The dangerous, divisive effect of being offended

[Nimbus]

I frequently describe myself as old fat and bald. I would be mildly annoyed if someone else described me as that with the intention of being rude.

The correct riposte is, of course “yes I’m fat, because every time I feck your wife/mum/sister, she gives me a biscuit”


yes, I know it’s old, but it never fails to amuse me...

 

[Nimbus]

But you know that in this country if you were to call a gay person queer it would be offensive. It doesn’t matter if I describe myself as old fat and bald it would be rude of you to do so.

Whilst I agree with the OP that too many people take offence when none was intended it’s also easy when you’re in the mainstream to dismiss the what may seem trivial to you but can be offensive and demoralising to others especially if it’s cumulative.

Indeed. A friend of mine (a former junior school headteacher) is a professional dog walker. Even though she is quite petite, handling 100+ feral brats doesn’t faze her so a max of 5 medium sized well trained dogs (which is what she does) is no bother at all. Frequently she’ll meet fair weather dog walkers (North face jacket, jeans, flowery wellies, badly behaved spaniel off lead), so she calls her pack in, clips them (they know there’s a treat coming, so they all have big doggy grins on) on and steps off the path... and starts counting down...3...2...1...”ooh you’ve got your hands full”, depending how many times she’s heard this that day, her reply varies from ‘No1 sweet smile’ to “Get your slobbering feckin’ spaniel off my dogs before I boot it in the balls”.
What really winds her up though, is if I’m out with her, same folks walk past without saying a word...

 

[Bravo_Bravo]

Indeed. A friend of mine (a former junior school headteacher) is a professional dog walker. Even though she is quite petite, handling 100+ feral brats doesn’t faze her so a max of 5 medium sized well trained dogs (which is what she does) is no bother at all. Frequently she’ll meet fair weather dog walkers (North face jacket, jeans, flowery wellies, badly behaved spaniel off lead), so she calls her pack in, clips them (they know there’s a treat coming, so they all have big doggy grins on) on and steps off the path... and starts counting down...3...2...1...”ooh you’ve got your hands full”, depending how many times she’s heard this that day, her reply varies from ‘No1 sweet smile’ to “Get your slobbering feckin’ spaniel off my dogs before I boot it in the balls”.
What really winds her up though, is if I’m out with her, same folks walk past without saying a word...

Would you like to borrow my Return key?

 

[Drlligaf]

As soon as "that's offensive" is uttered, its extremely difficult to challenge.

There are a number of possible replies, most of which really would cause offence eg "Really? Like I give a f**k, or "It was intended to be offensive".

 

[Nimbus]

Would you like to borrow my Return key?

The readability index for my Post is 10-11yrs old. If you’re struggling with this you should stick to the DM.

 

[SWJ99]

............ As soon as "that's offensive" is uttered, its extremely difficult to challenge.

I'd fcuking challenge it.

But did you die ?

 

[ThelmatheBelmer]

You`ve really fcuked up with this post , most Arrsers are going to agree with you , are you ill?

Nah. He just chucked that in to keep us on our toes.

Bit like me turning up for work on time.

 

[postman_twit]

And yet,amongst all the 'colourizing' groups, not one sees a problem with calling me...White !

Person not of colour?

 

[Zulu_w]

Person not of colour?

A ghost??

 

[Chef]

There are a number of possible replies, most of which really would cause offence eg "Really? Like I give a f**k, or "It was intended to be offensive".

It'd be a brave man who said that at work. Such is the modern 'sensitive' world.

 

[Bravo_Bravo]

The readability index for my Post is 10-11yrs old. If you’re struggling with this you should stick to the DM.

Great sense of humour there, Mr. Sulky.

A single block of text is not easy to read.

If you look at the (rather superb) opening post, you'll see that the poster had the manners and good sense to lay out the post in a manner that made it easy to read.

If he can do it, I'm sure someone as clever as you can.

 

[Nimbus]

Great sense of humour there, Mr. Sulky.

A single block of text is not easy to read.

If you look at the (rather superb) opening post, you'll see that the poster had the manners and good sense to lay out the post in a manner that made it easy to read.

If he can do it, I'm sure someone as clever as you can.

*note to self*
Double spacing paragraphs makes you look cleverer.
*note to OP*
Your post is:

 

[Bravo_Bravo]

*note to self*
Double spacing paragraphs makes you look cleverer.
*note to OP*
Your post is:
View attachment 526662

... and?

 

[CptDanjou]

Person not of colour?

The invisible man ?

 

[Niamac]

Frequently she’ll meet fair weather dog walkers (North face jacket, jeans, flowery wellies, badly behaved spaniel off lead),

Dogs eh.

"Don't worry he won't hurt you!"

"In that case I won't kill it."

Seems to work most of the time.

 

[wasteofrations2]

The invisible man ?

If that's him at the door, tell him I can't see him.

 

[Reality_Dysfunction]

A gay baker would probably put a Christian message on a cake without blinking.

A genuine Christian should also put a gay message on a cake, but some of the fundies don't actually understand that.

I seem to remember it wasn't the gay bit that bothered them, they had baked cakes for gay couples before. What they were objecting too was the marriage bit. Believing that marriage is between a man and a woman.

 

[ste14w]

There are a number of possible replies, most of which really would cause offence eg "Really? Like I give a f**k, or "It was intended to be offensive".

This.
Every day of the week.
'I find that offensive!'

'So f*****g what?'

 

[Drazyl]

I seem to remember it wasn't the gay bit that bothered them, they had baked cakes for gay couples before. What they were objecting too was the marriage bit. Believing that marriage is between a man and a woman.

So it was the gay bit that offended them then, plus the incorrect thinking that Christianity invented and owns marriage.

 

[Chef]

So it was the gay bit that offended them then, plus the incorrect thinking that Christianity invented and owns marriage.

Absolutely no way the gay couple were looking for an argument since I presume there was no other cakey-bakey firm in town.