Is Everything Offensive Nowadays?

[Xanderectomy]

I feel like these days the worst thing someone could do is have an opinion as no matter what ur opinion is ur bound to offend someone and offending someone in todays society is the ultimate crime.
It doesn't matter who u support or which side ur on ur going to offend someone
for example -
if u say something negative about a woman then you're a woman hating misogynist.
if u say something negative about a man then you're a man hating misandrist
if u say something negative about someone from a different race then you're automatically a racist
if u say something negative about someone from an oppressed group then you're a privileged asshole

it seems like these days no matter what u do ur bound to offend someone.
Thoughts?

 

[Guy]

As long as I can insult Angel freely, I'm happy.😀

But seriously: People always had social norms, and people who strayed from social norms were always "punished" in some way by society. The only difference is that today the social norms become less centered around white male heterosexuals - and that's a good thing.
Also, today we have the internet, which brings different groups into contact much more frequently, so the issue may feel more relevant because of that.

Also, personally, I almost never get attacked by people for any of these things. I only get attacked for political statements, which is natural (or for statements about a movie's quality, for some reason...WTF, internet?).

 

[Blaze]

The only difference is that today the social norms become less centered around white male heterosexuals - and that's a good thing.

That's how I feel too.

To me the argument of "things are too politically correct nowadays" just comes off as "I want to be able to be a racist or a sexist or a homophobe like I used too".

I have friends of all colour, gender and sexual orientation, and as long as what you say is not directly offensive, than from my experience people don't get offended.

I think the problem stems from when you make a comment about a woman/race/orientation, but you either generalize to all people of that group, or when you say something that implies the insult is because of the person being from that group. Comment like:

"Wow, Gisele is so moody, she must be on her period"

or "Wow, Ahmed only has a 50% in school, but I guess that's pretty good considering" (I actually hear that one a lot at school, and it always implies it's because the student is Arab, how can that not be considered racist?)

If someone just said "Gisele is moody today" or "Ahmed should apply himself more in school if he wants better grades", then I don't think anyone would be getting offended.

 

[vellavu]

I feel like these days the worst thing someone could do is have an opinion as no matter what ur opinion is ur bound to offend someone and offending someone in todays society is the ultimate crime.
It doesn't matter who u support or which side ur on ur going to offend someone
for example -
if u say something negative about a woman then you're a woman hating misogynist.
if u say something negative about a man then you're a man hating misandrist
if u say something negative about someone from a different race then you're automatically a racist
if u say something negative about someone from an oppressed group then you're a privileged asshole

it seems like these days no matter what u do ur bound to offend someone.
Thoughts?

It's a good thing that we get to insult each other. 500 years ago it's more like slaying each other. Even in 2017, people in less rich countries still slay each other.

Insulting without violence is a privilege. We should be thankful to that.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

If find it offensive when people use TXT talk and say ur as opposed to you're/your, etc (and actually I thought the board had a rule against it, I might be mistaken though)... so yes, you're probably right, everything is offensive nowadays. It does literally cause me pain when I read people spelling words like that though.

 

[brinkster130]

If it's hate speech or sexist I think it's reasonable for those offended to express their feelings.

But if it's an insult (or something) that you just don't like, I don't know that your personal offense to it matters all that much. At the end of the day even assholes have the right to share their crappy opinions.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

At the end of the day even assholes have the right to share their crappy opinions.

Actually assholes share them better... or at least at a more prolific rate.

 

[The Bronze]

I think there's just a lot more visible debate now. Everyone can share their thoughts with a wide audience. So if some offence is caused then we're going to hear about.

It creates quite a difficult balancing act between the right to speak your mind and when that crosses into hate speech. I tend to favour saying what you like and accepting that others may call you out for being offensive.

 

[white avenger]

if u say something negative about a woman then you're a woman hating misogynist.
if u say something negative about a man then you're a man hating misandrist
if u say something negative about someone from a different race then you're automatically a racist
if u say something negative about someone from an oppressed group then you're a privileged asshole

it seems like these days no matter what u do ur bound to offend someone

Here's another one for you:

If you have a user name that might be seen as racist (like White Avenger) you must be a white supremacist.

