Why are people so easily offended?

Of all the things that are wrong with society in general, you have probably unearthed the fabled "root cause" of it all.

Once upon a time, I could tell an off color joke, make an observation, point out a fallacy, have a bumper sticker, wear a t-shirt, voice an opinion, hang a sign, drive an old car, punish a brat, stand my ground, hell, even eat a meal without worrying about what Joe Blow felt about the whole deal.

Now, I am supposed to "assess" every decision I make to assure the well being of the general populace.... Sorry, life is too damn short to worry about how my life will impact the exposed, tender posteriors of other people. What we need is a counter-offensive... literally.

For every pc indoctrinated hyper-sensitive organization, person, demographic, etc, there needs to exist a group solely created to offend them. It would be really fun, though it would be a huge waste of time. People need to feel offense. I've felt it on numerous occasions, but I didn't relish in it. I didn't weave it into a blanket and wrap myself in it hoping to garner the sympathy of an unsympathetic world. I felt it, shook it off, and went on about my life. No cause is worth fighting if your cause seeks to limit the expression or even existence of other people. The key word here is people....

I refuse to make concessions for anybody.. You don't like it? Well.... I fail to see how it is my problem.

This gives me an idea. Maybe ATS could create a "No Offense" forum where we could all go to voice our offensive views and ideologies. Kind of like a "free speech zone".... Laughable that such a thing exists, and is even utilized by the sheep.

I'll flip the sarcasm switch off now.

Good thread OP, it should be offensively screamed from the mountaintops!

I'm going outside now to erect signs about my property stating "This is a butt-hurt free zone".

I

a reply to: Dark Ghost
I don't think people are easily offended, I think people run their mouths saying things that they used to get a pass on , that actually a long time ago people were offended but they said nothing so it was taken as no offense by the person running their mouths, nowadays I think that people understand veiled humor, snide remarks and other inside jokes that others did not get in the past, that's what the real issue is, people are too smart for inside jokes or innuendo.

I think a lot of people quickly say others are easily offended but honestly for the offender what is it you are really trying to say ? or what was the real intent of your message ? just come out and say what's on your mind, take what's coming at you for saying it, and also give the other person a fair opportunity to let you know why they found out what you said was offensive, I see this kind of thing all the time and more than likely there is some underhanded humor only for the insiders to enjoy...you know sort of good ol boy humor or commentary that used to get a pass.....

I think that people that have to talk in code or veiled humor to say something that they already know is offensive then turn around and say someone is easily offended at what they said is in essence trying to get under someone's skin and really is a pointless practice, in other words if you don't really have anything of use to say just don't say it!

That's just my observations when I have heard people say to someone else or even me i am easily offended, it's really insulting to one's intelligence to read through someone who does this sort of thing to get your goat or a response on purpose.

The number one way to see through someone being dead serious is if they make a joke and then quickly follow it up with, I was just kidding, can't you take a joke ? they really wanted to say something but turned it into humor so they themselves could get a laugh and avoid the shock value feedback they might get, this is a rather juvenile technique at getting a point across to someone, or a rather evasive way to avoid what's really on your mind.

I would dare state that being offended this day and time is due to the implementation of the "High Performance Team Concept" in most workplaces and schools. Conflict resolution was heavily trained and implemented in conjunction with the team building. Needless to say, when in a team of two or two hundred, there will be conflict. We were trained to identify it and resolve conflict quickly. Can't have anyone using common sense in a team environment.

That stated, the people being offended have had the team bonding training but not the conflict res training. Thus they are bewildered when their beliefs, views and comfortability within (or without of) the team is challenged. They then become frustrated and then angry, lashing out at the purveyor of the uncomfortable verbiage directed (whether or not) at them. Remember they feel and have been trained that perception is reality. Being that as it may, upsetting their paradigm is disorienting and creates a push back of animosity towards the initiator of the offense.

In other words, "people are only emotionally hardened as their intelligence".

This may be why most of our jobs were sent over seas. Teams were formed to brainstorm and decrease costs and increase efficiency in our workplace. It was determined (IMHO) that most people do not have the education and inventiveness to effect the change that was wanted (and needed) in our modern workplaces. It failed and now we have easily offended workers trying to find new jobs.

The future isn't too bright for those that fell into the trap of workplace teams. but what do I know?

I am guilty of not reading more than about 4-6 of the first responses to this thread. With all do respect, I truly hope I am not riding on anyone's coat tails here...

Why are we so easily offended?


