Are you easily offended?

66Mustang

Here is another topic I have decided to submit which is along similar lines to a few other recent threads - particularly the political correctness thread and the Witches thread. Hopefully it will provoke some interesting discussion.

Are you easily offended? Or do you think you have thick skin?

What does offend you?

Is there anything unusual, or even relatively innocent, that offends you?

I like to think that I am not easily offended. I watch “black” comedy where any and every subject is fair game and I laugh even when the jokes are aimed at me or a group that I am a part of. I don’t take life too seriously myself and am guilty of being a bit crass sometimes so apologies if that has rubbed off on my forum posts in the past.

However, I am offended by a couple of things. What does offend me is somebody having a desire to offend me. It doesn’t matter what they actually say, they could call me something really mild, but with the intention that I’ll be offended, like a “plonker”, and they would succeed; not particularly because their words are offensive, but because I don’t like that someone wants to offend me. On the other hand someone could call me the most hideous and untactful thing by complete accident and it would not bother me.

Bad manners also offend me. If I hold a door open for somebody or move out of the way for somebody and they don’t acknowledge this it bothers me for longer than just the moment.

In conclusion I like to think I am relatively thick skinned but writing this I have realised some things do offend me.

What about you?

I look forward to reading your replies.

Cress

Good topic @66Mustang ..
I would never describe myself as thick skinned as such...but I dont get offended easily...if at all!
Kind of opposite to you, I cant take offence at something deliberately said to hurt me...it kind of loses any power for me, if that is the intention.
Kind of doesn't count or mean anything to me.
I too have a very black sense of humour, I think that's quite common in people who are or have been troubled.
If I find something funny, I'll laugh..I dont think beforehand about weather I should or not, it's a reaction.
I hate that some people think they have a right not to be offended...or just because they are offended, doesnt make them right.
I hate people who sometimes seem like they are just waiting to be offended, or offended on behalf of someone else.
To make themselves seem morally superior....ain't nobody that perfect imo lol

leeCal

@cress said
I hate people who sometimes seem like they are just waiting to be offended, or offended on behalf of someone else.

Often it’s an excuse for a little angry posturing, ie they’re already angry generally and it’s just an excuse, also to seem morally superior sometimes imo.

i used to be more easily offended than I am these days. Once you get older you really do understand that we’re only here for a short while so why waste time and effort being angry or offended. It’s easily within your power to alter what and how you think, remembering that words are just words and it’s you which empowers them within your own mind. Your choice.

66Mustang

I agree a lot of people seem to get offended in behalf of others when often the person who the comment is made against doesn’t care!

I remember a few years ago Stephen Hawking was unwell and a comedian made a joke “has anyone tried turning him off and then back on again?” and hundreds of members of the public were outraged until Stephen Hawking himself came out and said that it really made him laugh.

Cress

Years ago my eldest son who has learning difficulties amongst other things was playing up while we were out shopping when we were accosted by a lady who said she was collecting for Mencap...I said here, please, take him!
She looked like she wanted to lamp me one!
I thought it was funny....

Cress

66Mustang said:

I agree a lot of people seem to get offended in behalf of others when often the person who the comment is made against doesn’t care!

I remember a few years ago Stephen Hawking was unwell and a comedian made a joke “has anyone tried turning him off and then back on again?” and hundreds of members of the public were outraged until Stephen Hawking himself came out and said that it really made him laugh.

Was it Seth MacFarlane?
I think I saw him being interviewed and he came out with a Stephen Hawking comment....the dead silence from the audience spoke volumes as it were!
Again....I just thought it was funny
As did he.....

66Mustang

Cress said:

66Mustang said:

I agree a lot of people seem to get offended in behalf of others when often the person who the comment is made against doesn’t care!

I remember a few years ago Stephen Hawking was unwell and a comedian made a joke “has anyone tried turning him off and then back on again?” and hundreds of members of the public were outraged until Stephen Hawking himself came out and said that it really made him laugh.

Was it Seth MacFarlane?
I think I saw him being interviewed and he came out with a Stephen Hawking comment....the dead silence from the audience spoke volumes as it were!
Again....I just thought it was funny
As did he.....

I don’t remember actually. I want to say it was Frankie Boyle but not 100% sure.

I’ve never actually watched Seth MacFarlane so I am going to have a look for some videos of him now.

Ami2301

It completely depends what mood I'm in, when my mood is low I take everything really personally. But when I'm feeling OK, I do laugh at anything and everything. I try and see the funny side to things, but sometimes there is a line that shouldn't be crossed.

66Mustang

@Ami2301 that is a good point about what mood you are in. When I am already down things can get to me that ordinarily wouldn’t bother me. It is almost like we have a physical defence and when it is weakened things get through more easily. That is also a fair point about there being a line not to cross. I believe even Bernard Manning once said he had a line he would not cross.

@woodbine I can understand that as it shows a disregard for the value of your time. I have a similar pet peeve which is people saying “2 minutes” or “5 minutes” when they will be longer. If you are going to be 15 minutes just say so, then I can plan around you!

[Deleted User]

Depends on my mood.

Also, for most of the last 20 odd years since I first went online, I have been criticised, well basically slagged off, for being unemployed and on benefits by lame brained Daily Fail readers who think all disabled people are workshy slaves to the benefit system, to a point where I'm banned for life from most UK and International forums for responding to arguments because in most cases the Mods side with the trolls due to their high (possibly hacked) post counts.

To say that winds me up immensely would be a BIG understatement.

I do however think the PC Guardian reading lefties need to shut up, the recent furore over the Fawlty Towers episode about Germans, which even John Cleese himself said was PC gone mad, is a classic example IMO.

I've seen a LOT worse on the recent new series of Spitting Image on Britbox and nobody's batted an eyelid.

WestHam06

Hi @66Mustang, 
                           How are you? Interesting thread, I would say I'm relatively thick skinned and I am not offended easily. I enjoy a laugh but I do agree that if it is someone's intention is to cause harm then that really is not right. I must say I find bad manners completely frustrating, I don't understand why 'thank you', 'please' or acknowledging when someone has actively done something to help you for example holding the door open for you, is so difficult for some people but I guess we are all different. I also accept that some people are easily offended, which is completely fair enough, so I feel it's about reading the situation. Thank you.