Cancer: Should We Change Its Name?

Why not just change the current Cancer’s name to Death or something and then make the new Zodiac Cancer based on water and fire. Since crabs live in water/around water and they have hard shells ie defence.

 

i think a good new name would be:
Black Pest
the lore refers to a plague from idk how many years ago, which killed tons of peeps, just like the black pest
and i dont think this one would offend anyone, as this disease nowadays is pretty much a thing of the past rather than an actual issue (or at least i dont see people talking constantly about it)

 

First of all, we’re not saying to not change the name so as to intentionally offend people. We’re arguing that the name shouldn’t be changed just because a small group of people get offended and start complaining. If even just the item team caters to them, we would lose a lot of potential items that could’ve been extremely well made, and this could be even worse if the entire content team went through with this. It’s already a shame that the item team are going to avoid medical terms, because Cardiac Arrest and Asphyxia are extremely well made items. Besides, you can tell that the majority of people are fine with the current name just by reading the replies in the thread. Avoiding things just because a few people might complain or get offended is basically censorship. Like everyone else, I’m fine with a name change because there is a valid reason for it here, which is to have a new Cancer to fit the zodiac sign better.

The results of both of these items IRL is the same: It kills a lot of people. What’s the difference if one is complained about by some irrelevant people?

 

I don’t care either way, but what I do care about is changing it for that reason. Like I said before, just because you’re offended by something, it doesn’t make it right to white-wash everything with a negative connotation, regardless of context or intent. So if anybody complains about those items only because it offends them, it therefore makes it right to change their names?

The harm of changing it for the reason that people are offended creates this expectation that if something offends you, it must be changed or censored. It’s the same reason that makes SJWs so stubborn and annoying because they refuse to listen to other points of view that don’t fit their narrative.
When does this stop? By limiting what the item team can name their items, we also lose out on a bunch of cool, creative items like cardiac arrest. And if you assume that people should take what they learn seriously about cancer on a Minecraft MMO server, I’m a bit worried. For crying out loud, do you honestly think that the item team is trying to say that cancer is good?

It’s not right for to hurl racial slurs or to harass people, but it’s also not right to censor anything with a negative connotation without regarding its context or intent. And the bottom line is, Cancer’s name is absolutely harmless. I’m for changing it to better fit the Zodiac, but I don’t want the item team to be limited on what names they can use because people might be offended.

 

It doesn't matter if most people are fine with the name if they don't really benefit, while the minority actually gets uncomfortable. Thats the whole point of considerateness, a majority takes little to no damage but makes the situation for the minority actually better. And changing a name is little to no damage. It may fit, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find another name fitting as well, plus gameplaywise the items stays as well made as before. Besides that, I would pernonally say that theses names like Cardiac Arrest don't fit Wynncraft either, this isn't a medicine dictionary but a medieval fantasy world.
I wouldn't blame any specific persons for intentionally offending people, but this unnecessary excitement about such a little thing like a name change that doesn't hurt anyone seems to me as some people just like to complain about political correctness just for the sake of it. Ignoring that some people get offended may be not their first intention, but they are willing to pay that price, which seems almost as egoistic to me.

Again:

That they kill people is not the problem, a spear also kills people. The problem is, that in the case of cancer people seem to be offended enough to complain about it. And no, these people are not irrelevant just because they are in a minority of which you are not part of.

Yes, it makes it right to change these names, if some people are seriously offended. I may repeat myself, but a large positive effect for a minority outweighs an almost non-existent negative effect for the majority. And secondly: Some people seem to mistake freedom of speech with the option to humiliate minorities.

Just taking random words out of a medicine dictionary that somehow fit the ids of an item doesn't make a cool, creative name, neither makes a good item gameplaywise. There are enough alternative options.

Then you should read my post again and answer again if you understand it. First, I said myself that the learning effect of Minecraft is basically non-existent and may, at most, let people come across a topic without teaching anything. Second, the connotation doesn't has to be intended and may not appear posotive for everyone, but for some people (yes, there are other people than you) this item may appear not seroius enough.