Because our society, human wide regardless of society by and large (with the exception of those cultures separated by geographic exile or intentional cultural divides), has become a victim culture.

I am denied a job. I am [insert race/creed/color/choice in underwear here] a victim.

We should all pity the victim. It's a horrible thing. Poor victim.

Being a victim today, is almost a title that is lauded not unlike that of Emperor. Feel alone? Take up the mantle of a victimized group. Announce it publicly. File a class action lawsuit.

We live in a society where we are now walking amongst a herd of sacred cows. Of all different sizes, shapes, and colors. All unique. Don't dare breath, or you may commit sacrilege and touch one of them, offend one of them. And then the herd will turn against you. They will then come after you. The victim will be vindicated, hence, the desire to be a victim.



I myself have been persistently taunted and made fun of my entire life. Too fat. Too intelligent. When those things didn't appear to have enough impact after using them against me, my tormentors would then go after what I couldn't defend. The people I loved.

The major aspect of what I personally have gone through is my weight. I am actually the smallest man in my family. 6'3, 320 lbs. I am now almost half the weight of what I once was.

The point I am looking to make with disclosing my issues with weight an teasing, is that I refuse to be a victim.

I will not write letters bemoaning how overweight people are routinely laughed at in a country where obesity is damned near a vertical vector. I will not arrange protests. I will not form an interest group.


I will not be a victim.


Oh, and also....stop being such #$%#$%^ing p$#sies....grow up, have a thicker skin, and deal with it. Stupidity is not only prevalent, it is the norm.


-NF


(sorry for the rambling nature, I hope my points come across)

"Why is it that people are so easily offended these days?"

I just had this conversation about a week ago with some friends. We came to the conclusion that people are no more easily offended today than they ever were, but, they feel the obligation to be offended by what society has deemed politically incorrect. They act offended and make a big deal out of it, all while checking the reactions they are getting out of the corner of their eye. When they feel they have sufficiently convinced any onlookers that they were dutifully offended they can go about their business in peace.

And so it continues...

Firstly, she did not say anything remotely offensive about feminism. She merely stated she does not identity as a feminist and has more traditional views when it comes to her marriage.

Best, and most important thread on ATS, imo.

My observation is that people have learned that being "offended" transfers power from those in authority to those who claim to be offended.

It's like they are claiming to be violated by another person, the moral equivalent of being emotionally raped because somebody else has a view that they don't like.

Great example is the college professor forced to apologize for saying "all lives matter" instead of "black lives matter." A lowly student can now force the head of a college the rewrite an email and apologize for saying all lives matter.

And it works because the person in authority can't DARE to be labeled as the one offending. They will lose their job.

It's like the fear of being accused of sexually molesting somebody. The fear of the accusation isn't worth the risk. The mdia will pile on, both traditional media and social media, and you will be ostracized.

I'm friends with some professors at Harvard. It's a joke. They're just like us in private. But publicly? They have to fall in line or else risk being reprimanded.

The core cause?

Thought control. It's 1984.

We now have thought police.

""The thought police would get him just the same. He had committed—would have committed, even if he had never set pen to paper—the essential crime that contained all others in itself. Thoughtcrime, they called it. Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you." -1984

Here's what happens to you if you don't comply with the thought police:

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I don't know OP I've leveled some pretty hard shots on people
around here and some weren't even intentional. But most
of them I have to say showed great character. And I've been
pummelled myself often. But absolutely do not care, when it
comes to the message I wish to convey. I think you need a thick
skin on the web or you'll just be whine'n all the time.

It's all about power.
We need to feel in control of our selves, our relationships and our environment.
The less power we have the more we resort to infantile behaviors.
The victim mentality has been promoted by MSM and gained popular acceptance.
Now people feel like the smallest slights give them a valid reason for their feelings or situation.
When you can't accept responsibility for your own life and feelings you seek to pin the blame elsewhere.
Again, the MSM tells us constantly the blame game is ok.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
It's all about power.
We need to feel in control of our selves, our relationships and our environment.
The less power we have the more we resort to infantile behaviors.
The victim mentality has been promoted by MSM and gained popular acceptance.
Now people feel like the smallest slights give them a valid reason for their feelings or situation.
When you can't accept responsibility for your own life and feelings you seek to pin the blame elsewhere.
Again, the MSM tells us constantly the blame game is ok.

Yeah, and the power comes not just from being offended. The power comes from using being offended to demand somebody else act in a way you want them to act.