Current Events > Why do people say 'that's offensive' instead of 'I'm offended'?

(+) Yeah! (+)

When you say "That's offensive", you're basically trying to make an objective statement. But being offended is subjective and varies from person to person. And I never ever see anyone ever admit that they're offended.

So we have tons of people saying "that's offensive" but rarely anyone saying "I'm offended", which means most people are just out there saying suggesting that other people are going to be offended or could be offended, when in reality they have no idea.

Interest stuff, huh?

Sounds like that offends you.
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I like this. Will use and claim as my own thoughts
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Because they don't really care, aren't offended and just enjoy arguing.

HenryAllbright posted...

When you say "That's offensive", you're basically trying to make an objective statement. But being offended is subjective and varies from person to person. And I never ever see anyone ever admit that they're offended.

So we have tons of people saying "that's offensive" but rarely anyone saying "I'm offended", which means most people are just out there saying suggesting that other people are going to be offended or could be offended, when in reality they have no idea.

Interest stuff, huh?

Yep, little nuances matter
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Most people who would scream about being offended don't understand subjectivity.

SaithSayer posted...

Because they don't really care, aren't offended and just enjoy arguing.

Bingo
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Lost_All_Senses posted...

I like this. Will use and claim as my own thoughts

that's offensive.
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KILBOTz posted...

Lost_All_Senses posted...

I like this. Will use and claim as my own thoughts

that's offensive.

I feel defensive about your offensiveness
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I think that when somebody marks a post as "offensive", they should be required to digitally sign a sworn statement that says "I was personally offended by this post. It hurt my feelings really bad."

Instead, it seems like people are just marking posts as offensive, but are really only suggesting that "hey, other people might be offended by this. Maybe." and then the mods have to go "uhh...yeah I guess. Sure, I guess it's a possibility." And then they have to moderate it even though they have 0 testimony that anyone was *actually* offended.

Why do people say 'that's stupid' instead of 'you're stupid'?
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Lost_All_Senses posted...

KILBOTz posted...

Lost_All_Senses posted...

I like this. Will use and claim as my own thoughts

that's offensive.

I feel defensive about your offensiveness

My feelings of offense are not offensive but your defensive suggestion is an offensive act. Apologize.
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P4wn4g3 posted...

Why do people say 'that's stupid' instead of 'you're stupid'?

Because people can say stupid things without being judged wholly as "stupid". Whereas if you call a comment offensive, there should be somebody who was actually offended attached to that statement.

KILBOTz posted...

Lost_All_Senses posted...

KILBOTz posted...

Lost_All_Senses posted...

I like this. Will use and claim as my own thoughts

that's offensive.

I feel defensive about your offensiveness

My feelings of offense are not offensive but your defensive suggestion is an offensive act. Apologize.

Feels like a lot of work to follow this up. Imma give you this one
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Manipulating grammar to enhance your point is a staple of debate and even news reporting and is frankly fascinating.

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-interactive-guide-to-ambiguous-grammar

specialkid8 posted...

Most people who would scream about being offended don't understand subjectivity.

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Why do people say 'that's amazing' instead of 'I think that's amazing'?
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You dont have to be personally offended to know when something might be seen as offenseive.
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P4wn4g3 posted...

Why do people say 'that's amazing' instead of 'I think that's amazing'?

I actually do stuff like this. I talk as clear as possible and try to shut any misunderstanding or dumb arguments that might spawn from me not stating something us just my personal opinions.
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Isn't that why they started calling stuff "problematic"?
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P4wn4g3 posted...

Why do people say 'that's amazing' instead of 'I think that's amazing'?

Do you really think people who are saying "That's offensive" are actually offended? I'm willing to bet that if you really probed people to be honest, most would admit "Well, I actually am not personally offended, but other people could easily be offended by that comment."

Whereas if you were to probe most people who say "that's amazing", I'm willing to bet that most people would admit that they were personally amazed.

And honestly, I think 99% of the time in both situations, people are being hyperbolic if they admit to actually be amazed or offended.

Conflict posted...

I'm not offended by people calling me gay slurs. Clearly that means it's not offensive

Therefore it's subjective and depends on how much of a baby someone is.

Smashingpmkns posted...

You dont have to be personally offended to know when something might be seen as offenseive.

True, but it's not proper etiquette to go around and speak on behalf of others, especially when it comes to victimizing them.

HenryAllbright posted...

