Aren’t the x-axis labels wrong? If I’m interpreting this correctly, the x and y axes labels should be the same. That might be partly why people are getting confused.
this post was submitted on 17 Dec 2025
27 points (90.9% liked)
Science Memes
17730 readers
1559 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
I don't get it at all.
Imagine modeling the components of a word mathematically. Each word has a value in some number of dimensions, like maybe how negative the word is, or how much it has to do with fruit or something.
You’d be able to calculate a set of eigenvectors to describe each dimension, basically unit vectors. You could have an eigen-name or eigen-compliment, basically just a word that other names or compliments could be expressed in units of that word.
I think 1984’s Newspeak shows some examples of what eigen-words could be. Stuff like “doublepluscold.”
Ok, I'm a physicist so math is fine. I just couldn't get the diagram. Thanks!
Hi what the fuck does this mean
I think the x-axis labels are wrong. Cosine similarity is used to compare vectors in maths. 1 would mean the vectors are going in the same direction and 0 would mean they are going 90° to each other and -1 is opposite.
While it seems you’re on to something with the x-axis, I do not believe that was the question. My interpretation, that I share, is wtf am I looking at? Haha
I found this, which sheds a little more light on the topic?
I think it’s a joke about an attempt to formulate the single racial slur that most closely correlates to all slurs at once
So the x-axis should be the same as the y-axis in this case?
How do you calculate the cosine of a slur? Is that the joke?
No, you just use a standard technique like word2vec.
Basically words are considered similar (and embedded to nearby locations in a high dimensional space) if they are likely to be used in the same context.
And because slurs are used to indicate that you don't like someone, they tend to occur in the same kind of context.
So they're all very similar. This is actual natural language processing being used, but it's a shit post and the graphics aren't very clear.
Why would you make a post about slurs and then censor all of them.
Is the first one 'South Mexican'?
Then we've got 'Crumbly Chinese'
'Fucking homosexuals' (nice)
'No African' (rude)
'Clever Woman'
'Kill Jewish? Kippah Jewish? Kangaroo Jewish?'
And obviously, the 'Jolly Japanese'
Spic Chink Fag Cunt Kyke Jap
I haven't heard anyone use "Jap" outside my grandfather's generation — and he fought a fucking war against them so no surprise he had some big feels there. But he's also been dead about 25 years and I've never heard the word since.
But also I don't hang out with racists, so what do I know.
How have I lived with a Jewish family all my life and never heard 'Kyke', yet I was well aware of 'Faggot' after only knowing about gay people for much less time?
Humans are a mysterious race.
“F….., f….., f….., we can say it together — but only if you let a white girl say n…..”
Derrick's "Spelling Bee" suggests cell D3 should be dominant.