Taking Offense - Has It Gone Off The Rails?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kirker-butler/dont-be-offended_b_2838657.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment

Don’t Be Offended. Seriously, Don’t.
By Kirker Butler
5.1k
Recently, our country was shaken to its core by two events that future historians will mark as the point-of-no-return for America’s long slide into moral depravity. I am speaking of course about The Oscars, and a sketch on Saturday Night Live called “Djesus Uncrossed.” I am not going to rehash either here because this is a time for healing. However, I would like to take a moment to address the people who have spent hours blogging, boycotting, emailing, and tweeting their disgust. In short, I would like to speak to the offended, and I would like to say this:

No one cares that you’re offended.

Literally no one. Okay, maybe your mom, but even she wishes you would take it down a notch. The offense you’ve taken at something you saw on TV is completely and utterly irrelevant to anyone other than yourself. Taking offense is just that, something you willingly take, and you have every right to do so. But once you take it, that mess is yours and yours alone.

I’m not saying people shouldn’t be offended by anything. There are plenty of things in this world that are truly offensive and worthy of our thoughtful attention. But I would argue that your hypersensitive overreaction to some televised comedy bits is far more harmful to our nation’s wellbeing than the bits themselves. I mean, how can we continue calling ourselves The Home of the Brave if we collectively shit our pants over every little boob and/or Jesus joke?

I know you’re going to say that you’re just trying to protect your children, but ask yourself what kind of message your reactionary hissy-fits are sending them? Certainly not one of bravery. At your funeral, do you think your kids will stand up and say, “My mother was so brave. In 2013 she got Sears to pull their ads from ‘Saturday Night Live’ for six whole weeks because she didn’t think a sketch they did was funny.” Probably not. But they might remember you sitting at a computer sending angry emails while they really just wanted you to take them to the park.

But I don’t blame you entirely. Being offended has become an epidemic in America. In fact, it’s become an industry. Scores of non-profit organizations have been created with the sole purpose of getting butthurt at things, and then trying to convince you that you should be butthurt, too. The Parent’s Television Council, One Million Moms, The American Family Association, etc.—all exist solely to spread phony outrage about one perceived offense or another. Their goal, they say is to inform and advise, but in reality they’re just humorless busybodies who believe that their opinions are more valid than others. Oh, and it’s also a good way to make money.

They’ll start some online boycott or petition, which will then trend on Twitter for a couple hours. Some cable news producer, desperate for content, will put them on TV, which only validates the busybody’s already overinflated sense of entitlement. Their website gets more traffic; they get more tax-exempt donations; and another finger wagging, “family-advocacy” organization gets more control over what we all see and hear. But what makes this dangerous is that these people embolden other busybodies watching at home to “take a stand” (i.e. cry like a bitch) when anything, no matter how insignificant, “offends” them. And their incessant whining is making us weaker as a nation.

People are having to remove t-shirts before they board planes so as not to offend other passengers. They’re having to peel bumper stickers from their cars so offended co-workers won’t have to see them in the parking lot. Textbooks are being rewritten, stand-up comics are second-guessing their jokes, all because some thin-skinned brats think the world should bend over backwards so they don’t have to experience a single moment of discomfort.

How does that make us better, or stronger, or smarter, or more prepared for the difficult challenges we all must face in our lives? It doesn’t. It just makes us a nation of pussies.

And if that offends you, who cares?
new album "Cigarettes" out Spring 2025!

www.headstonesband.com




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Comments

  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,942
    Preach.
  • CM189191CM189191 Posts: 6,927
    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/
  • drakeheuer14drakeheuer14 Posts: 4,468
    I am offended.
    Pittsburgh 2013
    Cincinnati 2014
    Greenville 2016
    (Raleigh 2016)
    Columbia 2016
  • Halifax2TheMaxHalifax2TheMax Posts: 39,023

    I am offended.

    I'm offended that you're offended and wish you'd take it down a notch.
    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN; 05/04/2024 & 05/06/2024, Vancouver, BC; 05/10/2024, Portland, OR;

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  • drakeheuer14drakeheuer14 Posts: 4,468

    I am offended.

