a once pejorative term to refer to people of low status/education/station/etc, it is now a term used by societal rejects and social misfits to call themselves
some examples of people that proudly call themselves degenerates:
goths
metalheads rivetheads
punks (the original true punks, not the modern day excuses for punks)
A mother who treats their kids like shit and eventually loses custody, either to the father or CPS. This beast will still pretend to others that she is a good parent but no one buys it. They love to claim kids they have lost on their taxes, even though they do nothing to support them., The kids hate her and even her own mother doesnt love her.
Are the kids going to see their mother this week? No that degenerate only comes around during tax season.