Initiative Against The Term Muggle

[+Happy Humphrey]

As people keep on pointing out, the word "muggle" has nothing to do with Harry Potter, except that the author used the term. Presumably because it

a. sounds good, and

b. one definition is fairly appropriate

 

(Dictionary entry;

muggle(2)

Definition: a common person, esp. one who is ignorant or has no skills

Example: There are muggles in every computer class.

Etymology: 1920s

Usage: slang)

 

I suggest we keep on using it, and those that don't like Harry Potter can be reassured that it's not a Harry Potter word (anymore than "magic" is, or "Express" or "Squib"). So they can sleep easy now.

Edited November 10, 2011 by Happy Humphrey

[+Rckhnd]

Hello everybody,

i am a big fan of geocaching. But I really hate it, when someone say something like: "Couldn't get the cache - place full of muggles.", "Those Muggels muggeled around my cache." or similar.

 

Jepp, I don't like Harry Potter and I don't like to get involved in anything that have something to do with ... with those books. Thats why I am starting the INITIATIVE AGAINST THE TERM MUGGLE.

 

Goal is to remove all occurences of the term on the information pages (like Glossary). Of course, People who wants to out themself as Harry Potter Fans, can ... maybe use this term (please don't). Also keep in mind that future generation of geocachers will adopt this word and are going to say, that all past geocachers where Harry Potter fans. Which makes me really really sad.

 

I hope there are others who think like me.

 

You'll have better luck sweeping marbles up a hill.

[+Rckhnd]

You haven't suggested a word to use instead of Muggle.

 

How about 'non-Rotarians'!!!! BWAHAHahaaaa!!!!

[WashoeZephyr]

Hrmmm,I think the OP is the 1%

 

Occupy Hogwarts perhaps?...anyone in?

Edited November 10, 2011 by LostinReno

[+Rckhnd]

Hrmmm,I think the OP is the 1%

 

Occupy Hogwarts perhaps?...anyone in?

 

We can carry signs demanding 'Redistribution of Magic!'

 

.... to much time on my hands..... back to the firewood stacking...

[WashoeZephyr]

Hrmmm,I think the OP is the 1%

 

Occupy Hogwarts perhaps?...anyone in?

 

We can carry signs demanding 'Redistribution of Magic!'

 

.... to much time on my hands..... back to the firewood stacking...

 

Or how about;

"No more muggle oppression" or "Muggle Studies is not a crime!" Yeah, I'm rummy from lack of sleep and should probably get other stuff done.

[+Semper Questio]

I try to imagine two dudes somewhere in the woods, just going Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

It's like they're meditating

Hippies!

 

I was thinking...

 

Cacher looking around.

 

UMM walks up, "Watcha doin'?"

 

Cacher, "Ummmm, Geocaching."

 

UMM, "Umm, WHAT?"

 

[+captnemo]

Now that I've had enough popcorn, I must admit that I like the term, I think it fits.

 

As far as HP I enjoyed the books, borrowed them from my grandkids, but found the movies to be just so, so some good some not.

 

And just for GP I'm not gross, but have been a few times!

[+Otis.Gore]

I try to imagine two dudes somewhere in the woods, just going Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

It's like they're meditating

Hippies!

 

I was thinking...

 

Cacher looking around.

 

UMM walks up, "Watcha doin'?"

 

Cacher, "Ummmm, Geocaching."

 

UMM, "Umm, WHAT?"

 

 

I think I'll stick with that...

 

"Look....ummmmms everywhere...."

"Get lost you ummmmmm"

Hey, someone ummmmmed my cache!"

"This sure is an ummmmmy area"

[+Dgwphotos]

Just repeat after me: "Science flew us into space. Religion flew us into buildings".

Extremist terrorists who identified with a particular religion 'flew us into buildings'.

 

Please do not joke about that. Seriously. That comment is simply wrong and offensive on so many levels (and I'm Canadian )

Thank you!

[Clan Riffster]

Nice generalization.

Nope. Sorry to burst your bubble, but any 'generalization' you read into that statement was internally generated.

I simply pointed out that there are folks who do seemingly bizarre things, (including running away screaming at the thought of being near a particular book), based on nothing more than the fact that someone claimed that their invisible friend said that bigotry and fear was the proper course of action. Those folks are real, and they inhabit every continent on this tiny blue marble. Were I to 'generalize' those thoughts, I would need to claim that all forms and variations of religion lead to zealotry, which, as an ordained minister, (among other hats), I know is simply untrue. Nice try though. Gotta give you that.

[+narcissa]

I can get behind this. Harry Potter is gross and so is anybody who likes it.

 

Hummmm... The Narcissa character in the Harry Potter series might say something like this too. But, happily enough, by the end of the book series she came around and did something quite respectable.

 

Wouldn't know. I have heard that there is a character with my name, but I've been using this name as an internet handle for 17 years. Just another thing that fans the flames of my annoyance with Harry Potter and its fanbase.