    I'm offended that you're offended and wish you'd take it down a notch.
    The offensiveness is out of control.
    Pittsburgh 2013
    Cincinnati 2014
    Greenville 2016
    (Raleigh 2016)
    Columbia 2016
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,950
    edited April 2017
    Everyone can feel offended if they want to, but yeah, people should stop acting like being offended is equivalent to being assaulted, and the laws need to be changed in order to prevent the egregious crime. It's ridiculous. Hell, I managed to offend someone not long ago by saying that I thought the role of men in global women's rights needed to be stronger. I also recently offended someone because I was joking about how Ontario is so different from BC even though it's in the same country. So what the fuck do I care?? It's not my problem if someone wants to be insanely touchy about shit. I think that censorship is an assault on our freedoms, and freedom of speech and expression is a right. Not being offended is not a right. So essentially, our right to offend others is protected. But it is not a right to not be offended, and it can't be. Not when there are people out there who get offended by such stupid shit. The only thing that offends me are things and ideas that DO threaten or violate the rights and freedoms of others. Anything beyond that, I'm just being sensitive. And I can talk about how I'm offended if I want... but I shouldn't expect it to matter.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Halifax2TheMaxHalifax2TheMax Posts: 39,023
    What should we expect with all the faux outrage on faux news and rushbo for the past 25+ years? You have a whole generation that grew up believing anything you disagreed with was an outrage. Pound your fists, stamp your feet and scream as loud as you can. Be angry, be scared. Be angry and scared all the time.
    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN; 05/04/2024 & 05/06/2024, Vancouver, BC; 05/10/2024, Portland, OR;

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  • Go BeaversGo Beavers Posts: 9,085
    Thinking that people being offended is now at epidemic levels is part of an actual problem, and that problem is not knowing how to digest the internet. Just because people have a medium where they can broadcast their offendedness doesn't mean it's occurring at a greater rate. It means you're hearing about it more. Let's guess the age of the author. 53?
  • Go BeaversGo Beavers Posts: 9,085
    I checked. 46. Grumpy genxer. I know a few.
  • Thinking that people being offended is now at epidemic levels is part of an actual problem, and that problem is not knowing how to digest the internet. Just because people have a medium where they can broadcast their offendedness doesn't mean it's occurring at a greater rate. It means you're hearing about it more. Let's guess the age of the author. 53?

    i don't think his intent was to suggest that more people are getting offended, it is just that, as you stated, more people have a platform to voice their objection to whatever it was they were offended by, and if they get any sort of confirmation of that outrage, they feel validated and sometimes take it further until it gets out of control.
    new album "Cigarettes" out Spring 2025!

    www.headstonesband.com




  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,032
    I'm confused. Unless a person is directly targeted by something personally, how is it they are offended by something they see on the news or the internet? Outraged maybe, but offended? Or am I just putting too much friction in the diction?
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • dudemandudeman Posts: 3,061
    In protest of being offended, I'm going to start peeing in public restrooms with my pants around my ankles.

    That'll show those touchy bastards.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    edited April 2017
    dudeman said:

    In protest of being offended, I'm going to start peeing in public restrooms with my pants around my ankles.

    That'll show those touchy bastards.

    Thank you for the smile.

    Tossing some shit off the top of my head...

    Many are way too thin-skinned. As I can be as well at times, given hormones and / or circumstances but do try to let rationale prevail. That thinness is, I think, not just a nowadays thing, but simply how some are...almost looking for something to decry for whatever reason. If that's how they want to spend their time and effort, so be it. I don't get it and tend not to think much of them, overall, after that.

    My own sense of feeling offended? Yes, when it's personal and from someone I respect. But, I also feel that sense of "fuck you" on behalf of others...those who are victims of pedophiles, of rapists, and of, among the many sick fucks out there, the "mother" who filmed torturing her young son so she could send the footage to her ex-husband. I feel for them and yes, my sense of humanity is fucking offended by the actions of their perpetrators.

    Also agree that technology has opened the floodgates for all to share every little slice of so-called outrage and (non?) thought of "how dare they", or "how could they", or (fill in the blank).

    Progress laced, ultimately, with ramifications.
    Post edited by hedonist on
  • unsungunsung Posts: 9,487
    I have heard many new terms this past year.

    Micro aggressions
    Safe space

    Those two are the most ridiculous.
  • dudeman said:

    In protest of being offended, I'm going to start peeing in public restrooms with my pants around my ankles.

    That'll show those touchy bastards.

    I remember my very first bathroom visit in elementary school.

