"Woo woo"

Danmark · Post by **Danmark** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 9:10 pm

Is use of the term "woo woo" now considered a rule violation?

From the Urban Dictionary:

TOP DEFINITION
woo woo
Unfounded or ludicrous beliefs
Belief in talking to the dead, belief in telikenesis, in fact any belief not founded on good evidence, the poorer the evidence the more Woo Woo the belief.

woo-woo
(see also woowoo) adj. descriptive of an event or person espousing New Age theories such as energy work, crystal magic, Reiki, bizarrely restrictive diets, or supernatural/paranormal/psychic occurrences; often has studied in an authentic religious tradition such as Hinduism or Zen Buddhism, but now practices an Eastern-influenced yet severely watered-down and Westernized pseudo-mysticism; can also be a synonym for sketchy, probably because Santa Fe, NM and Sedona, AZ, self-proclaimed woo-woo capitals of the world, also have a large and skeptical rock climbing population
She's so woo-woo she put a rose quartz crystal and Bach Flower Essences in her cat's water dish.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=woo+woo

It seems to me this is a reasonable definition of all religious beliefs that are not founded in empirical evidence. Is there something wrong with calling woowoo "woowoo?" Does DCR now insist that we must respect beliefs as opposed to the people that hold them?

Whether it's about the power of crystals, pyramids, men going to heaven on flying horses, or Abraham claiming God told him to kill his son, these are 'woowoo' beliefs, as defined by current usage.

It it uncivil to show contempt for beliefs themselves?

Post by **otseng** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 9:27 pm

I assume you are referring to this.

Some consider woo woo to be disrespectful, which I would tend to agree. The usage of the term also seems to be a bit juvenile and childish.

Danmark · Post by **Danmark** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 9:47 pm

otseng wrote: I assume you are referring to this.

Some consider woo woo to be disrespectful, which I would tend to agree. The usage of the term also seems to be a bit juvenile and childish.

It is not a term I have ever used. I'm not a fan of slang in general, or fads for that matter. I don't wish to pointedly refer to a moderator comment. That would be against the rules, hence I bring it up here.

But the term "woowoo" or "woo woo" serves a function in that it is a shorthand way of referring to extra scientific or non empirically derived beliefs and lumping them all together. I there another, equally concise term that serves the same purpose?

But speaking of incivility, isn't it a bit disrespectful to refer to the use of "woo woo" as "juvenile and childish?" ... not to mention redundant?