Degenerate

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A '''degenerate''' (in its derogatory use) is a person who, from the perspective of the speaker, is "less than" or has "fallen from grace" &mdash; i.e., has degenerated from some so-called "pure or true form", into what they are now. The problem with this concept is that this "pure and true form" is generally fictitious.

In the US, the term has often been applied by the [[WASP|"rich, white, morally correct"]] folks to such unwanted groups as [[hippies]], [[homosexuals]], [[Alcohol|drunks]], and [[drugs|dope fiends]].

The term "degenerate" is an [[appeal to shame]]. It is a popular pejorative word used by racists, homophobes, transphobes, fundamentalist curmudgeons, incels, reactionaries, chuds, members of the alt-right, and [[The Babylon Bee]] to judge others who don't subscribe to their bullshit.

The term was also frequently used by explorers, [[missionaries]], and "scholars" from the so-called "[[Europe|Old world]]", to describe the so-called "primitive" inhabitants of the Americas and [[Africa]]. The term stuck with such people long after they were part of the world's "modern society" when trying to make a case that some [[Racism|races were inferior to others]]. This is why most people imagine a toff voice in their head when they think of the word.

The phrase was used to describe {{wpl|Degenerate art|art}} and {{wpl|Degenerate music|music}} in [[Nazi Germany]], especially those influenced by the [[evil Jew]]s, {{wpl|Negermusik|"Negroes"|,}} or political opponents of Nazism, especially the so-called "Communists". It was used specifically in [[Modern art and architecture#The Nazi Degenerate Art Exhibition|The Nazi Degenerate Art Exhibition]] in 1937 that exhibited confiscated 'degenerate' art (''entartete Kunst''); afterwards, the art was either sold abroad or destroyed.

==Renewed usage by neo-Nazis and reactionaries==
{{main|neo-Nazi}}
The term "degeneracy" has come back into favor among, paradoxically, the worst people on the Internet. In context, it tends to be used to refer to people who are either not white or white but not [[racist]] (very much like the word "[[cuck]]servative").

==Other usages==

===By douchebags===
On the internet, "degenerate" can be used, and is often used interchangeably with the words "cringeworthy", "cancerous" (as a slur), and "[[Ableism|autistic]]" (also as a slur) by [[Internet tough guy]]s and people within [[right-wing]] circles other than the [[alt-right]]  who may use the terminology to refer to people who have very [[Pansexuality|unconventional sexualities]], are {{wpl|Paraphilia|paraphilic}} (such as voraphiles), have [[Intersectionality|nonconformist beliefs]], or to describe people who are extremely eccentric or weird. It can also be used to describe content such as [[Porn|pornographic material]] that someone may find disgusting as "degenerate". 

Its usage in this context differs only barely from how the neo-Nazis and [[World War II]]-era Nazis use the term. However, the word is used more commonly to mock or target someone who is still deemed too unconventional to accept and understand by [[conservative]]s and [[edgelord]]s, with the sole purpose to make that person feel inferior.

===In medical context===
The word "degenerate" (or the more often used adverb "degenerative") is used to describe diseases that worsen the living conditions of the person affected; the disease is rarely caused by an external bacteria or virus, but rather it is caused by the body of the person affected. 

An example is a disease caused by getting older; as you get older, your spine will start hurting because of the spinal disks.<ref>[https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/degenerative-disk-disease-overview#1 What is Degenerative Disk Disease?]</ref>

===In astronomical context===
The "[[Ultimate fate of the Universe#Degenerate Era|degenerate era]]" refers to the time period 10<sup>15</sup> to 10<sup>39</sup> years after the [[Big Bang]] when new stars are no longer being produced. The universe will be dominated by [[brown dwarf]]s, white dwarfs, [[neutron star]]s, and [[black hole]]s during that time. It will be succeeded by the "black hole era", when black holes will become dominant after absorbing most of the star remnants and the ones that not having most likely dissolved into oblivion due to proton decay.<ref>[https://astronomy.com/news/2020/03/the-degenerate-era-when-the-universe-stops-making-stars The Degenerate Era: When the universe stops making stars], Doug Adler, ''Astronomy'' 24 March 2020</ref>

The origin of the name of such a future epoch comes from most of such stellar remnants being made of {{wpl|degenerate matter||,}} not because of it being an epoch of depravity and moral degeneration.

==See also==
*The [[Modern art and architecture#Degenerate art|degenerate art section in Modern art and architecture]]
*[[De-evolution]]
*[[Noble savage]]
*[[Appeal to shame]]
*[[Argumentum ad fastidium]]
*"[[Abomination]]", essentially the same concept, but applied to objects instead of people
* [[Social degeneration]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Fundamentalism]]
[[Category:Discrimination]]
[[Category:Fascism]]
[[Category:Emotional appeals]]

Categories: Alt-right, Language, Fundamentalism, Discrimination, Fascism, Emotional appeals