    I was in another world- walking through the halls liberated from my desk. Senses overwhelmed with the echo of my footsteps in the hall and the emptiness of this other dimension... I pushed the bathroom door open to go have my first pee.

    This dude had his GWGs down by his ankles and was letting his stream fly into the urinal. He unabashedly turned and looked at me for a moment despite the fact his bare bum was hanging out... then returned to his business. I stood there for a moment or two- again... astounded. I'd never seen such a tactic before. Never even heard of it.

    I saddled up to the next urinal, minimally undid my GWG zipper and fly mechanism, and carefully pulled my 'penis' out to begin urination.

    When I got back to the class... I shared my story with a few friends and we all had a good laugh.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • I remember another time when my buddy came back to class after going to the bathroom. He was laughing hard. He finally got it out that some guy was pooping and he had jumped up on the stall to peer down at him.

    I laughed too then thought to do the same. I asked to go to the washroom and was granted permission. I sprinted down to the bathroom, kicked open the door, saw the feet and crumpled pants around them, and triple jumped my way to the edge of the stall- leaping to grab a handhold on the edge of it.

    Pulling myself up to peer over... I set eyes on a grade seven kid. He looked at me and said, "You're f**king dead."

    Cue needle scratching across record.

    I slumped back to class thinking, "That's just great. Now I'm going to die." I knew the guy was serious because he swore- we rarely heard any swear words then- especially the 'f' word.

    As it turns out and as you could likely surmise, he never killed me. He never even beat me up. But it was a rough few days waiting for the end that never came.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,336
    unsung said:

    I have heard many new terms this past year.

    Micro aggressions
    Safe space

    Those two are the most ridiculous.

    The micro aggression term drives me nuts too.

    Safe space used in the proper context doesn't bother me.
  • dudeman said:

    In protest of being offended, I'm going to start peeing in public restrooms with my pants around my ankles.

    That'll show those touchy bastards.

    I remember my very first bathroom visit in elementary school.

    I was in another world- walking through the halls liberated from my desk. Senses overwhelmed with the echo of my footsteps in the hall and the emptiness of this other dimension... I pushed the bathroom door open to go have my first pee.

    This dude had his GWGs down by his ankles and was letting his stream fly into the urinal. He unabashedly turned and looked at me for a moment despite the fact his bare bum was hanging out... then returned to his business. I stood there for a moment or two- again... astounded. I'd never seen such a tactic before. Never even heard of it.

    I saddled up to the next urinal, minimally undid my GWG zipper and fly mechanism, and carefully pulled my 'penis' out to begin urination.

    When I got back to the class... I shared my story with a few friends and we all had a good laugh.
    why did you put "penis" in quotations? is yours fake?
    new album "Cigarettes" out Spring 2025!

    www.headstonesband.com




  • dudeman said:

    In protest of being offended, I'm going to start peeing in public restrooms with my pants around my ankles.

    That'll show those touchy bastards.

    I remember my very first bathroom visit in elementary school.

    I was in another world- walking through the halls liberated from my desk. Senses overwhelmed with the echo of my footsteps in the hall and the emptiness of this other dimension... I pushed the bathroom door open to go have my first pee.

    This dude had his GWGs down by his ankles and was letting his stream fly into the urinal. He unabashedly turned and looked at me for a moment despite the fact his bare bum was hanging out... then returned to his business. I stood there for a moment or two- again... astounded. I'd never seen such a tactic before. Never even heard of it.

    I saddled up to the next urinal, minimally undid my GWG zipper and fly mechanism, and carefully pulled my 'penis' out to begin urination.

    When I got back to the class... I shared my story with a few friends and we all had a good laugh.
    why did you put "penis" in quotations? is yours fake?
    I wanted badly to use sausage... but didn't want to get censored.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Go BeaversGo Beavers Posts: 9,085
    unsung said:

    I have heard many new terms this past year.

    Micro aggressions
    Safe space

    Those two are the most ridiculous.

    The worst one I heard was white genocide.
  • InHiding80InHiding80 Posts: 7,623
    edited April 2017
    The problem is that the left is too pc and the right is too extremist pic. You can be pic without being a Nazi fascist alt right punk and be a civilized person without being a humorless whiny baby. I prefer my anti alt right in the mold of old school r rated humor like Carlin, not today's neolibs.
  • InHiding80InHiding80 Posts: 7,623
    CM189191 said:

    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/

    It's all about context. Hell, Mel Brooks played a Nazi in To Be Or Not To Be and he's Jewish!
  • jeffbrjeffbr Posts: 7,177

    The problem is that the left is too pc and the right is too extremist pic. You can be pic without being a Nazi fascist alt right punk and be a civilized person without being a humorless whiny baby. I prefer my anti alt right in the mold of old school r rated humor like Carlin, not today's neolibs.

