[waych]

I forget where I first heard this, but whenever someone uses the word "folks", you can often replace that word with the word "idiots" and get the actual underlying meaning of the speaker.

Now not all speakers using it mean it that way, but it's a lazy word to use to group people, and the othering of people it implies seems to equally apply. The condescending tone really shines through.

If you intend on continuing to use this word to address people, know that at least some of us are making this conversion in our heads at all times.

[dahart]

That’s pretty cynical, and maybe not the smartest way to communicate. A similar argument can be made for “people”, and it already was made in this thread before I commented. A speaker can’t be expected to walk on egg shells because there are cynics in the audience who refuse to accept neutral and common usage of words. If someone chooses to interpret a word differently than it’s definition and normal usage, it reflects on them and not the speaker.

[waych]

It may be cynical, sure. But chosing cheap words to address groups of people is poor form for the speaker nevertheless.

If you are addressing others, use better words to describe them. Calling people "folks" all the time is lazy and insulting.