youre still using it as an insult its accepted because its between friends but the reason youre using that word is because its a negative word its an insult i take the piss out of my friends all the time but i dont act like its anything but rude and insulting words that are overlooked in the name of jest words like nigger though carry a harsher connotation when youre calling someone a nigger even if its jest youre still referring to black people in a deragtory sense the word doesnt lose its meaning because youre joking