    Agreed!

    And universities, once the bastion of free speech and the exploration and free exchange of ideas, have now turned into hyper-sensitive institutions that suppress speech and focus on ensuring that nobody is exposed to anything that may slightly offend even the most sensitive millennial college student. Micro aggressions and triggers everywhere! Professors being reprimanded for challenging ideas, speakers uninvited if anyone makes noise. Idiot college students will unfortunately remain idiots if they are not able to deal with counter-opinions. I'm not sure how they'll even survive the real world outside of the emotional safe space they attempt to create on campus.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,845
    jeffbr said:

    The problem is that the left is too pc and the right is too extremist pic. You can be pic without being a Nazi fascist alt right punk and be a civilized person without being a humorless whiny baby. I prefer my anti alt right in the mold of old school r rated humor like Carlin, not today's neolibs.

    Agreed!

    And universities, once the bastion of free speech and the exploration and free exchange of ideas, have now turned into hyper-sensitive institutions that suppress speech and focus on ensuring that nobody is exposed to anything that may slightly offend even the most sensitive millennial college student. Micro aggressions and triggers everywhere! Professors being reprimanded for challenging ideas, speakers uninvited if anyone makes noise. Idiot college students will unfortunately remain idiots if they are not able to deal with counter-opinions. I'm not sure how they'll even survive the real world outside of the emotional safe space they attempt to create on campus.
    American universities, you mean.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • jeffbrjeffbr Posts: 7,177

    CM189191 said:

    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/

    It's all about context. Hell, Mel Brooks played a Nazi in To Be Or Not To Be and he's Jewish!
    Mel Brooks wouldn't be able to make movies in this day and age. Between that Nazi scene, and Cleavon Little's line in Blazing Saddles, those films intentionally challenged us, made us a little uncomfortable, but also were funny as hell. But we're beyond the point where those films would be acceptable today. There would be boycotts, apologies from actors and studios, and probably even demonstrations. Oh, well. Speech was fun while it lasted.

    jeffbr said:

    The problem is that the left is too pc and the right is too extremist pic. You can be pic without being a Nazi fascist alt right punk and be a civilized person without being a humorless whiny baby. I prefer my anti alt right in the mold of old school r rated humor like Carlin, not today's neolibs.

    Agreed!

    And universities, once the bastion of free speech and the exploration and free exchange of ideas, have now turned into hyper-sensitive institutions that suppress speech and focus on ensuring that nobody is exposed to anything that may slightly offend even the most sensitive millennial college student. Micro aggressions and triggers everywhere! Professors being reprimanded for challenging ideas, speakers uninvited if anyone makes noise. Idiot college students will unfortunately remain idiots if they are not able to deal with counter-opinions. I'm not sure how they'll even survive the real world outside of the emotional safe space they attempt to create on campus.
    American universities, you mean.
    Absolutely.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    jeffbr said:


    Mel Brooks wouldn't be able to make movies in this day and age. Between that Nazi scene, and Cleavon Little's line in Blazing Saddles, those films intentionally challenged us, made us a little uncomfortable, but also were funny as hell. But we're beyond the point where those films would be acceptable today. There would be boycotts, apologies from actors and studios, and probably even demonstrations. Oh, well. Speech was fun while it lasted.

    Nor would Norman Lear, with All in the Family.

  • jeffbrjeffbr Posts: 7,177
    hedonist said:

    jeffbr said:


    Mel Brooks wouldn't be able to make movies in this day and age. Between that Nazi scene, and Cleavon Little's line in Blazing Saddles, those films intentionally challenged us, made us a little uncomfortable, but also were funny as hell. But we're beyond the point where those films would be acceptable today. There would be boycotts, apologies from actors and studios, and probably even demonstrations. Oh, well. Speech was fun while it lasted.

    Nor would Norman Lear, with All in the Family.

