But of course it was always possible for people to take offense through innocent misunderstanding and probably always will be. Where there is an addressable problem, it will be where people have been programmed by a sub-culture to see offense to an excess degree, and that is caused ultimately by wider social breakdown.

The speaker, any speaker, cannot have any idea what triggers the spoken-to person may have, that is LUDicrous IMO.....until we have telepathy, have good intentions when you speak and if someone reacts negatively, avoid them in futeure. Period.

In my experience, people misinterpret silence as well, so you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

There’s a distinction made between intent and impact. Unintended insult is a possibility. Faux pas happens. Problems with the concept of microaggressions are that it violates the principle of charity where the other person should try to interpret behaviors in the best possible light and that it makes people too self-conscious. Also microaggression as a concept could be a form of ableism. Some people are socially awkward by no fault of their own due to poor socialization, previous trauma, or being on the autism spectrum. And people may act out of ignorance of other cultural norms.

Microaggressions could still be a valuable concept but has become weaponized. I haven’t heard it discussed much in the past couple years.

Hmm... I committed a "microagression" yesterday, I think. I made a comment meant to be helpful, but it was taken as an insult and I made it even worse by talking more, when I should have either changed the subject, or just kept quiet. It was a social faux pas - not hate speech of any kind.

I should have started the conversation with my "go to" question which is to ask where the visitors are from. Normal question here, as most of the travelers are visiting from somewhere and it breaks the ice. I even ask where folks are from if they are speaking with an accent or in a foreign language.

I'm caucasian in a very ethnically diverse place, and so far people are proud to tell me where they are from and interesting things to do in their home town. They are usually asking me questions about my home, the place they are visiting.

But I get what you are saying -- seeing what is happening in other places.

Somewhere along the line confrontation became offensive. People don't get confronted anymore, only offended.