Is the *N* word ever appropriate?

[dead0man]

For example...a Netflix CEO was fired this Summer while discussing what words were ok to use in a Netflix stand up special.  BBC or Hollywood Reporter  From the Netflix memo on the firing:

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[HillGoose]

Not appropriate at all. People who use it make themselves look unprofessional and stupid, no matter what race they are. At least that's the view of my fiancee, who is half black, and I agree with her.

[Orwell]

I don't see any problem with it, I've used it before
 

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

I don't have a problem with it being used if your quoting someone. Like if your talking about someone else using it controversially (Mel Gibson/Michael Richards) I don't think there should be a problem directly quoting them instead of saying "n word", which just sounds ridiculous. I also don't have a problem with it if your quoting a rap song or something. Other than that, you really shouldn't.

[Rover]

No it's not.

[Associate Justice PiT]

I don't have a problem with it being used if your quoting someone. Like if your talking about someone else using it controversially (Mel Gibson/Michael Richards) I don't think there should be a problem directly quoting them instead of saying "n word", which just sounds ridiculous. I also don't have a problem with it if your quoting a rap song or something. Other than that, you really shouldn't.

     It seems odd to me to quote a word when the point is the other person got in trouble for using it. I would be fine with someone saying it in quoting art or literature so as to not compromise the creative intentions of the author (the rap songs you describe would fall under this exception), but that's it.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

I don't have a problem with it being used if your quoting someone. Like if your talking about someone else using it controversially (Mel Gibson/Michael Richards) I don't think there should be a problem directly quoting them instead of saying "n word", which just sounds ridiculous. I also don't have a problem with it if your quoting a rap song or something. Other than that, you really shouldn't.

     It seems odd to me to quote a word when the point is the other person got in trouble for using it. I would be fine with someone saying it in quoting art or literature so as to not compromise the creative intentions of the author (the rap songs you describe would fall under this exception), but that's it.

Well, the other person who got in trouble for using it would have been using it in a negative context.

[Santander]

I don't care that much in most contexts, but I would not support using it against someone to their face.

[Del Tachi]

I don't care that much in most contexts, but I would not support using it against someone to their face.

This.  It should never be used as a slur against someone.

[fhtagn]

It's just a word. Treating it like it's forbidden gives it more meaning than it deserves. As long as you aren't acting like a jerk and using it to insult someone, it's really not a big deal.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

No, you should never call anyone a neoconservative because there's nothing conservative about foreign interventions.

[MarkD]

It's appropriate in the world of fiction, to reveal the racism in a character. Try reading To Kill a Mockingbird and avoid seeing the word in print. Watch an unedited version of The Shining and you'll hear the word a few times in the restroom scene.

[DINGO Joe]

When it's a hilarious typo about Trump wanting a bigger navy.

[dead0man]

It's appropriate in the world of fiction, to reveal the racism in a character. Try reading To Kill a Mockingbird and avoid seeing the word in print. Watch an unedited version of The Shining and you'll hear the word a few times in the restroom scene.

Are you sure?  Remember how triggered some people got when the producers of Game of Thrones announced their next series was going to be about what if the US lost the civil war?

[Ban my account ffs!]

I do not like other people controlling what I can and cannot say...but I also do not like deeply offending or angering or hurting people with words I don’t have a legitimate enough reason to justify using.

The n-word is by far the biggest swear word of modern times.  The racial slurs are the top line followed by the sexist, homophobic, and ableist slurs.

Damn, sh**t, ass, f**k, bitch just don’t pack the punch they usedta fer chrissakes.  In fact, it seems people often exaggerate the swear value of these words to minimize the swear value of today’s real swear words.

[nclib]

The n-word is by far the biggest swear word of modern times.  The racial slurs are the top line followed by the sexist, homophobic, and ableist slurs.

Damn, sh**t, ass, f**k, bitch just don’t pack the punch they usedta fer chrissakes.  In fact, it seems people often exaggerate the swear value of these words to minimize the swear value of today’s real swear words.

I agree with everything except that I would put sexist, homophobic, and ableist slurs as as offensive as racial slurs.

[Riegel2222]

The N-word with the letter -a at the end is not a racist slur but more just a slang term that people use to refer to people of the male gender.

If you say it with the hard -er at the end, it's only appropriate if you don't mean it in a racist context or you're black or whatever.

[Mr. Reactionary]

"N-word" sounds like a six year old is talking.

[Gustaf]

I find it a bit odd when people politicize these things. It's appropriate to treat people with respect. Not dropping racial slurs people find hurtful is typically appropriate behaviour. In professional contexts we generally demand signfiicantly more politeness than in other contexts. This isn't really that complex.

[ElectionsGuy]

Quoting it or using it in a referential way should be fine. A lot of black people use it a lot in the same way gays use fag and trans people use tranny. I don't see a problem with that either. I would personally like the know the context in this situation. Did he say the word when simply discussing 'sensitive words' or did he use it in a more intentional manner? In general, I am disappointed how much PC/SJW culture has infiltrated corporate America. At the end of the day, speech/language is all about how much power we give words. If we're so offended at this word that a CEO got fired then I believe we're giving the word too much power.

[RINO Tom]

I find it a bit odd when people politicize these things. It's appropriate to treat people with respect. Not dropping racial slurs people find hurtful is typically appropriate behaviour. In professional contexts we generally demand signfiicantly more politeness than in other contexts. This isn't really that complex.

Pretty much this.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

The N-word with the letter -a at the end is not a racist slur but more just a slang term that people use to refer to people of the male gender.

[Big Abraham]

"N-word" sounds like a six year old is talking.

[Cokeland Saxton]

Only time it should be used is if you're reading classic literature from when that word was commonplace (e.g. Mark Twain).

[Bakersfield Uber Alles]

It's appropriate in the world of fiction, to reveal the racism in a character. Try reading To Kill a Mockingbird and avoid seeing the word in print. Watch an unedited version of The Shining and you'll hear the word a few times in the restroom scene.

This and quoting historical usage are the only times the -er version should be used.