[+Gan Dalf]

Nice generalization.

Nope. Sorry to burst your bubble, but any 'generalization' you read into that statement was internally generated.

I simply pointed out that there are folks who do seemingly bizarre things, (including running away screaming at the thought of being near a particular book), based on nothing more than the fact that someone claimed that their invisible friend said that bigotry and fear was the proper course of action. Those folks are real, and they inhabit every continent on this tiny blue marble. Were I to 'generalize' those thoughts, I would need to claim that all forms and variations of religion lead to zealotry, which, as an ordained minister, (among other hats), I know is simply untrue. Nice try though. Gotta give you that.

 

Just gotta say, I like th eway you think. Hope that's not too scary for you...

[+Sagefox]

I can get behind this. Harry Potter is gross and so is anybody who likes it.

 

Hummmm... The Narcissa character in the Harry Potter series might say something like this too. But, happily enough, by the end of the book series she came around and did something quite respectable.

 

Wouldn't know. I have heard that there is a character with my name, but I've been using this name as an internet handle for 17 years. Just another thing that fans the flames of my annoyance with Harry Potter and its fanbase.

 

Yes, maybe I understand where you are coming from. My name has been Ed for more than 17 years and it was Ed even before "Mr. Ed" became a television hit. (Drat them, how could they do that to me??? )

 

... but you gotta come up with something better than "Harry Potter is gross and so is anybody who likes it." if you want anyone to rationally consider your feelings on this particular dislike of yours.

[+Headhardhat]

Seriously?

[+dfx]

Seriously?

 

You spelled that wrong, that needs to be SERISOULY

[+Semper Questio]

Nice generalization.

Nope. Sorry to burst your bubble, but any 'generalization' you read into that statement was internally generated.

I simply pointed out that there are folks who do seemingly bizarre things, (including running away screaming at the thought of being near a particular book), based on nothing more than the fact that someone claimed that their invisible friend said that bigotry and fear was the proper course of action. Those folks are real, and they inhabit every continent on this tiny blue marble. Were I to 'generalize' those thoughts, I would need to claim that all forms and variations of religion lead to zealotry, which, as an ordained minister, (among other hats), I know is simply untrue. Nice try though. Gotta give you that.

 

The phrase "religion gave us..." is a generalization as it makes a reference to all religion without any qualification.

 

I am not saying there are not folks who used their religion as an excuse to do bad things, just that it can't be said that religion is bad just because they did. One may as well state that any group; be it science, law enforcement, veterans, or football coaches; are bad because some individuals associated with those groups or organizations did bad things.

[Clan Riffster]

The phrase "religion gave us..." is a generalization as it makes a reference to all religion without any qualification.

 

No. Sorry. It doesn't. But I'm getting to understand why you might feel that way.

This may very well be one of those situations where we'll just have to agree to disagree.

And though I might disagree with your thoughts on this, I still respect you as a person.

 

I am not saying there are not folks who used their religion as an excuse to do bad things, just that it can't be said that religion is bad just because they did.

I'm not even remotely suggesting that religion, in and of itself, is bad. Again, you might be reading more into a statement than is actually there. Many great and wonderful things have been spawned by the belief that there might be a deity, or deities, somewhere, that are, (insert 6 Million Dollar Man theme song), better, stronger, faster, than we are. Some bad things have also been spawned by these notions. One of the things spawned by religion, that I would list in the negative column, were I to judge, would be the principle that those folks who have a different belief system should be visited by violence. Off the top of my head I can't think of a single organized, globally recognized religion that doesn't have that principle in its sacred texts, as dictated by that religion's deity or primary prophet. The notions of coexistence and diversity are mostly missing from the major religions of the world.

 

But we have taken this tangent way too far off topic.

Perhaps we'd be better off saving such debates for PMs instead?

My Spidey Sense is tingling, telling me an Admin Brick might be headed my way.

[+Semper Questio]

 

This may very well be one of those situations where we'll just have to agree to disagree.

And though I might disagree with your thoughts on this, I still respect you as a person.

 

 

I think we have a commonality there!

 

My Spidey Sense is tingling, telling me an Admin Brick might be headed my way.

 

Yeah, I was gettin that same feelin'.

[ritepath]

Can't we adopt a cool modern name like zombies or walkers? I imagine the name muggle was adopted by the exfans of D&D (now WOW fans) that migrated to watching/reading HP stuff in their mothers basement, then took up the ubber hip geek hobbie of Caching. Thus for some reason normal people adopted it not knowing the stigma of being a HP fan.

 

As for me and my family we'll call them walkers.

Edited November 12, 2011 by ritepath

[knowschad]

Can't we adopt a cool modern name like zombies or walkers? I imagine the name muggle was adopted by the exfans of D&D (now WOW fans) that migrated to watching/reading HP stuff in their mothers basement, then took up the ubber hip geek hobbie of Caching. Thus for some reason normal people adopted it not knowing the stigma of being a HP fan.

