this post was submitted on 27 Dec 2025
98 points (92.2% liked)

Ask Lemmy

36243 readers
1404 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either !asklemmyafterdark@lemmy.world or !asklemmynsfw@lemmynsfw.com. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email info@lemmy.world. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


6) No US Politics.
Please don't post about current US Politics. If you need to do this, try !politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world or !askusa@discuss.online


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

'Mouth Breather'

Like yeah I don't get this one. We all breathe through our mouths (and noses), because we have to. Yet I read this sometimes as it is used like an insult. So what are you saying? You're insulting someone for doing what billions of other human beings have to do naturally?

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] untorquer@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

I adopted the term "Day walkers" to refer to people who walk too slow, take up too much space, or are otherwise unaware in walking areas.

An example would be a group walking in one direction side by side taking the whole path width. Another would be people standing at the top or bottom of an escalator.

I think it's nonsense to anyone who isn't in the know but easily figured out.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 9 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

"Bless your heart."

Means they think you're naive.

Then of course all the sarcastic ones like "Smooth move, Ex-lax," "Way to go, Einstein," and "No shit, Sherlock."

[–] dellish@lemmy.world 9 points 13 hours ago

"You're at the top of the bell curve"

[–] northernlights@lemmy.today 13 points 16 hours ago

"You look gay". You mean I look clean, well-dressed, not smelly, and sensitive? Well, thank you.

[–] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 14 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Wanker.

Anyone in this thread who's not?

[–] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 5 points 21 hours ago (2 children)
[–] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 11 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Is wanking a gendered activity, though?

[–] YeahIgotskills2@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Interesting question. In our apparent societal quest to remove as many differences between the two traditional genders (yes, there are more than two, but that's a whole other conversation that's been covered at length and in-depth elsewhere), we seem very keen to push the idea that attitudes and physiology in terms of masterbation for men and women are mostly the same.

It feels like we've conflated equality with similarity, to such an extent that to suggest differencees between the most prominent genders implies superiority/inferiority of one group over another.

I'd argue that the trope of the teenage boy who's coming of age, suddenly obsessed with sex, who discovers masterbation and does it several times a day - to the extent that it's viewed in a slightly comedic/immature yet relatable fashion by fully grown men, is mostly accurate. Hence being a wanker is a fairly easy insult to throw - the implication being that the man being insulted is immature and sexually frustrated.

I don't think that lands the same to teenage girls in terms of the weight of the insult. Girls don't generally, to my knowledge (3 sisters, multiple female friends, 2 marriages) reference each other's elevated teenage sex drives when insulating each other.

Away from the internet, there are obviously physical differences and less well understood hormonal and psychology elements at play that affect the frequency, intensity and arguably the nature of arousal in men and women. There are outliers and yes, to some extent we're all similar.. But those differences needn't be dismissed in a well meaning but, to my mind, over-simplistic take like 'both men and women can be wankers'.

Yes I'd agree, that's objectively true, but the very act of pointing that out as some some sort of self-evident fact, shows that there has been a belief to the contrary in the past that's worth exploring. It may very well be rooted in historical sexism or ignorance, but my point is that we have a tendency to short-circuit the discussion with convenient and acceptable statements, rather than exploring, acknowledging and possibly celebrating our differences.

[–] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I dunno honestly. Is it considered wanking if you do it to somebody else? Or is it only considered wanking if done to yourself thus eliminating women and anybody withput a penis?

[–] michaelmrose@lemmy.world 8 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I think the imputation is that masturbation isn't gendered

[–] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago (3 children)

Imputation? Masturbation is not gendered hut is wanking masturbation or is wanking masturbation requiring a penis?

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Wanking, "fapping" and "jerking off" are all specific to penises, yeah. But now people use them for female anatomy too because they're too lazy to find the specific words and are too used to using the ones for men.

Wanking... just one of many male dominated professions

[–] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I always considered wanking to be synonymous with masturbation, penile or not.

[–] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 3 points 19 hours ago

Merriam Webster defines it as masturbation. Guess my assumption was wrong though. I don't see it used much for women doing it though.

Anyway the point still stands there might be some asexuals or people without feeling any beed to wank so they don't classify as wankers.

[–] michaelmrose@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago

Most people use it to mean stroking a penis. The prior commenter is obviously using it to mean masturbate

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Jerb322@lemmy.world 6 points 19 hours ago

I think it's the "look" on your face when breathing out of your mouth. Like you are dumb, or dim-witted.

One of my great uncles would call us kids numb skulls. I heard it as one word as a kid and it wasn't till I got older did I realize what he was saying.

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 14 hours ago
[–] burntbacon@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 21 hours ago

Maybe it's due to growing up in the wild internet era, where making international friends was simpler than trying to befriend the other dolts in the cafeteria, but I've always chuckled at people using cunt as an insult. It's such a gasp inducer among the older crowd, but even when I was just learning the word, it struck me as odd, and my thoughts were always in line with that one quote about pussies being able to take a pounding.

