City Names.. 'geisha'!?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Chieftess

Moderator
Retired Moderator
Joined
Feb 10, 2002
Messages
24,160
Location
Baltimore
Well, that's one name I don't exactly approve of for a city, so yes, it's a complaint. ;) Can we keep the demogame clean? I just had to edit out 'concubine' from a PBEM game because of an innuendo associated with it in the thread...


Time to whip everyone into line... :sheep::whipped: :p
 
I thought it questionable too. The word itself and the actual geisha have little in common with the common perception of the occupation, which is why I allowed it at all. Unfortunately common perception (or perhaps "Hollywood perception"?) holds the geisha as something like a high class call girl.

As I told Cyc, the name would have to be changed if anybody complained. This is a complaint so the name will need to be changed. I'll instruct Cyc to come up with a different city name.
 
:(
 
Sure, I'd also like CT to change her sign on name because it's a slant on native-American Indians and I don't approve. You have a very twisted point of view, people. You run around telling people what to do. Yes I know your mods. But that doesn't mean you have to be "holier" than thou. Your feeble paranoid tunnel-vision views disgust me.

I wasn't even going to name a city, but when I saw the lack of names listed I decided to do one. You had to dig up one of the females in this game and dump it on her so she could twist into something she could use to call it dirty and object to its use. Geisha are not whores. That's what white women have made them in their jealousy.

I will come up with a new name for the city.
 
I would like to point out for the record that I have no problem with Cyc's choice of name for the city. I would have posted in its defence if I could remember the precise definition of "Geisha", but I don't like to enter into a debate in which I know I do not have the relevant facts to hand. I really do not see why the name should not stand, or why it should be offensive to anybody. I have to say that I'm slightly ashamed of having copped out with my "smilie" post earlier, which was a rather wan attempt to express my sadness at seeing such a pointless act of censorship in this game.
 
Just to make a point. Geisha are NOT whores, call-girls, or what have you as is the common perception. They are Japanese entertainers who are incredibly talented. I find no problem with Cyc's name of a city.
 
So? And african americans use the N word all the time, but that doesn't make it appropriate. Your argument over the word 'Geisha' would be just as effective for Darned (The real word, not the euphemism.) That word originally was used to mean someone who was going to that hot place down below. But over history, it eventually came to be a profanity. Should we name a city that, since the original meaning of the word wasn't a curse?
Just because it has more than one meaning doesn't make it any less inappropriate. There are hundreds of thousands of words you can choose for a city, and millions more of made up ones; I'm sure you can find a less controversial name Cyc.
 
Originally posted by Veera Anlai
So? And african americans use the N word all the time, but that doesn't make it appropriate. Your argument over the word 'Geisha' would be just as effective for Darned (The real word, not the euphemism.) That word originally was used to mean someone who was going to that hot place down below. But over history, it eventually came to be a profanity. Should we name a city that, since the original meaning of the word wasn't a curse?
Just because it has more than one meaning doesn't make it any less inappropriate. There are hundreds of thousands of words you can choose for a city, and millions more of made up ones; I'm sure you can find a less controversial name Cyc.
First up, your "N word" example is a completely opposite case and not applicable to this question. Secondly, unlike "darned", "Geisha" is not a curse, but a name for a type of entertainer unique to Japanese culture. That it has been mis-interpreted by the vast majority of westerners does not make it an "inappropriate" word for usage here. That is simply pandering to and encouraging ignorance - something which I am vehemently opposed to.
 
Geisha is appropriate to the East, and inappropriate to the West. We're in the West, if you haven't noticed ;)
 
I agree with Cyc. There is nothing offensive about calling a city Geisha except what is concocted in someone's mind. While people's perceptions are important, reality is much more so. And when those perceptions are based on misconceptions, prejudices and ignorance, they become even less important compared to reality.
 
*sigh* This thing's starting to turn into a flame war...

Besides, my name came from the difficulty level in Civ. Cheiftan. :) For the lack of a better name, I added 'ess'.
 
Originally posted by Veera Anlai
Geisha is appropriate to the East, and inappropriate to the West. We're in the West, if you haven't noticed ;)
Geisha is a Japanese word which means the same thing wheresoever you happen to be. Geography is not the issue, ignorance is.
 
If someone's offended, why would you waste more effort on arguing with their feelings about the word, than on changing the city name?
 
Originally posted by Chieftess
*sigh* This thing's starting to turn into a flame war...

Besides, my name came from the difficulty level in Civ. Cheiftan. :) For the lack of a better name, I added 'ess'.
Differences of opinion do not a flame war make
 
Originally posted by Melinder
If someone's offended, why would you waste more effort on arguing with their feelings about the word, than on changing the city name?
Because the easiest route is not necessarily the best route. Some issues are worth the effort of arguing over, and censorship based on misconception is one of them.
 
How about Yakuza? Oh sorry, that word has negative connotations.:rolleyes:

Anyway, if Cyc wishes to change the name he may, but there is nothing in the constitution to force him to. The name may be changed by the new governor of that province during the first few days of office I believe, so maybe those who do not like it should petition him.
 
I'm sorry, but I just do *not* think it is appropriate, and I believe the name was chosen simply to incite controversy. And Eklek, it *is* possible for a word to have more than one meaning, and geisha is one of those. I'm not misconceiving things, since Geisha is *definitely* a term for a callgirl, no matter what it's original use was. Now, just why can't Cyc choose a more appropriate name?
 
Geisha also means entertainer and assassin. I do not think the name was chosen to incite controversy.
 
Deleted.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom