Why Are People So Sensitive?

[Vampy6997]

In ways of all opinion related stuff, yes: abortion kills, yes: it prevents potential lil einsteins from walking the planet...but you know what? It's population control. Even firemen get together and do control burns so that there's less Massive wild fires that kill off more wildlife, and cover more acreage than the controlled burns ever would need to. Basically meaning: population control to whatever extent may help prevent bigger disease outbreaks. I'm not saying I LIKE abortion. I don't at all. However, I cannot inflict my views on other people. Some women will attempt everything under the sun if abortion is illegal, putting themselves in more of harms way than if they'd just been able to go to an abortion clinic. I still think those places are evil, but regardless, it keeps the pro-choicer healthier than if she had tried to perform it herself possibly with the help of friends.

Ok...then you get into the rights of certain people...(also including the abortion stuff, and other "rights" advocates)

Honestly...I think everyone should be entitled to their own opinion, and when it doesn't inflict pain on anyone but themselves, they should be allowed to practice and believe and do it. Getting into sexuality here, as well as abortion, and other things along those lines (idk...religion?).

If we were all the same cardboard cookie cutter people, the world would be infinitely more boring than it is right now.

I'm glad that there's freedom to each individual. Even in countries that aren't "free" each person has the ability to choose their likes, dislikes, beliefs, etc. I know a lot of practicing Christians (specifically Catholics) who make themselves appear to believe one thing, but in fact are the biggest "sinners" in the eye of their "God."...my point is, just because a person truly believes something at heart, doesn't mean a regime (friends, family, etc) would [have to/be likely to] find out. Even these small things, even when masked, it's still great that we all have the decision to choose what to believe in, and what to do (overthrown regimes, people expanding The Church into various Christian religions).

I'm glad to be able to have opinions. This world would get boring real quick if everyone thought just like me.

[momatik]

Certain topics are simply going to be offensive to a certain group of people. That's just how it's always going to be.

To ask them not to be offended doesn't make any sense. It's an emotional response. It's comparable to showing someone a bunch of depressing pictures and asking them to cheer up.

What you are really asking is for those select people to just be passive about that topic. To just get over it.

This sort of thing always reminds me of that one office episode where Oscar comes out of the closet. Michael and Dwight are looking out at the office.

Michael: There could be others. I need to know [who else is gay], I don't want to offend anybody else..
Dwight: You could just assume everyone is, and not say anything offensive.
Michael: Yeahh I'm sure everyone would appreciate me treating them like they were gay.

Something to think about.

[newjacksm]

when I offended people I mean it and then piss on there hopes and dreams

Jokin.

[Zyram]

Well, in many cases, especially on a forum, I think the post should be left there, because you don't have anyone forcing you to read every thread, if you are reading a thread and find you do not agree or are offended by it, simply click the back arrow on your browser. I know I don't agree with some things folks say here, but I would never try to limit their right to say it even if it offended me. I agree fully with what Eric said above about free speech, if it is limited in some way for some things, it will become limited in many ways for many things.
I see things like this from a freedom perspective, and from free market perspective which would be this: If no one finds the jokes funny they will automatically limit themselves because the person telling the joke would realize the joke was offending those he was trying to entertain, his entertainment will no longer be asked for by others unless he changes his jokes. I know that he isn't getting paid or anything for his jokes, but, like a post I made a while back about a musician I had heard, people read it and went on, I don't think I got one reply. I'm not offended by this, apparently people just did not agree with me about the quality of the music. Next time I post a musician and hope for replies, I will have to not post the same one since this one was not liked. I hope I kind of made my point there, it made alot more sense in my head.

Anyways, we don't have to ban topics (well, aside from the NHT stuff) or remove posts because of people taking offense, no one is forcing you to read said topic and you have the option to click back on your browser and let it fall to the vast history of HF pages gone.

Rani, I agree, in a great world we'd all consider eachothers feelings before we made remarks, and I am like you, a person who does so out of politeness. I have learned though, sometimes you can't be polite even if something you say offends, you need to be honest. More to the point here though, is saying a topic I am interested in is off limits simply makes me want to find something you're interested in and make it off limits. That is one of the reasons politics is always so messed up when people start using the power of the state to coerce others into fitting into their mold of a better person. Sooner or later it swings back, and the other group will enact laws to squeeze you into their mold of a better person, and all the while, those of us who'd rather just be left alone to do our own thing are caught in the press as well and have to change in ways we really don't care too.

-Z

[Dranas]

I dont know, i work around alot of people...alot being over 1200 people with various backgrounds, beliefs etc.. Not taking things seriously or out of context is a learned skill. If people only cared if they were going to offend someone they would spend all day mulling over what they want to say as to not offend anyone in any way shape or form they would eventually forget what they wanted to say then have to restart said mulling. If someone doesn't like something and is offended, no one is forcing that person to read, watch, or listen. Suck it up and get on with your life, people are offensive, deal with it and learn to lol

[Vampy6997]

It is possible that due to opinion and a highly indulgent and deluded sense of self (present company included) one can say things based on opinions and pop culture and "bash" a community without actually really referring to said community. Hopefully you guys know what I'm referring to.

Regardless to that, things like there...where it's use of a word...albeit "dumb" "lame" "retarded" all said words that went to have multiple definitions had once been in the spotlight of the "offensive"...

To anyone referring to things like that...I do have to say that now, any time I say "lame" people don't say I'm trying to pick of all the mute people in the world. And when I say something is "retarded" people automatically aren't going to think of those who have handicaps affecting their speech, movement, etc. However, if I remember right...all the way up through High School it was frowned upon. I'm guessing this whole social more of not being able to change words into slang for specific "offensive" words will take its time with each offensive word as it comes up.

My work involves a lot of being offensive. Talking about all sorts of random nonsense and a lot of cussing and offensive words go along with it by request. As long as I choose not to let it get to me, it won't get to me. The second I let something get to me, then my day becomes worse than ever. I have spent the last couple weeks trying to improve on myself in this way where I choose not to be all that offended by stuff, even when called out. The point? Just because someone else is having a bad day, does not mean that I need to have a bad day too. Or just because someone is mean and I'm on the receiving end, does not mean that I have to take it all too personally. It's likely I'm not the only person in the world with whatever view(s) I have, and those people don't have to take it personally, because they didn't hear it/see it/read it...why should I take something personally just because my eyes reflected the images/sounds into my brain? Blah. It's honestly not my fault if someone has an opposing view to me. It's honestly not my fault if someone gets offended by something said millions/billions of times in the pop culture and/or new social circles...

I work very hard to choose not to get offended. Everyone has the right to *feel* offended, and to *take* offense, but seriously...all it means when someone is offended is they are saying in their own offended mind: "I hate you!" and bending over. I'm not trying to be mean with that comment, I'm just saying...if someone wants to have a bad day, and they let whoever is offending them cause the bad day, and decide to dwell on it, the person offending, even if walked away from, is the winner, and the offended (with the pointlessly soured mood), is the loser.

Eleanor Roosevelt had a great quote about this, and maybe I need to add it to my sig, cuz it's never there when I need it. LOL

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

And damn, now that I looked...almost all of her quotes are pretty awesome. But that one about summed up what I was saying. I could delete all the other text, but mneh. I'm just wordy