I may repeat myself, but are there any constructive arguments for keeping the name? I've understood that some people like to ignore minorites, but how would keeping the name affect the game in a positve way?

 

Again, I'm not against the act of changing the name itself, I'm against that particular reason for the change. There is damage if it is done for that reason over the other reasons. If they changed the name to fit the Zodaic more accurately and to get a new item, the item team would still be free to use whatever names they want and expand on their creativity. They, and the rest of us on the forums, wouldn't have to worry about we say get taken down because it offended someone without that person taking into account the context or intent. That wouldn't be the case if it was for the other reason.

Political correctness is the worst thing to happen to discussion. Did you watch the video? It damages the integrity of the discussion by shutting down any ideas that offend anybody without actually thinking or listening to that idea. They don't have to give an actual reason why the idea is bad, just that it "offends" them. And you know what? People should feel uncomfortable with ideas they don't agree with. It's how you learn and grow as a person. Climate-change deniers aren't comfortable with being told that climate change is man-made. Anti-vaxxers are uncomfortable with being told by doctors that vaccines don't cause autism. SJW's aren't comfortable with people saying that white privilege doesn't exist. Religious people aren't comfortable with being told that God doesn't exist. Should we then censor Sci-show for talking about climate change, doctors, right-wing media outlets, or atheists because what they say makes people 'uncomfortable'? No, because it can obstruct the truth.

No one is above being criticized or being told ideas that they don't agree with, including minorities. The reason why we have freedom of speech is to challenge other people's points of view, not because some people are more relevant than others.

How? We gave other examples. The item team shouldn't have to worry about that for the reasons mentioned above. They can't fully explore new ideas for items if they are limited by the names they can choose.

So then why make a fuss over changing it for that reason and be offended if the learning effect is nonexistent? And you don't think that they get a clue from anywhere else that cancer is bad? You can't protect people from their own stupidity. By that logic, you could say that most video games (including Wynncraft) should be banned because they feature killing, and even though that 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of people know that it's just a video game, that 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% should be protected from such horrors because they can't figure it out. It's just stupid.

The last thing this forum needs is political correctness. What people (myself included) like about these forums is that you don't get censored because you had the 'wrong' opinion. And by encouraging this political correctness, it will just lead to more censorship and this expectation that what anyone says can't and shouldn't ever make you feel uncomfortable regardless of the context or intent. Again, the item team would be limited because they would have to worry about if the name would offend someone. Then they wouldn't bother exploring different item concepts because the name would have a negative connotation that would offend someone. They couldn't take any chances because like you said, all it takes is one person to be offended by it to warrant its censorship.

 

There is already a Water/Fire Zodiac item, Ophiuchus

 

The amount offending names is very small (Cancer seems to be the only one that got enough complains to make the IT create a thread like this) and there are plenty of alternatives, the limitation is almost non-existent.

arguing, expressing an opinion =/= insulting, humiliating
feeling uncomfortable =/= feeling violated

Its not about learning, its about presenting a sensitive topic in a way that some people may see as too disrespectful.

No one says that. True, it is agueable how many offended persons are necessary to do such a change, but in the case of Cancer there were, as Selvut said, tons of messages since Gavel came out. And as its common sense that cancer is a sensitive topic and as there are literally no downsides for a change, this case should be pretty obvious.

If one can't name an item, write a forum post or express his opinion without insulting other people, he should really rethink his ideas of healthy interpersonal relations.

 

That's what I'm trying to say. The item team has every right to name their items after medical terms. They aren't insulting or humiliating anyone, and people who are uncomfortable are just overreacting to it. Feeling violated is just a slightly stronger version of feeling uncomfortable. In this context, they are the same thing.

When does this end? When does one's right to express themselves freely end because a few people feel offended? Again, you're missing the point. As long as there a minority of people that are offended, literally anything that offends them could be censored. And saying that the item team is being disrespectful for naming an item cancer is being ignorant of people who actually have been disrespected.