(Actually, someone once told me that there actually was a White Avenger comic book character in an English publication who Was a racist, but I predate him by a couple of decades, I'm sure, since mine was a D&D character from my college days)

 

[ILLYRIAN]

hmm white avenger, naughty you.
You should have had the foresight to know you were going to be seen as a racist.
Yes, as I stated, naughty you. You are old enough to have known better!

 

[HowiMetdaSlayer]

Reminds me of this recent new rule.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

This PC crap is out of control. It has become MUCH worse during the last few years. So many people have turned into whining, mewling little shits and it's just...insane. Like they're just LOOKING for a reason to be offended, or to correct someone.
This particular topic is one of the things that makes me psychotic. God help anyone who approaches me in public to "school" me about what's correct!

 

[Xanderectomy]

To me the argument of "things are too politically correct nowadays" just comes off as "I want to be able to be a racist or a sexist or a homophobe like I used too".

There are obviously people who are genuinely racist or a sexist or a homophobic
but these days a person can't even express a genuine opinion without being labeled a racist or sexist or homophobic
these words are thrown around like nothing even though they could potentially ruin lives.
like for an example - I once foolishly as a joke said Hitler did nothing wrong (i know it was a very stupid thing to say and i regret saying it)
and even though i said it in a very sarcastic tone within minutes people started calling me a white supremacist and im not even white.

It creates quite a difficult balancing act between the right to speak your mind and when that crosses into hate speech. I tend to favour saying what you like and accepting that others may call you out for being offensive.

But there should be a certain line over whats offensive and whats not
i mean anything you say or do can be considered offensive even if it isn't hate speech.

This PC crap is out of control. It has become MUCH worse during the last few years. So many people have turned into whining, mewling little shits and it's just...insane. Like they're just LOOKING for a reason to be offended, or to correct someone.
This particular topic is one of the things that makes me psychotic. God help anyone who approaches me in public to "school" me about what's correct!

wow you have strong opinions on this topic.

 

[thetopher]

Like with most things change comes with accepted rules swinging too far the other way in the 'other direction'. And while there's no denying that things are much better than they used to be for everyone, there's also the sense that certain people are using the feeling 'being offended' to control conversations and silence descending opinions that they don't agree with/like.
You have voices on both the left and right of social issues who don't know the meaning of the word tolerance when it comes to respecting other people's views so will find any reason to shut them up.
Like all things it will even itself out eventually as long as the vast majority respect each other and give others the benefit of the doubt on.

But I am really worried about some of the coming generation though; all these safe spaces on university campus' doesn't create harmony, it just fosters intolerance for other opinions. People need to toughen up as they get older and realize that other people have a different world view. If you're not exposed to that world view then how on earth can you find any common ground?

 

[The Bronze]

This is a pretty decent read about the shifting nature of free speech and where the line might be drawn.

There must be free speech, even for Milo Yiannopoulos | Matthew d’Ancona

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

wow you have strong opinions on this topic.

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across in such a hostile way. I've just had sooo many experiences with people here in LA who've tried to control how I express myself. Tbe latest incidents occurred in Costco and Ross. I won't go into details right now (because I'm going to bed), but trust me when I say that this city is full of PC police.
Malcolm Tucker is my spirit animal. 😀

 

[Mr Trick]

That's how I feel too.

To me the argument of "things are too politically correct nowadays" just comes off as "I want to be able to be a racist or a sexist or a homophobe like I used too".

I have friends of all colour, gender and sexual orientation, and as long as what you say is not directly offensive, than from my experience people don't get offended.

I think the problem stems from when you make a comment about a woman/race/orientation, but you either generalize to all people of that group, or when you say something that implies the insult is because of the person being from that group. Comment like:

"Wow, Gisele is so moody, she must be on her period"

or "Wow, Ahmed only has a 50% in school, but I guess that's pretty good considering" (I actually hear that one a lot at school, and it always implies it's because the student is Arab, how can that not be considered racist?)

If someone just said "Gisele is moody today" or "Ahmed should apply himself more in school if he wants better grades", then I don't think anyone would be getting offended.

