Saying something is retarded does not fall into some inherently different reference class with respect to "being about". The significant feature here is that it is easier to sneer at than sentences that use politically incorrect language.

(What he said was still stupid.)

Not necessarily (though I'm no doubt being too snarky).

It's common for goldbugs to compare stashing gold under a mattress with stashing green pieces of paper under a mattress, and note that the former has better investment return. When there's no economic reason that simply sitting on wealth (without loaning it out to some productive use) should make one wealthier.

The expectation that money should be a long-term store of value is, in fact, misguided.