Society/Culture Being 'offended' - Australia's favourite pastime?

[Pie eyed]

I for one take offense at your offense on offense.

 

[Partridge]

Leaving aside the blatant hypocrisy of some of these responders' potentially-'offensive' retorts, the thread got me to thinking. When did we become such a bunch of PC dogooders who froth at the mouth as soon as somebody makes light of something none of us can do anything about? Has it always been like this? Is it getting worse? Are we in this country too quick to get upset and emotional over the use of words and ideas we don't agree with?

Over to you, good folk of bigfooty.

Not sure when, it's been a gradual process, but yep it's happened now. Sad part is 99% of my humour now offends people. Oh well.

 

[fairdinkum]

I basically think the premise of this thread is to complain about complaining, which is just silly.

Going by your logic, it is quite fine for people to complain... so long as they are not complaining about complaint.

Now that's silly.

There is a difference between complaint and offense, mind you.

My thread myah is primarily about rising levels of people within our society 'taking offense' at what others do. Generally they then complain (to use your terminology) about whatever it is they are 'offended' by to see that it is outlawed, punished, or otherwise stopped. That's where the issue is, for mine.

I never said that people should go out and attempt to 'offend' people, which seems to be the strawman argument your position rests on. I also never said that people don't have a right to be 'offended' (of course they do, you can be offended by whatever the hell you like) which you also seem to basing your position on.

 

[JimDocker]

You used the term PC Do-gooders in your OP. That is never a good start to a sensible discussion.

I think it is all about balance.

Respect and decency are reasonable concepts, yet nowadays, they are seen as PC wowserism. When people are offended, they are seen as weak.

I think it often takes a bit of strength to stand up to the people who think that way.

I am interested that nobody seems to be defending Ben Polis this morning and I am very pleased at that.

 

[Si Botak]

I for one take offense at your offense on offense.

I like this;

“It’s now very common to hear people say, ‘I’m rather offended by that.’ As if that gives them certain rights; it’s actually nothing more… It’s simply a whine. It’s no more than a whine. ‘I find that offensive,’ it has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. ‘I am offended by that.’ Well so ****ing what?” -Stephen Fry, 2005.

Also, 3:15 -
[youtube]BSydvmwmIE0[/youtube]

 

[JimDocker]

"Think I may have to give up on Twitter. Too much aggression and unkindness around," Fry commented earlier in the day, following an online disagreement with another user.
In a message to that user, he said: "You've convinced me. I'm obviously not good enough. I retire from Twitter henceforward. Bye everyone."
However, he later posted another tweet in which he implied that he had not yet made up his mind, saying: "Well maybe I'll see how I feel in a few days. Very low and depressed at the moment and any drop of meanness makes it so much worse. Sorry."

Stephen Fry October 2009.

Oh, so he can be offended too apparently. That earlier quote of his needs to be despatched as he has not lived by it for a while now.

 

[fairdinkum]

Oh, so he can be offended too apparently. That earlier quote of his needs to be despatched as he has not lived by it for a while now.

Non sequitur board.

 

[JimDocker]

Really ????

I have read that quote from Stephen Fry countless times during these debates about PC wowsers and it has been used to say shove your thoughts and ideas up your arse because I do not care how offended you are.

The very same person then got upset by somebody calling his tweets boring and decided that there is "too much aggression and unkindness around".

It is almost a text book case of sequitur.

Pot, kettle, black.

 

[JimDocker]

Also, 3:15 -
[youtube]BSydvmwmIE0[/youtube]

I have to admit being offended by how s**t that youtube clip was.

Is that guy supposed to be a comedian?

I want those 4.32 back !!!

 

[Pie eyed]

I have to admit being offended by how s**t that youtube clip was.

Is that guy supposed to be a comedian?

I want those 4.32 back !!!

The fact that his site is one of the most visited on Youtube is both disturbing and educative.

 

[Si Botak]

I have to admit being offended by how s**t that youtube clip was.

Is that guy supposed to be a comedian?

I want those 4.32 back !!!

Well, no-one asked you to look at the video for four and a half minutes (Hence the whole, y'know 'this is the timestamp of the video where the pertinent comment lies'); that's what you get for not following simple instructions boy-o.

As for Fry's statement, I think you'll find whether you agree with it or not is probably not considered by any neutral observer to be terribly relevant. They'll have their opinion, you'll have yours. Best of luck challenging that. Personally I agree with it to a point... I think people are altogether too entitled, and the whole "I am so offended" bit is part of that, as if anyone should care what they think.

From the looks of your posts (It's cool, I won't ask for the time back that I spent reading them) you sound like you're offended by life in general.... Perth traffic getting to you or something?

 

[Footypie32]

Heard a good quote the other day- sorry can't remember the authors name. It said:

"Some people think they have the right never to be offended, but being offended is infact a neccessary side effect of free speach"

I tend to agree.

 

[fairdinkum]

Good bump.

 

[dumb]

thread reminded me of this story

mum finds penis drawing inside burger box

A Queensland mother who received a Hungry Jack's burger with a crudely drawn penis inside its packaging said she was so disgusted it left her feeling physically ill.

hopeless.

 

[Gough]

If this puts Kylie off eating H.J's for life, I would suggest that, looking at her, they have done her a favour.

 

[cancat]

If this puts Kylie off eating H.J's for life, I would suggest that, looking at her, they have done her a favour.

Aren't you the one demanding that people not judge you on your sexuality? Yet, you are quick to judge on someone's looks. I'm not really surprised. The hypocrisy comes as standard from those who are most offended about perceived prejudice against them.

 

[Gough]

I have no problem if people call me ugly, trust me, I'm no oil painting. It is when people equate my sexuality with tasteful things like paedophilia that I get a bit snarky.

 

[tesseract]

thread reminded me of this story

mum finds penis drawing inside burger box

hopeless.

She's a mother, so she shouldn't be disgusted by a mere drawing of a penis, for she has had an actual penis inside her to become a mother in the first place. The woman is a drama queen and an idiot.

 

[Old Skool]

The cultivation of the victim mentality creates a greater reliance on the legislature to intervene in our lives, and by extension, increasingly empowers the state via consent.

It is very clever and it is definitely by design.

 

[tesseract]

Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

 

[Old Skool]

Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

So you'll be supporting the rights of gays folks to get married I assume?

 

[tesseract]

So you'll be supporting the rights of gays folks to get married I assume?

What has being offended and supporting gay marriage got to do with each other?

 

[Old Skool]

What has being offended and supporting gay marriage got to do with each other?

You aren't offended by gay marraige?

 

[tesseract]

You aren't offended by gay marraige?

I can be against it without being offended by it.

 

[Pie eyed]

She's a mother, so she shouldn't be disgusted by a mere drawing of a penis, for she has had an actual penis inside her to become a mother in the first place. The woman is a drama queen and an idiot.

Have to agree.
Woman has a dirty mind to boot.
Up the other way it's just a rocket.

Also a Penis has a foreskin.

and her names Kylie....