    Exactly! I grew up watching both Brooks and Lear, and All in the Family was one of the few shows my dad watched. I think I was 9 or 10 when the show first aired, and at that age I took everything literally, but after a few episodes, and some explanations from my dad, I understood the premise of the show. And CBS got plenty of complaints and hate mail about the show, but instead of kowtowing to the oversensitive busy-bodies who were complaining about it, they forged ahead and created one of the most watched and appreciated shows of that era.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • CM189191CM189191 Posts: 6,927
    jeffbr said:

    CM189191 said:

    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/

    It's all about context. Hell, Mel Brooks played a Nazi in To Be Or Not To Be and he's Jewish!
    Mel Brooks wouldn't be able to make movies in this day and age. Between that Nazi scene, and Cleavon Little's line in Blazing Saddles, those films intentionally challenged us, made us a little uncomfortable, but also were funny as hell. But we're beyond the point where those films would be acceptable today. There would be boycotts, apologies from actors and studios, and probably even demonstrations. Oh, well. Speech was fun while it lasted.

    jeffbr said:

    The problem is that the left is too pc and the right is too extremist pic. You can be pic without being a Nazi fascist alt right punk and be a civilized person without being a humorless whiny baby. I prefer my anti alt right in the mold of old school r rated humor like Carlin, not today's neolibs.

    Agreed!

    And universities, once the bastion of free speech and the exploration and free exchange of ideas, have now turned into hyper-sensitive institutions that suppress speech and focus on ensuring that nobody is exposed to anything that may slightly offend even the most sensitive millennial college student. Micro aggressions and triggers everywhere! Professors being reprimanded for challenging ideas, speakers uninvited if anyone makes noise. Idiot college students will unfortunately remain idiots if they are not able to deal with counter-opinions. I'm not sure how they'll even survive the real world outside of the emotional safe space they attempt to create on campus.
    American universities, you mean.
    Absolutely.
    CM189191 said:

    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/

    I really encourage everyone to watch this. Mel Brooks speaks to this very topic.

    He explains: Tragedy + time = comedy

    People at the time took offense to jokes about racism, nazis, etc., because they were still relatively recent events.

    This was totally acceptable to be funny because it had happened hundreds or years before:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZegQYgygdw
  • unsungunsung Posts: 9,487

    unsung said:

    I have heard many new terms this past year.

    Micro aggressions
    Safe space

    Those two are the most ridiculous.

    The worst one I heard was white genocide.
    I think you meant white guilt.
  • jeffbrjeffbr Posts: 7,177
    CM189191 said:

    jeffbr said:

    CM189191 said:

    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/

    It's all about context. Hell, Mel Brooks played a Nazi in To Be Or Not To Be and he's Jewish!
    Mel Brooks wouldn't be able to make movies in this day and age. Between that Nazi scene, and Cleavon Little's line in Blazing Saddles, those films intentionally challenged us, made us a little uncomfortable, but also were funny as hell. But we're beyond the point where those films would be acceptable today. There would be boycotts, apologies from actors and studios, and probably even demonstrations. Oh, well. Speech was fun while it lasted.

    jeffbr said:

    The problem is that the left is too pc and the right is too extremist pic. You can be pic without being a Nazi fascist alt right punk and be a civilized person without being a humorless whiny baby. I prefer my anti alt right in the mold of old school r rated humor like Carlin, not today's neolibs.

    Agreed!

    And universities, once the bastion of free speech and the exploration and free exchange of ideas, have now turned into hyper-sensitive institutions that suppress speech and focus on ensuring that nobody is exposed to anything that may slightly offend even the most sensitive millennial college student. Micro aggressions and triggers everywhere! Professors being reprimanded for challenging ideas, speakers uninvited if anyone makes noise. Idiot college students will unfortunately remain idiots if they are not able to deal with counter-opinions. I'm not sure how they'll even survive the real world outside of the emotional safe space they attempt to create on campus.
    American universities, you mean.
    Absolutely.
    CM189191 said:

    PBS had a good documentary on last night about whether people are allowed to joke about the Holocaust.

    Pretty interesting perspective: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/last-laugh/

    I really encourage everyone to watch this. Mel Brooks speaks to this very topic.

    He explains: Tragedy + time = comedy

    People at the time took offense to jokes about racism, nazis, etc., because they were still relatively recent events.

    This was totally acceptable to be funny because it had happened hundreds or years before:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZegQYgygdw
    Awesome. Thanks for the link to the documentary. I haven't watched it yet, but will try to find time this week.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
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