So we have tons of people saying "that's offensive" but rarely anyone saying "I'm offended", which means most people are just out there saying suggesting that other people are going to be offended or could be offended, when in reality they have no idea

Yep. Usually when people act appalled by something, they themselves are not actually offended. They just want to act righteous.
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Why do people say 'that's gay' instead of-
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this is an interesting point i never thought about. some stuff is objectively offensive but sometimes when people say that they really just mean they are offended
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What stuff are you even talking about in your op? I see people rattle on about the things that offend them all the time. We just recently had a little national spat over blackface, where some people were insisting that it wasn't offensive anymore, another group of people were disagreeing because they actually did find it offensive still, and then another group that was in agreement with the 2nd group.

You sure you're not just ignoring or dismissing the people that are speaking up about what they find offensive?
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Why do people say 'that's hot' instead of 'I have a boner'?
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P4wn4g3 posted...

Why do people say 'that's hot' instead of 'I have a boner'?

i lol'ed
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Because I'm offended makes someone sound like they are a SJW meme.

They likely know that said offensive thing is subjective, they just don't frame it like that.
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HenryAllbright posted...

Smashingpmkns posted...

You dont have to be personally offended to know when something might be seen as offenseive.

True, but it's not proper etiquette to go around and speak on behalf of others, especially when it comes to victimizing them.

No but it's pretty fair for me to say "hey I'm not Jewish but I would see why those poorly thought up holocaust jokes can be seen as offensive" by just saying "that's offensive."
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andel posted...

this is an interesting point i never thought about. some stuff is objectively offensive but sometimes when people say that they really just mean they are offended

Give an example of something that's objectively offensive.
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Dyinglegacy posted...

andel posted...

this is an interesting point i never thought about. some stuff is objectively offensive but sometimes when people say that they really just mean they are offended

Give an example of something that's objectively offensive.

goatse
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SaithSayer posted...

Conflict posted...

I'm not offended by people calling me gay slurs. Clearly that means it's not offensive

Therefore it's subjective and depends on how much of a baby someone is.

Is calling a Jew a "K***" subjective?
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kuck?
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Another thing to consider....I remember some of my college professors telling us why it's actually "good" to be offended.

How bad is it to actually be offended for you guys? I'm not saying I never get offended, but when I do, it's a very very minor inconvenience for me at most. The most offensive thing somebody ever said to me was this teacher who took cheap shots at my family. And while I didn't like hearing it, for comparison I'd say that having a mild case of the hiccups is about 20-30x worse experience than having been offended by that comment.

P4wn4g3 posted...

kuck?

No it's a word that's actually banned off the boards completely lol, rhymes with "like".

Regardless of origins, that word is legitimately nothing but a slur used towards Jewish people. There's nothing "subjective" about it.
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Why do people say 'that's racist' instead of 'I'm thinking racist thoughts'?
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P4wn4g3 posted...

Why do people say 'that's racist' instead of 'I'm thinking racist thoughts'?

We know you're thinking racist thoughts, that's why those people are calling you racist.
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They like to speak for other people.
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A_Good_Boy posted...

P4wn4g3 posted...

Why do people say 'that's racist' instead of 'I'm thinking racist thoughts'?

We know you're thinking racist thoughts, that's why those people are calling you racist.

No he's following TC's attempted argument to another conclusion.

Basically, "I'm not racist, you're racist for thinking what I said is racist because you took it as racist".
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The sun is hot: Subjective

The sun has a core temperature that fluctuates around 27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit: Objective
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Why do people say 'that's terrible' instead of 'thoughts and prayers'?
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A_Good_Boy posted...

Dyinglegacy posted...

andel posted...

this is an interesting point i never thought about. some stuff is objectively offensive but sometimes when people say that they really just mean they are offended

Give an example of something that's objectively offensive.

goatse

Some people are into that. Not me nope. -_-
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Conflict posted...

Dyinglegacy posted...

andel posted...

this is an interesting point i never thought about. some stuff is objectively offensive but sometimes when people say that they really just mean they are offended

Give an example of something that's objectively offensive.

All racial slurs?

Are y'all serious rn

Only offensive if the receiver is offended by them. Subjective.
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Bio1590 posted...

P4wn4g3 posted...

kuck?

Regardless of origins, that word is legitimately nothing but a slur used towards Jewish people. There's nothing "subjective" about it.

FYI I'm pretty sure you can get modded for giving hints about what the word is
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