this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2025
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Well that would just diminish the value of having both words.
So?
The words exist across languages because we use them to mean something. If they had neither denotative nor connotative use, your comment itself would not mean anything. That you made the comment seems to me to imply that you know there is a difference.
Yes, we use them to mean something that is wrong.
We have the concept of werewolves, doesn't mean they exist.
This is such a silly line of thinking. To call being gay unnatural is clearly a misuse of the word, but the idea that everything that exists at all is natural is nonsense. For example, hot pink is an unnatural human hair color. Even if you color your hair hot pink, and therefore it exists; that doesn't make it natural. So in the absence of another word used to describe something that wouldn't otherwise exist in nature without human intervention, ... "unnatural" is perfectly suited to this task.
The silly line of thinking is that because a human does something, it makes it unnatural.
I understand that it is meant that way. I'm just criticizing it.
People could be born with hot pink hair and at that point it would be natural?
Is plastic unnatural because it is made by humans? If there was a bacteria who produces plastic would that make plastic natural?
It's the underlying misunderstanding that people think humanity is something special.
Let's be real. People say unnatural and mean wrong or undesirable. And I am arguing against that.
With that last part I agree. And I’d bet we probably generally agree, but as a matter of perspective our positions look different. I’m not trying to be obtuse here.
Yes, as I see it, we are divided enough so let's not get hung up on the details. It's enough that you try to understand what I am getting at. Thanks for that.
You seem like a reasonable person so I would say we leave it at that and I wish you a good day :)