this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2023
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted, clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts: 1

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Don't drink fant drinks when you drive!

Fanta: ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ

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[โ€“] [email protected] 44 points 1 year ago (4 children)

According to wiktionary infant comes from the Latin word infans, meaning "unable to speak". The term fans means "to speak".

Not sure if your Fanta can speak though :P

[โ€“] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago

Which is why we have "infantry." Soldiers who don't speak and follow orders

[โ€“] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (4 children)

As a side note here, Fanta was derived from the German word โ€žFantasieโ€œ. I donโ€™t think it needs translating.

[โ€“] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

Side note on the side note: Fanta was invented in nazi Germany because they couldn't import all the ingredients for Cola

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง fantasy
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น fantasia
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท fantaisie
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ fantazie
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ fantazia
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ ั„ะฐะฝั‚ะฐะทะธั
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช FANTASIE

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Ah yes, a reference to the thousand year dream /s

[โ€“] LolaCat 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So it wouldnโ€™t be technically wrong to refer to mute people as infants right? /s

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Probably falls into the same or similar category as calling them dumb, ones open a time an acceptable word to call them, but not really today. You know unless you are looking to insult them for being mute.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Right. The term that would probably fit the context would be "infantile", which again has negative connotations.

English has a long history of descriptors of intellectual deficiencies becoming contemporary insults then terms to be avoided because of that insensitive use, then the use continuing until everyone's kinda desensitized to it but now it can't be used in the original context.

See also: idiot, imbecile, moron, etc.

Currently going through that process: "retarded".

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Happens in most languages.

Also, many languages have a link between deafness and lacking intelligence, e.g. dumb meaning "not able to speak" and "not intelligent".

In general, being sensitive to people with disabilities (both physical and mental) is a rather young concept, hence anything that would make someone not be able to be part of society is often also an insult.

That's also why e.g. terms linked deafness/muteness are often an insult to someone's intelligence, while e.g. terms linked to blindness are not. Blind people might be unable to perform some things seeing people are able to, but blindness doesn't necessarily limit someone's ability to be part of a society unaccomodating to people with disabilities.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Might change your thoughts on blindness as an insult by attending a sporting event where a ref or ump makes a questionable call...but broadly speaking, I think your comment is definitely a worthwhile contribution.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

We're fans, yo!