This does remind me of a debate I had with a friend awhile back, in fact two different discussions, one about aggressive words towards women and one about it towards people of colour. Now, I should point out that I know that my friend is not a racist (just young and a bit naive IMO). But his argument in the case of the race discussion was that if PC hadn't have made terms such as the n word off bounds then there would be nothing to get offended about. Food for thought maybe, but of course its easy to say such things when you are not part of the group being attacked.

I think in some cases PC has been taken to the extreme yes. Think there is a place for it, but it has gotten out of hand. To me PC just cover basic good manors and respect for your fellow human being.

 

[Blair]

I think that it's gotten out of hand- to the point where white people have to apologize for being white? Like, seriously, you can't help what race you're born. As long as you're not an asshole to someone because they're a particular colour, it's fine.

I find that the LGBT community gets butthurt over the smallest of things. Some people still use the word 'gay' to mean something is uncool. Personally I'm not one of those people but I seriously don't care if anyone else does. A friend of mine will call me up and greet me with "Hey homo". I'll call her that right back, but it's just banter.
Usually I mess with my straight friends and if they say something is 'so gay', I'll be that idiot who will reply 'Yeah, that's pretty straight'.

I went to a LGBT support group a couple of years back and I found their rules overwhelming- you couldn't greet anyone with a hug because it might make someone else feel uncomfortable because they aren't getting the hug (before this was a rule I would hug everyone) Fist bumps were acceptable after though
You had to refer to everyone as 'them/they' until they would tell you their pronouns.
You couldn't call anyone 'man', 'dude' or 'bro'. Which I found hard- I call people that all the time.

Third wave feminism is concerning.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

I'm not a racist, I think but there are masses of white folk who say there are more of them when they are if fact a minority.
Take the cowboy films, of all the cowboys most of the were coloured, gay, hardly any women and really bad shots.
Then comes religion with Jesus being a coloured guy, all them offensive white supremacy groups, look at the red cross on
a KKK outfit, it almost looks upside down. And then there Trump doing the Devil's work keeping coloured ( Muslim's ) out of
America.
Let's hope the lack of climate control belief ends the world before God destroy America.
Care to ask again if everything is offensive?

 

[thrasherpix]

As a rule of thumb, saying something negative about a person isn't considered offensive by most. Saying something about a person's demographic is. For example. "He (black guy) is a lying thief." If he is, many will agree. Saying, "Blacks are lying thieves" is something completely different, it's about a group rather than an individual. Granted, some people are hypersensitive and I sometimes think they TRY to find something to get on their soapbox to wag their finger at others (because some just feel better about themselves doing it, whether they do it in the name of Jesus or feminism or what have you).

My experience with third wave feminism has not been that good (some of it even seems the very opposite of feminism to me in portraying women as children in need of coddling, which even strikes me as downright Victorian in sensibilities), but the theory of being inclusive is good. I'm betting that there's a lot more good about it than I realize, however. Second wave feminism also had its toxic side, and of course people who wanted to discredit the entire movement focused on the toxics and tried to portray that as normal, even though it was a minority or even very rare (even when other feminists are putting it down), which is as ridiculous as people who try to portray Westboro Baptists as your typical Christians (that happens, too). The media knows they can get more views that way and also focus on the bad side (much like how you'll hear of the worst incidents and people anywhere else on the media, because if it bleeds then it leads, and if it offends then more will talk about it meaning more tune in and they can sell their ad space for more money).

I bet the same happening with third wave feminism, and thing is, the knee jerk reactionary people (many of whom are idiots and/or have easily incited issues) are now more visible than ever thanks to the internet where they can post without thinking (or thinking in that warped way of theirs). 'Course so are their "opposites" for want of a better word...I know I've gotten frustrated and even angered with some feminists for being so ridiculous on the internet but many replies against them then that are just as stupid and kneejerk, even wishes of their getting killed or raped, which make me switch my ire to the "opposites" pretty fast (even though I'm annoyed with the said person myself), and of course the toxics on both side just convince each other that they're right while the rest of us wish they'd both get a clue, or at least not broadcast their hate-filled ignorance at each other so loudly and often.