http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/38/MEDIA/ar...-in-zicht.dhtml
16-year-old student Richelle Laurijsen, herself a terminally ill cancer patient, is starting a campaign against using the word 'cancer' as a curse word and insult. She is starting at her own school, Groevenbeek College in Ermelo. 'Even before she got sick, it bothered her that people were using "cancer" as a curse', says Menno Laurijsen, her father. 'At the time, the death of someone we knew from cancer shook her a lot.' She's targeting young people who think it's trendy to use the word.
Her idea to create a poster for her school became a different matter when she got the news 18 months ago that she herself had cancer. She has a rare form of bone cancer and it is unknown how long she has to live. Her parents decided to help her with her idea and have turned it into a proper professional campaign. 'We created the Rilax Foundation to set things in the right direction.' A short video has been made, in which Richelle explains her intentions. 'It is physically too difficult for her to speak for long periods.'
Full Version: Campaign against using "cancer" as a swear word
Good for her. I have always found the Dutch habit of using physical disabilities as extremely immature and mean. Whether it is cancer, being crippled, blind, etc. Even many adults seem to think it's funny to use it as an insult. I often think the Dutch are missing their compassion/empathy functions in their frontal lobes. I hope she can wake them up a little.
agreed, i support that. Around a year after arriving here, i found myself watching the news and cringing as the host said the word cancer. he was talking about the disease....and i cringed as if he had said a bad word. That's not a normal reaction, and goes to show how taboo it must be in this country to talk about the subject if you have cancer.....i think its wrong. As much as it makes me laugh when someone urges me to go and get the typhus, (im not integrated enough to take it as an insult yet i guess), the cancer think is definitely getting to me.I just cant stand the word anymore.
The poor girl died last Saturday...at the age of 16.
http://www.destentor.nl/regio/veluwewest/5...ar-actie-na.ece
http://www.destentor.nl/regio/veluwewest/5...ar-actie-na.ece
Swear words and insults are intended to shock people. Usually, words involving "forbidden" subjects are most effective in shocking other people.
In most English and also Spanish speaking countries, sex is the biggest taboo, and therefore swearwords with sexual content will serve the explicit purpose.
In the Netherlands, sex is not so much taboo. However, being sick in the swamp is not done. People with any kind of illness are being avoided as the plague. The more severe your illness, the less people want to know about you.
From that perspective it is no surprise that cancer is the strongest swearword in this country. Tering (tuberculosis) has lost in strength because this is not deadly anymore these days, same with other "old" diseases such as plague, typhus, smallpox. Still swearwords, but not as strong as the most feared kanker.
Sad, but true.
In most English and also Spanish speaking countries, sex is the biggest taboo, and therefore swearwords with sexual content will serve the explicit purpose.
In the Netherlands, sex is not so much taboo. However, being sick in the swamp is not done. People with any kind of illness are being avoided as the plague. The more severe your illness, the less people want to know about you.
From that perspective it is no surprise that cancer is the strongest swearword in this country. Tering (tuberculosis) has lost in strength because this is not deadly anymore these days, same with other "old" diseases such as plague, typhus, smallpox. Still swearwords, but not as strong as the most feared kanker.
Sad, but true.
QUOTE (Henz @ Nov 24 2009, 07:55 AM) 
Swear words and insults are intended to shock people. Usually, words involving "forbidden" subjects are most effective in shocking other people.
In most English and also Spanish speaking countries, sex is the biggest taboo, and therefore swearwords with sexual content will serve the explicit purpose.
In the Netherlands, sex is not so much taboo. However, being sick in the swamp is not done. People with any kind of illness are being avoided as the plague. The more severe your illness, the less people want to know about you.
From that perspective it is no surprise that cancer is the strongest swearword in this country. Tering (tuberculosis) has lost in strength because this is not deadly anymore these days, same with other "old" diseases such as plague, typhus, smallpox. Still swearwords, but not as strong as the most feared kanker.
Sad, but true.
In most English and also Spanish speaking countries, sex is the biggest taboo, and therefore swearwords with sexual content will serve the explicit purpose.
In the Netherlands, sex is not so much taboo. However, being sick in the swamp is not done. People with any kind of illness are being avoided as the plague. The more severe your illness, the less people want to know about you.
From that perspective it is no surprise that cancer is the strongest swearword in this country. Tering (tuberculosis) has lost in strength because this is not deadly anymore these days, same with other "old" diseases such as plague, typhus, smallpox. Still swearwords, but not as strong as the most feared kanker.
Sad, but true.
at least that explains the 'hands-off' approach to healthcare
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.