 

As for me and my family we'll call them walkers.

 

Yeah and we will change the name of the things that we find to "jeeks". "Quick! Hide the jeek. Here comes a zombie!!"

 

Yeah, that sounds much more sophisticated than muggles.

[+tozainamboku]

Can't we adopt a cool modern name like zombies or walkers? I imagine the name muggle was adopted by the exfans of D&D (now WOW fans) that migrated to watching/reading HP stuff in their mothers basement, then took up the ubber hip geek hobbie of Caching. Thus for some reason normal people adopted it not knowing the stigma of being a HP fan.

 

As for me and my family we'll call them walkers.

 

Yeah and we will change the name of the things that we find to "jeeks". "Quick! Hide the jeek. Here comes a zombie!!"

 

Yeah, that sounds much more sophisticated than muggles.

I don't know. I kinda like the idea that people whose profile says they joined two days ago and have found one cache get to make up names for things, unencumbered by any preconceived notion they might get from other geocachers. Walkers it is.

Edited November 12, 2011 by tozainamboku

[+Dgwphotos]

Can't we adopt a cool modern name like zombies or walkers? I imagine the name muggle was adopted by the exfans of D&D (now WOW fans) that migrated to watching/reading HP stuff in their mothers basement, then took up the ubber hip geek hobbie of Caching. Thus for some reason normal people adopted it not knowing the stigma of being a HP fan.

 

As for me and my family we'll call them walkers.

 

Yeah and we will change the name of the things that we find to "jeeks". "Quick! Hide the jeek. Here comes a zombie!!"

 

Yeah, that sounds much more sophisticated than muggles.

 

Imagine trying to explain that to a cop...

[+Chrysalides]

Yeah and we will change the name of the things that we find to "jeeks". "Quick! Hide the jeek. Here comes a zombie!!"

 

Yeah, that sounds much more sophisticated than muggles.

 

Imagine trying to explain that to a cop...

Two words come to mind : sobriety test.

[+BMndFul]

Whoa...for a split second I thought the dark ages were reappearing...but it's was just a minor power surge. All things considered, I guess you probably will not be visiting the "Gott ist tot" cache.

[+cerberus1]

 

I didn't use the word for a long time because it is pretty stupid sounding.

 

But the fact is that it's dang useful. When I'm out with another cacher we both know what it means when the other says, "MUGGLE!"

 

I often wonder what the muggles think when they overhear this. "Grown adults out in the woods pretending to be Harry Potter???"

 

I agree.

 

Can't we adopt a cool modern name like zombies or walkers?

 

Imagine what they'll think when they see/hear folks looking at them yelling "ZOMBIE"

- I think I'll stick with Muggle.

[+GeoGeeBee]

You haven't suggested a word to use instead of Muggle.

 

The differently geoaware. (Politically correct for all the bleedin' hearts)

 

GeoDeaf

GeoDumb

GeoBlind

"People."

 

Here it is used in a sentence: "I'm pretty sure the cache is under that lamp-post skirt, but I'm not going to look right now because there are too many people around."

 

Or you could just quit caching in parking lots, and then there won't be an issue.

[+Chrysalides]

Or you could just quit caching in parking lots, and then there won't be an issue.

Because no one else ever go into parks or the woods?

 

I agree that having to come up with terms for non geocachers seems silly. "People" or "someone" works just fine for me. But whatever floats their boat.

Edited November 14, 2011 by Chrysalides

[+Sol seaker]

Knowschad is keeping his post count down, so has asked other Off-topic members to post for him.

I have been authorized to ask for him,

 

"So, do we have a consensus on this yet?"

[GOF and Bacall]

I say we call them fergleterminhaggenizers.

[knowschad]

Knowschad is keeping his post count down, so has asked other Off-topic members to post for him.

I have been authorized to ask for him,

 

"So, do we have a consensus on this yet?"

 

Thanks, Sol! You are a friend, indeed!

 

 

oops!!

[AZcachemeister]

Personally, I prefer the term 'heathens' to describe those who do not worship the Holy Satellites and have not yet accepted The Jeremy as their true and most holy prophet.

[+dphickey]

You haven't suggested a word to use instead of Muggle.

How about 'mudbloods'.

[+t4e]

Can't we adopt a cool modern name like zombies or walkers? I imagine the name muggle was adopted by the exfans of D&D (now WOW fans) that migrated to watching/reading HP stuff in their mothers basement, then took up the ubber hip geek hobbie of Caching. Thus for some reason normal people adopted it not knowing the stigma of being a HP fan.

 

As for me and my family we'll call them walkers.

 

Yeah and we will change the name of the things that we find to "jeeks". "Quick! Hide the jeek. Here comes a zombie!!"

 

Yeah, that sounds much more sophisticated than muggles.