[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 36 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Much less common now but calling things gay. I find it fascinating watching early 2010's video and hearing people call things gay, I even remember doing it myself lol.

[–] Apytele@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

My trans niece doesn't get the joke when I (correctly but excessively) call random shit she does gay (like not in an insulted way, mostly just confused). She'll be like "my girlfriend is so pretty" and I'm just immediately like "gay." Your girlfriend made you pancakes? GAY. Cuddling with her? SO. gay. Long walks in the park? Extra gay. I picked that joke up in 2016 and I'm not letting go any time soon.

[–] Aqarius@lemmy.world 6 points 23 hours ago

Señor_Chang.gif

[–] buzz86us@lemmy.world 5 points 22 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Inucune@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago

That's nice, dear...

[–] DempstersBox@lemmy.world 29 points 1 day ago (2 children)

So! There's a place in Philly called the Mutter Museum. Filled with all manner of human specimens of various ailments.

Absolutely fascinating. Like $20 admission. 100% worth it.

A couple of the pieces on display are the skulls and jaws of mouth breathers. I don't know if they had an issue that required surgery that wasn't available in the 1800's, or if it was just bad habits, but.

Literally changes the shape of your bones. And therefore your face.

Fucking wild.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 52 points 1 day ago (2 children)

When I was in primary school approximately in the early Devonian period, it was considered the height of cutting wit to insult somebody by calling them "gay."

In the intervening decades throughout which society has somehow (possibly briefly, current events taken into consideration) become a bit more tolerant, nowadays it seems you have about a one in six chance of whoever you just called gay responding with, "Okay, and?"

[–] GiveOver@feddit.uk 5 points 18 hours ago

Years ago I had a gay male friend who got drunk and decided to hook up with a girl to see what it was like. I (also drunk and being a twat) was trying to cockblock him by telling the girl he was gay.

No matter what I said, she thought I was just slinging witty banter. "haha gay". "No you don't understand, he is a 100% homosexual man!!!" My buddy found the interaction pretty hilarious.

[–] 69420@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago

Is the Devonian period what we call the time during which the band Devo was active?

[–] HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works 63 points 1 day ago (5 children)
[–] TipRing@lemmy.world 29 points 1 day ago

yeah, cocksuckers are awesome.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org 41 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yes but we breath mainly with the nose; breathing with the mouth evokes the image of slack-jawed awe, or the long pause that takes the recipient to elaborate a simple concept.

[–] Jimbabwe@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago

/me cries in chronic allergies that keep my nose at like 60% capacity all year long

[–] Delphia@lemmy.world 3 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

Next time you're in a waiting room or somewhere a bunch of people are just sitting around trying not to bother each other have a look around and see how many people are sitting there actively not closing their mouths to breathe, its going to be zero. I dont mean they dont sigh or take the odd breath either. Then just imagine they are, its horrifying.

[–] despite_velasquez@lemmy.world 40 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Luddite. Maybe today more than ever, we should all be somewhat luddite-y

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 10 hours ago

Lots of ideologies can be used as an accusation depending on context.

[–] Pat_Riot@lemmy.today 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I self identify as a luddite. I don't fear progress, but I also do not trust that advances in technology will be used to make life better for any but the wealthiest.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The luddites were early union organizers among seamstresses and weavers.

You think it was people acting against progress because the winners of that conflict rewrote history.

[–] Pat_Riot@lemmy.today 6 points 1 day ago

That conflict has never ended and the owner class is still using the machines to squeeze every drop of production out of the workers while paying less for the work every year. It's not rewritten history it's ongoing propaganda, and you are arguing against a point I never made.

[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 47 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

It's not the insult, it's who says it. If a MAGAt called me a great guy for example, I'd feel offended.

[–] lol_idk@piefed.social 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Because humans are awful, mouth breather probably comes from Down syndrome and the associated physical traits of a proportionally large tongue and narrow mouth.

[–] edg@lemmy.world 8 points 17 hours ago

That feels like a bit of a jump. I've associated "mouth breather" with insults like "slack jawed yokel" or even just "dumb face". It's someone who generally looks like they're not comprehending what's going on around them and not smart.

[–] Bazoogle@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

What source do you have that links it to down syndrome? When people are dumbfounded, they often open their mouth. One of the definitions of "Slack Jawed" is: lacking intelligence or sophistication.

Also, mouth breathing can impact the development of ones face, where you have less muscle tone and a more elongated face. These traits are sometimes associated with someone with less intelligence. Nowhere do I see anything about the term referencing/originating from Down Syndrome.

[–] DrFistington@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Mother fucker. Like yeah, I'm married and have kids. I fuck their mother like a muha fucka.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 10 hours ago

You know it refers to your own mother, right? Like, it means you commit incest.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›