Are you offended by anything? If so what and why does it offend you? Do you think people should not say things on the basis that it may cause offence? What is offence? One definition might be "causing people to think thoughts they don't like thinking". In which case, should we shield ourselves from thoughts we don't like? Should we insist that others make sure they don't say or do things that might prompt such thoughts? What kinds of thoughts should be ringfenced as no go areas and is this healthy? Some of the best comedy is deliberately offensive to large numbers of people; satire, if it hits its mark, is meant to be offensive. Some of the biggest ideas of our time are (or were) deeply offensive to large numbers of people. Galileo and Copernicus' heliocentric cosmology was so offensive it was outlawed by the Catholic curch. Darwin was so worried about the deeply offensive implications of his theory of natural selection he did not publish On the Origin of Species for 20 years. What are your attitudes towards offence?
Good question People always get me wrong. When i object to something someones said, or point out that it was maybe inappropriate or tasteless, they believe ive taken it to heart and im wounded because it was a big shot to my ego. Thats not how i work. What worries me is hearing people spread such negative energy that it may affect others and just generally make the world more of a shitty place to live, so i point that out. Like if someone is blatantly sexist, or racist, or is rude. I personally rarely take offence in the sense of having my pride or sense of self hurt by someones words If someone opposes my opinions and beliefs i will almost always "defend" them, but its more just because i think its important to get all perspectives out there, and being honest, i feel quite strongly about a lot of issues But no, if someone tries to upset ME ill probably just laugh or tell them why their attitudes crap and thats it Basically what i worry more about is the general spread of an ugly view of the world, which i hope im never a part of
i was offended deeply when luke the bugger said that horrible comment about my mate. Then about another girl i know. And then my best friend AGAIN. And then kept touching my other mate for a JOKE!! when she told him to stop and shes already with someone else. so i screwed at him (not AT him not him). I hurt him too... But he hasnt touched my mate since
oh snap, I was going to say that :tongue: if my brain didnt' feel so 'fuzzy' at the moment i'd respond better btw; but alas it's quite 'fuzzy'
Interesting thread. Im just back from the random thoughts bit and theres quite a few threads that could be considered offensive in there. Im not sure if they are meant to be a joke or serious its hard to tell sometimes, so Ive left a comment and Ill see how people react to it. Ive noticed that I sonetimes I joke about things that others would consider racist or homophobic but in an attempt to make fun of the racists and homophobes, not the actuall people themselves. It all depends on the seriousness of the comment I guess and how its taken I guess, the meaning behing it and not the actuall words.
I'm offended by religious people who say I will go to hell. Even though I don't believe in such a place it is deeply offensive to suggest that I am in some way very bad just because a deity doesn't instruct my actions. Also offended by the protection religious people get from the law when I get no such protection. A South African guy at work offends me all the time, but I defend his right to do so as I cannot explain what it is the pisses me off so much about him. Yes, everybody has the right to offend me and I should have the right to offend them. Aubergine is also a deeply offensive foodstuff. Edit: Oh hello agian
In Britain today, we all live in a politically correct society. Where everything that could cause offense is simply penciled out of the society in which we live. As though an artist were trying to paint the perfect image of society where everyone was happy and there nothing that could ever offend the common man/woman. I am offended when people swear alot. They simply cannot find anything else nicer to say. Instead of the F word, it should be "oh shucks".
I have no desire to be thought of as offensive so I usually refrain from offending, but I am also able to imagine a situation where offensive behaviour on my part might be deemed as pertinant if not even necessary. We will all offend people to various degrees through our lifetime, it is not the act of offending that needs examination but rather ones reaction to the fact of offending, does one arrogantly demand the right to say whatever one wants or does one apologise and refrain from further acts of offence. Leaving the act of offending society to the great thinkers and comedians might be a rational way to view it, rather than thinking of them as an excuse for ones own inappropriate behaviour.
To answer my own question, I think I'm unshockable really I can't think of anything anyone could say that would shock or offend me. If I have a strong emotional reaction to something I will examine what it is that has caused it and think about why. It might teach me something new. I certainly don't deliberately set out to offend anyone, and am often mortified when I do, but at the same time I won't censor myself on the basis it might offend, because I'm interested in engaging with the world in as full a way as possible, both listening to others and expressing my thoughts. I'm sure there are some things we all self-censor, and statements which have no purpose but to offend are unhelpful and unwise; for those which also have interesting content, the fact they will inevitably offend some is not cause enough to curb valuable processes of thought. I find things like racism and war offensive, but not expressions in support of either. I will disagree strongly with them but will support the right of people who hold views radically different from mine to argue in their favour. I may be totally wrong and mistaken about many things: I require people to give me access to all other possible sides to any story so I can fully appraise all the information available and come to my own conclusions. I expect to be offended by thoughts I disagree with. Offensiveness by its nature often contains some kernel of truth, some difficult idea, and that's why it offends us. I think it's incredibly important we listen to the things that offend us and see what we can learn from them.
The obvious problem with that is how do you decide who is a great thinker or comedian? The genuinely shocking new ideas will be radically incommensurate with our current paradigm, if you only listen to established voices you risk missing the genuinely groundbreaking new ones. If you allow certain people to offend within certain pre-defined boundaries then you aren't really allowing for new ideas at all - that's a way of containing and limiting things we don't like to certain contexts in which they are less dangerous and have less potential to truly change minds. Philosophy is something we all do in our everyday lives, not just something handed down to us from on high in already digested form
You don't need dictates from the scum but rather sense from the dregs. I think anarchy is a stupid idea myself.
Constantly being bashed, ignorant, rude people, lack of respect, I could go on but will wind myself up ever so much more.