If one can't accept that people think differently than him or her and say things that aren't politically correct, then it is him or her, not every one else, that should rethink his or her ideas of healthy interpersonal relations.

 

You've literally ignored what @Dr Zed said about political correctness and all that. If we change things because just people feel that they're offended then it leads to censorship, limits the freedom of speech, and ultimately prevents progress. When the designers of the game do that, it affects all of us because if they want to great things to the game but don't in fear of offending people, it will significantly lower the quality of the game. Personally, I would be affected by this if even just the item team decides to do such a thing and decides to not make certain items to not offend people, as I am a build maker. The CT needs to not make decisions based off of the emotions of other people and freely do as they please to better the game without being afraid to offend someone.

 

You seem to mix up the content of a message with the way how its being expressed.
Example: A) We should close our borders. B) Keep the niggas out!!!
Both statements have almost the some content (don't let immigrants in), but only B is expressing it in a political incorrect way, while I would have no problem with A, although I would personally disagree with it. So why should you choose the insulting way if the respectful works as well?

And you've literally ignored everything what I said in my last posts. If you have several ways to achieve the same goal (for example name an item or express an opinion), you should choose the option that causes minimal damage. Thats not censorship, but common sense. Actually its sad that we still have to argue about it in the 21st century.
If you want further explanation, read my previous post, Im tired of having to repeat myself over and over.

Still waiting for a constructive argument.

 

Because the name isn't a racial slur. It's the name of a disease. That's it. If you really think what the item team did was on the level of using racial slurs, then you really got to wake up. Did you even watch the video I posted? They literally changed and censored what people said because it "disrespected," despite being completely unjustified. And it is about learning. Ruth Simmons literally says in the video that learning is the antithesis of comfort. She doesn't demand that people must censor what they say, and she's in one of the best positions to know about that.

For those in the item team, please keep using medical terms while creating new items. It's a shame that people give you guys shit for this and act like you guys are heartless. You guys have done a great job so far and I'd hate to see items get thrown out or you guys feel uncomfortable to use a name because of this. Change cancer, but make it clear that you guys will still be open to using medical terms.

 

Sure, let's add items like Parkinson, Lou Gehrig, Dementia, Depression, Obesity, Self-mutilation, Retardness, Autism, and ADHD. Fuck these sensitive little snowflakes, amirite? We don't give a fuck about their feelings. We are so dense XD

 

I hope that you are not serious about this, but in case you are: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/example
And if you haven't realized it yet, this is about political correctness in general.

For the last time: You can be confronted with another opinion and feel uncomfortable. You can be confronted with the same content in an insulting way and feel humiliated. Just choose the way that doesn't insult people and everyone is fine. Plus, people are much more likely to adopt a new idea if its being presented in a constructive way.
And no, the way how these students are overreacting isn't right. But this doesn't make right to humiliate people either.

Although I personally don't see medical terms as very creative or fitting, I never said that I'm against them in general because they could offend people. What you don't seem to understand: There is a difference between a few individuals having personal problems with a name and a storm of controversity. You can't satisfy every individual, but you can try to find alternatives to topics being universally recognized as sensitive, like cancer or the examples @ShadowMage1 named.

 

I mean sure if you can make an item fitting with the name Obesity.

 

well it could actually work
tons of health, but reduced health regeneration and highly reduced speed
im not obese and idk anyone who suffers from it but one sees those bodies and the first thing that comes to mind is a impossible-to-defeat giant snail (at least to my mind it happens)

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you say they arent exactly sensitive snowflakes, but my grandparents suffered one from dementia (alzheimer to be exact) and i think my other one suffered from cancer (not sure though)
but do you see me getting offended by the item? no, in fact i like the item because of how well made it is
if someone cant stand a really well made item but with a really dark touch, they are clearly not made for this game
like, have you seen 75% of the cutscenes in this fucking game? most of them have some sort of blood and destruction, and to me the roots of corruption look like quite the bloody place

however, i do sorta support this change as there is another disease (which nowadays is not a real threat anymore) that in my opinion could fit the description pretty well, and because this way the zodiac set will actually be fully about the zodiac signs
i mean idk what you think of Black Pest but i think it could work with cancer's lore

