touchy and censored to avoid actually hard triggering people.

SEKAIMay 30, 20172 votes

{quoted}

Because as somebody who experienced relatives with cancer, it is not a fond memory to be reminded of. Of course I can't get touchy about the word itself because its everywhere and as you said the context how the word is being used makes a huge difference, I don't like seeing it in a joking context since its no laughing matter with what I've been through, and about 99% of the time it is in such a context either as a means of insulting or metaphorical comparison to make something minor relate to the dreadful experience.

Regardless, in what case isn't the word used maliciously when we're not speaking in medical terms? I may sound triggered by the term cancer (I'm really not, I'm just giving context as to why its a serious subject) but this is why the subject is touchy and censored to avoid actually hard triggering people.

My dad was diagonised with cancer (the typical colon/rectal cancer) just a couple weeks ago, and just had his tumour removed (along with a few other things). Obviously, I also got a bit sweaty when I first heard of the news, due to the risk of spreading and all. I'm totally serious.

While I don't crack cancer joke with my dad for obvious reasons (though mostly because in the culture I'm from, there is no such thing as cancer jokes, so my dad most likely won't understand it and would simply see it as an insult). But that doesn't mean I will find the mere sight of someone using the word "cancer" in something unacceptable. Again, context is what matters. Making light of serious situation itself is not always a bad thing depending on how it's expressed and on how it's received, it's called a sense of humour, or even hope sometimes. It's only when that line of statement is clearly meant to attack those caught within the said situation that's the issue; though true, not everyone accept this kind of thing and we should be careful about who we use this to, but that doesn't mean we should completely censor ourselves either.

4JhínMay 30, 20171 votes

I know this. I am dealing with this myself currently. The reason i ask is because I tried putting something about cancer awareness and it said i couldnt put it. It's fine though i just put â in it instead.

This Is Your DadMay 29, 20174 votes

Cancer is one of those conditions that rarely sees a cure, and if it does it's not easy to cure. Because of the hopelessness surrounding life's greatest disease, it's best to avoid using it as a summoner name or insult. Now I get what you'll say, that people are too sensitive and need to man up, but cancer isn't something you can man up to. It's not something you can really fight.

ZelorxonMay 29, 20171 votes

Wow, then why don't we just ban the word death as well? Haven't found a cure for death so far...

~~Technically you can't fight trolls either, so i think they fall in the same category as cancer, am i wrong?~~

TormentulaMay 29, 20173 votes

We all embrace death, and even death comes with a silence.

Cancer is a painful condition both medically and mentally that persist slowly until it finally kills its victim.

Sad to say, but sometimes death is a respectable and a happy thing since it means no more suffering and if the family believes in an afterlife, is celebrated. Families can move on and accept death, but they can't move on as easily when they hear "cancer" and stress trying to fight it and stress about what the end result could be, and watch the suffering member slowly being killed by the cancer condition itself and the debatably worse illnesses they get from the theorapy combating it.

ZelorxonMay 29, 20172 votes

Karthus AYY

This Is Your DadMay 29, 20174 votes

Wishing death upon people is also a punishable offense. I think part of the reason cancer is censored is because it was mostly used in a negative fashion, much like telling people to kill themselves uses death in a negative fashion.

AlienPrimateMay 30, 20172 votes

Life's greatest disease is aging. It is hopeless and there is no cure for it. We all die from something. The epitome of health will die just like someone with cancer. There aren't many people who don't personally know someone who either died from cancer or is currently fighting cancer. If you have an issue just reading the word "cancer," you have some serious mental and emotional stability problems. My aunt had cancer, one of my uncles died from cancer, another one of my uncles is currently fighting stage 3 bone cancer and it is likely that he won't live to see 2018, a close family friend of mine died from breast cancer a couple years ago. Despite all of this, I will still laugh at jokes cancer jokes. Cancer is just a word. Most people who use it while gaming don't mean anything about the disease that is cancer when they say it. They just use it as a way to express their hate for something. A comedian I watched one time said something like this. "Fart is a word representing an odor you don't like. If roses were called farts, you would love the word."

