Question about the forum

[Jason0941]

Since this is supposed to be a place where we discuss suicide openly: why do we euphemistically refer to it as "catching the bus/CTB"?

 

[finalgoodbye:(]

You can call it suicide I don't think that's against the rules it's just easier to say CTB

 

[WEIRDOOOXDDDD]

I don't really know but I'm gonna boost your thread with my message

 

[Forever Sleep]

I believe it originated from an earlier incarnation of the forum when it was presumably riskier to use the term itself. I think people used CTB in the hopes that those who oppose free speech and free choice would find it harder to find them in internet searches. I imagine the forum was at least originally occupied by some of those members so, I suppose it stuck.

I tend to interchange between the two. I suppose originally, it almost felt like a secret society language that it felt important to learn. It's sometimes just a softer version of suicide mentally maybe.

 

[Jadeith]

why do we euphemistically refer to it as "catching the bus/CTB"?

From what i observe:
-CTB is faster to type than suicide. Internets love abbreviations.
-euphemism is harder to detect by bots scanning for "inappropriate" content and journalist "spies" hunting for juicy content
-even if it's suicide dedicated forum, some people still find it unsettling to use straightforward language like suicide or kill oneself

 

[Forveleth]

The internet has taught us to self-censor. Most people carry this habit everywhere.

 

[U. A.]

iirc it's a holdover from the alt-suicide-holiday era of three decades past. "Culture", if you will.

 

[Jason0941]

The internet has taught us to self-censor. Most people carry this habit everywhere.

Good point. In my opinion: The worst forms of this censorship occur on YouTube. Particularly in the way that Youtubers are compelled into saying "grape" in instead of "rape", or "unalived" instead of "murdered/killed". Sexual assault and murder ar real issues that happen to real people, and we as a society are not going to solve these problems by using soft language. I know that some people would make the counterargument that this censorship exists on YouTube in order to protect younger viewers (children), but we have YouTube Kids for that demographic, and they should stay off of the adult version of YouTube.

I'm sorry If this sounded like a long-winded rant. I've just wanted to say this for a very long time.