 

It’s a bad example because one is a racial slur and the other is the name of the disease. This just goes to show how ignorant people are that they equate the name of a disease to a racial slur. It’s also an insult to those who have received racial slurs because people want to have the same victim status as people who actually have received a racial slur and were intentionally discriminated against. In general, political correctness is terrible. It feeds this sense that everyone is a victim and if you offend anybody, you can’t argue against them.

That’s my point; it’s not always good to sugarcoat everything and not offend anyone. Not everyone is fine. What about people who liked cancer how it is now? Do they matter? Maybe they feel too humiliated or uncomfortable to disagree with you because they don’t want to be called a heartless fuck by ShadowMage or other people who are “offended.” That’s the main problem with changing stuff just to not offend people; if people don’t like the change for legitimate reasons, then they get shit on for “not caring about others feelings.” Then no one feels comfortable about speaking up to them. Political correctness is not about making people more comfortable; it’s about silencing others that don’t agree with you. It’s a power move. And no, people are not more tolerant to accept new ideas; it’s the opposite. People were calling the item team to not use medical terms anymore, you think that’s being more tolerant? Political correctness didn’t make those Brown students remotely more tolerant either. Putting things in a constructive way is meant to put it in a way for them to understand, to learn. Do you even know what humiliation is? It could be being bullied, or being stood up at a dance by your friends, but I can tell you this; it’s not being slightly offended by the name of an item in a Minecraft server. They are NOT the same thing. And what's really insulting is that you keep trying to get the same victim status as those people who have actually been mistreated.

That’s the thing; those aren't all universal. What offends me doesn’t necessarily offend you or anyone else. A lot of people weren’t offended at all by Cancer, and @Cirno and @Stormarend were fine with obesity. So I don’t know what difference you were trying to make; an argument against Cancer is literally just from a few people who have personal problems with it, and what I have been arguing against this whole time. Cancer’s name is not the problem; it’s people trying to impose political correctness. It’s a slippery slope that has no justification to begin with.

But if you're fine with the item team using medical terms, then we are on the same page then. Just don't impose political correctness onto other people.

You are being ignorant. You claim you are so sensitive to an item on a Minecraft server that you share the same victim status as cancer patients while you insult LordMuttonChops and Riuzake for simply disagreeing with you. You're part of the problem; people shouldn't be intimated to disagree with someone just because that person is "offended." Dementia, Lou Gehrig, and parkinson could actually work as items. I don't think that because I hate you or disabled people; my grandfather died of Lou Gehrig's disease and my grand-uncle has parkinsons. But even if I was slightly uncomfortable with the name, I know that it wasn't directed towards me or even intentional and that names have no power over my well being. Those names have a uniqueness to them that could fit the concept of items that drain your mana or health in exchange for another perk. Banning names just because they have negative connotations makes people only more intolerable and insensitive to others that disagree with them. Don't let names that aren't even directed at you have this much power over your well being.

 

You know I don't think I've seen anyone on this thread that is actually offended. It's people worrying that another person might just be offended.

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Wait a second... should I care about other people's feelings? Is it wrong to judge a person by their words and their actions? Should I take into account that I have to not damage someone's subjective mess of thoughts that I probably don't even agree with just because they don't want me to?

 

That's actually not true, people do get censored on forums by having "wrong opinion".

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It's a slippery slope. You ban one name the others follow suit.

 

Please no political correctiveness in wynncraft
SJWs just say they sre offended, they aren’t really. They just do it for social credit.
Someone may be offended by this. But it’s probably just because they’re so sensitive they can’t swat a fly. You really shouldn’t be so sensitive, it’s just a name of ONE item in a game.