Agnostic.com

11 1

Let's talk about the easily offended. Why are some people so offended by everything on the internet and in life? When a person has a differing opinion from our own and chooses to say so publicly, are we (meaning all people) taking it so personally that we can’t refrain from lashing out and chastising the offender through our status updates and tweets? And ironic, we seem less likely to be offended by things that are unarguably offensive....We now accept as normal that people don’t respond to our emails or phone messages!?
Question 1: Are we getting offended by the wrong things?
Question 2: Often times, easily offended people are victims of black and white thinking, and prefer people to follow one set of rules. Yes or No?

Ryksie 6 June 18
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

11 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

1

I often think we're getting offended by maybe not 'the wrong things' but definitely quite often by things that cannot be changed quickly, if at all. There's a lot of demanding instant change of human nature, which just doesn't happen in reality. Then there are people who seem to hunt for offence in everything and it becomes a 'Boy Who Cried Wolf' situation, hurting the very cause they're fighting for.

Personally, if someone uses the word 'microaggressions' sincerely I take whatever else they say with several grains of salt.

1

Ironically, I see more people offended here than on my Facebook page. And I have some crazy-ass friends.

I think we're living in a time where we need to be 'right' all of the time, and if someone disagrees, it's because they're bigoted, hateful, stupid, ill-informed... I've read a lot of books by smart people, and whether or not I understood them they had one thing in common... the more they 'knew' the more they realized they didn't know, and the more interested they were in finding out more.

Oh, the infamous Kruger Dunning effect. People don't know what they don't know. I'm with you... the more I learn, the more I realise how much I don't know yet.

1

I’m offended by cruelty, bigotry, misogyny, hypocrisy and any kind of abuse. I’m a survivor of abuse, and I don’t tolerate certain things. That’s not a matter of ‘black or white’; I understand that life is more shades of gray. I also understand what I’m not willing to put up with, regardless of its color. ?
You might be offended by me, too: I don’t feel anyone is entitled to the point that I ‘must’ respond to all messages/contact. I’m selective about that, as is my right. Being called/messaged doesn’t offend me, and my lack of response is not malicious by intent.

1

I honestly don't know what being 'offended' even means. Is it some kind of feeling or emotion, and are there physical symptoms, as with anger or blushing?

Gareth Level 7 June 18, 2018
2

It seems to be a product if modern society. What happened to i might disagree with what you say,but i will defend your right to say it? The basis of free speech & informed discussion.

Coldo Level 8 June 18, 2018
3

to answer your question I would have to standardize what "easily offended" means then interview a lot of people that are in fact easily offended to determine if they had black and white thinking. ANd what are the "wrong" things to be offended about?

btroje Level 9 June 18, 2018

I agree with this. There's a lot of missing data.

1

I’m not

4

I don't think I am easily offended because i move away very quickly from anything that would cause me distress - I might be quite expert at this and there is always the stop bugging me option of blocking which I have done twice for persistent offenders who havent taken the first hint.

jacpod Level 8 June 18, 2018
3

I probably fall into the easily offended category. The things that offend me are usually comments that indicate that the other person is operating from an outmoded model of the world (e.g., people who think in totally black-and-white terms, people who believe that only their view is valid), or someone who is using what I consider to be outmoded/inaccurate data to draw a conclusion. Basically, I hate it when people say hateful things. So my ire gets triggered and I say something. We would probably be better off if there were no social media opportunities. People would only be able to say stupid things in front of their friends and neighbors, and the rest of us would not have an opportunity to get offended by them.

yes. Face to face interactions change the whole equation

2

I have observed that the more offended people tend to be narcissistic. They make everything about them personally. From social media to politics, our society is pushing us to become narcissists i.e. everybody thinks they have an equal voice now, that their opinion matter and they can say anything they want to say without consequences.

Lukian Level 8 June 18, 2018
2

Sometimes it is just fun to fuck with people! ☺

it is not fun to be fucked with though so somethings out of kilter

@jacpod Not sure what you mean. ☺

@Sticks48 Linguisticly?Out of kilter means not quite right

@jacpod l get that.The sentence still doesn't make sense. ☺

@Sticks48 I read @ jacpod's comment as "If you are someone who likes messing with people's minds, there is something wrong with you." But my interpretation may be unnecessarily blunt.

@citronella There probably is a lot wrong with me. There is a lot wrong with everyone. That is why this planet is such a mess. ?

@Sticks48 Also, her intention probably wasn't as directly personal as I made it out to be. Sorry.

@citronella No need. It was just a little sarcasm, which isn't always picked up by everyone when in print. ?

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:109950
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.