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Muggles? Really? Can't we be more creative?


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"Mundanes."

 

Although I've never figured out how to combine geocaching with SCA.

 

I love this one!! I used to work at Ren Faires and do SCA. I think I'm going to start using that. I like it better than muggles.

 

So...when a previous , er...mundane learns what you've been calling them the derogatory connotation won't be a problem? You might do better by calling them Pedestrians even though it's more insulting.

 

Huh what? If calling someone a 'mundane' is derogatory I must really be missing something... if you want to put it that way, isn't 'muggle' derogatory also, using your logic?

 

(Honestly I find neither derogatory... but I guess to me derogatory would incorporate more extreme language).

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"Mundanes."

 

Although I've never figured out how to combine geocaching with SCA.

 

I love this one!! I used to work at Ren Faires and do SCA. I think I'm going to start using that. I like it better than muggles.

 

So...when a previous , er...mundane learns what you've been calling them the derogatory connotation won't be a problem? You might do better by calling them Pedestrians even though it's more insulting.

 

Huh what? If calling someone a 'mundane' is derogatory I must really be missing something... if you want to put it that way, isn't 'muggle' derogatory also, using your logic?

 

(Honestly I find neither derogatory... but I guess to me derogatory would incorporate more extreme language).

 

uh-huh. Go put it into practice and let me know which goes over better. Not to your inner circle of cache droogies but directly to the people who either don't know about geocaching or are just learning about it.

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uh-huh. Go put it into practice and let me know which goes over better. Not to your inner circle of cache droogies but directly to the people who either don't know about geocaching or are just learning about it.

 

Wow, I don't really think it's that big of a deal. But honestly, I only planned on mentioning it between my husband and I, as a joke. Most people who don't do SCA or Renfaire probably wouldn't get it anyway. Sorry to bother you so much. I thought it was amusing, but I'll be leaving this thread now. I do apologize if I offended you in any way.

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I was thinking about it a little more...

I may be wrong, but I bet the use of the term muggle developed organically. Someone starting using it, others liked it and copied it....and it stuck.

 

Trying to change it is kind of like trying to give yourself a nickname...it don't work.

 

Being part of a group or community, sometimes you just go with the flow...but you don't have to...I'll stick with "muggles" for now until something else comes along I like better (I might try out CLAMs to see how it fits :-)

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I was thinking about it a little more...

I may be wrong, but I bet the use of the term muggle developed organically. Someone starting using it, others liked it and copied it....and it stuck.

 

Trying to change it is kind of like trying to give yourself a nickname...it don't work.

 

Being part of a group or community, sometimes you just go with the flow...but you don't have to...I'll stick with "muggles" for now until something else comes along I like better (I might try out CLAMs to see how it fits :-)

 

^10

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I tend to avoid the term. Although I felt compelled to read Potter and followed the adventures of Snape, there is probably too much Potterification as it is.

 

It's also hard for me to feel very magical while lifting a lamp post skirt. Although local cachers have done a MAGIC hike or two.

 

I will have to ask my noncaching spouse what she thinks she should be called. Or what what people outside the game call us.

Edited by mulvaney
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I'm not offended myself but yes it did bother me. Just had to put it out there. Thanks.

 

Okie dokie. I appreciate your saying something, helps me to think about things differently. Like I said I had no idea it would bother anyone, but apparently it did, so I learned something. Thank you for that; and again, I am sorry.

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how about nermals like nermal in garfield

 

?? Nermal was the world's cutest kitten. Not really sure how it would apply.

 

Nermal was not the cutest kitten ever. My cat was when she was a kitten.

 

I have no problem with the term "muggle"

 

I prefer the term "others" or "the others"

 

However I am not here to change the world.

 

Gotta go! Dumpster diving looking for containers and swag!!!

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how about nermals like nermal in garfield

 

?? Nermal was the world's cutest kitten. Not really sure how it would apply.

 

Nermal was not the cutest kitten ever. My cat was when she was a kitten.

 

I have no problem with the term "muggle"

 

I prefer the term "others" or "the others"

 

However I am not here to change the world.

 

Gotta go! Dumpster diving looking for containers and swag!!!

 

Actually, I think the only person who thought Nermal was the world's cutest kitten was Nermal... :P

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I never liked the term mu***es and refuse to use it. Many years ago I suggested CLAMS

 

Cacheless unAware Members of Society.

 

It went over like a lead balloon.

Clams? Did someone mention clams?

Would we get to wear the neato CLAM uniform?

 

SPEEDYgeoduck.jpg

Sorry guys but that looks like a pickle on a hamburger bun.

 

Clam up you! :P

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...snip (or derived from entrenched pop culture) that people will figure out what you're referring to.

 

I think that's the main issue, the underlying premise of muggles - 'someone who is not part of' - is easily understood by many of the geocaching population. It's (pop) cultural.

 

Yep. This.

 

I knew what a muggle was the moment I read it in a log...and the thing is, those with the irrational hatred for the word or Harry Potter, it's because you understood it immediately too which is actually showing the word is more ideal not less.

 

It would have been better to have pretended you didn't understand it or what it was.

 

"Muggle? What an earth is a muggle?" that kind of thing.

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I am really addicted to the stories of Harry Potter, so when I started caching I was delighted to hear, that non-caching people are called Muggels.

 

Because I think it is a great feeling to call someone a Muggle. Then you get the impression that you do something really secret or even magical.

I didn't know, that the word existed before Harry Potter.

 

And now don't dare to call me childish :P

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How about "MUGGLER" (muggle & burgler), as in one who is uninformed of the hobby and thus "steals" your cache because they can, more often than not, attributed to youngsters and teens.

 

I've seen the term muggler used in logs occasionally. I was never sure if it was intentional for "muggle burglar" or was a misspelling of "muggle" by the logger.

 

FWIW, Urban Dictionary has a rather disgusting entry for "muggler". (Read at your own risk.)

 

Muggle always seemed like a reasonable term, even if it is semi-borrowed: non-cachers don't see/understand/believe in the magic and wonder of the geocaching world, even though cachers and cache containers are all around them.

 

CLAMS is an amusing alternative.

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The word will eventually get worn out and overused. I've never liked it anyway. It's too juvenile. Muggles should be called Oompa Loompa's, which would be a much better phrase, and since many Platinum members are already using it anyway.

 

Off topic, but... did I miss something? I didn't know a platinum membership existed. :huh:

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The word will eventually get worn out and overused. I've never liked it anyway. It's too juvenile. Muggles should be called Oompa Loompa's, which would be a much better phrase, and since many Platinum members are already using it anyway.

 

Off topic, but... did I miss something? I didn't know a platinum membership existed. :huh:

 

Platinum membership is NOT to be discussed, according to the bylaws and TOS of platinum membership.

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I'm a big fan of The Walking Dead comic series which is about to become a TV show, I started using the terms "roamers" and "lurkers" respectively for passers-by and those hanging around. The terms fit comfortably with me, they are subtle, not insulting and not zombie-sounding (well, unless you read the comics).

 

The only thing is there is not really a verb that can be made out of them, but I'm ok with that. I just use the word filched, pilfered, plundered or other. I suppose I could always used "delurked".

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I'll do the obligatory, it's been in use long before Harry Potter, bit... :blink:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/muggle

I do feel a little bit better about it now... thanks to clarification...But I am still curious to see if we come up with our own word

 

I think you could; but it would be hard to get the entire world caching community to catch on. Some people say "mugglers" instead... or you could just say "non-geocachers"; or you could just start using a word that you like and see what happens, perhaps others will think it's cool too.

My wife always gets it wrong and calls them "moguls"

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