This Is Your DadMay 30, 20171 votes

"Just a word" arguments are often used to explain away human indecency. Words have meanings attributed to them, and your caveman-level reiteration of the purpose of words seems a bit flawed. Are you trying to intellectually take a step backwards to justify your inability to control your own emotions? I often see this kind of crap: Player 1: KYS YOU ^%$^&^ @^&#^*%^**. Player 2 reports player 1 Player 1 on the boards: Why did I get banned for someone else being sensitive and not in emotional control of himself? To which I reply: What justification do you have for saying what player 1 said? I'd guess: Lack of emotional control. Therefore your argument unravels itself because you assume that player 2 is a "snowflake" when you're the one that couldn't control an emotional outbreak of anger.

AlienPrimateMay 30, 20171 votes

"KYS" is a direct insult to a specific person. I'm just going to use the common one for this. "Yasuo is such cancer." This is not directed at any specific person and is not meant as an insult other than maybe something buried in the text meaning that they are bad and can't win without playing champions that are considered to be OP. I am against insulting other players. I am not against using words for things they don't mean in the dictionary definition.

Saying "that's gay" isn't meant to be a homophobic phrase. That just means something happened that I don't like. Saying "Allahu Akbar" as you suicide into the enemy team or 2 people kill each other isn't meant to offend Muslims or victims of terror attacks. It is just meant as a joke. Saying "get raped" isn't meant to offend someone who has been sexually abused. It is a way of jokingly saying that you outplayed someone.

I am all for reporting toxic players but don't go reporting someone because they unintentionally said something you find offensive. Get over it and grow up. Not everything in life is sunshine and rainbows meant to please you. Something I find rather offensive is people constantly breaking the 4th commandment. I am a Christian and hate reading anything along the lines of "jesus", "god", or "for christ sake". When I hear people say such things IRL I confront them about it a single time then I move on. Further pushing just causes argument. Over the internet, I try my best to ignore it because saying anything about it would just bring unneeded conflict. Pardon my language here as I am just making a list, but I would much rather read fuck, shit, damn, %%%%, bitch, etc. than to read someone trivializing my God.

Edit: What actually does offend me is that Riot finds a word starting with C, ending with a T, and filled with UN is more offensive than people breaking the 4th commandment. That is the word blocked out by the boards filter.

This Is Your DadMay 30, 20171 votes

I'm only explaining why riot decided to censor cancer in this particular case. You can still use it in chat, but I assume summoner names were using cancer too offensively and it had to be removed completely, or something similar. I agree that context is important when using some words, but some words are universally known to be bad and should not be used simply because it shows that the norm is anti-gay or anti-race if used too frequently. Imagine hearing the f..t word when you are a gay guy and seeing it used as an insult, like "kys f...t". It portrays a negative attitude towards gay people. Saying "that's gay" may offend some people, but it is not seen as vulgar because it is not directed at a person and though it is used in a negative way to depict discontent, people have accepted that it is more habitual than offensive at this point. I have yet to see anyone in the workplace say That's complete f...t so I assume it's still not culturally acceptable.

4JhínMay 30, 20171 votes

KYS is 99.9% of the time never punished. It's sickening honestly.

Pandemic PunchMay 30, 20173 votes

Because everyone is buying into this bitch ass SJW culture being perpetuated by media and the entertainment industry. Riot, I love you but you are no different in this regard.

4JhínMay 30, 20171 votes

I have known this for a LONG time.

I actually know someone who got a chat ban for saying #Trump2020 in allchat.

LeagueOfJhinMay 30, 20171 votes

Cancer is a condition that takes many lives that or harmed physically or mentally the others not just to the victims but those who knew the one with cancer many joke about it but have yet to have it even interfere in their life, the person who I loved the most died to this condition and it sickens me to see that many joke about it and a majority of those who do joke about it have not be affected by the condition.