Here's a question: Who among us cannot claim to have at one time or another been “offended”? I’m not trying to imply that there are some out there that very well may hold on to such a claim to fame, but they are definitely rare among the rare.
I believe that it would be a fair statement to say that we have been, and are being, programmed to find offense in our day-to-day lives. We are taught that offense is a real, tangible thing in this world, and that it can do real, tangible harm.
I believe that it would be a fair statement to say that we have been, and are being, programmed to find offense in our day-to-day lives. We are taught that offense is a real, tangible thing in this world, and that it can do real, tangible harm.
Children in today’s world are especially prone to such teachings, and perhaps the current collegiates are the biggest active participant in allowing such teachings to be perpetuated. Those of us not falling into one of these two groups are still subjected to the woes of the world brought on by the breeding of such a culture of offense via the media. The media broadcast the message that offense is easy and widespread. Offense is readily consumed by a media machine built to feed on such manufactured anti-news.
So here’s a different question: How many times were you offended today? Did you catch yourself even once saying “WHOA!!, that guy shouldn’t have said that! How could they say that?” I did catch myself saying such things, at least 3 times in the last two days. Hence the inspiration for this blogry.
I have to say, probably to the choir and/or the vacuum, that to be offended is preposterous. To further proclaim to the world that one is offended is an absurdity. And to then carry things even further and actually blame someone else for the fact that one has taken offense is downright ignorant. Offense is a choice, and to ALLOW someone to offend you in any manner is an absolutely puny and self-righteous attitude to take.
If you are offended by anyone at anytime, regardless of how outrageous or ignorant something they said or did may have been, reflects equally negatively on you the offended as much as it does the offender. And yet, because the media, and the educational system at large, coddle the offended as if offense is some sort of REAL crime, we thereby allow people to victimize themselves at will. And can there be any real defense when the offense is solely the product of the offended’s mind? Nope. Therefore the offended is always right. How quaint: Guilty with no chance of being proven innocent.
And so, the real question for everyone (children, collegiate, professor, reporter, anchorman, politician, parent, etc…) to ask of themselves is “How long before I offend someone?” Then, once you do succeed in offending someone, all you can do is wonder, how bad will the punishment be?
In a perfect world, we could simply all stop being offended by things we can’t control: the thoughts and actions of others. This doesn’t mean we can’t punish the perpetrators of real crimes and be disgusted and repulsed by their words and actions. But it does mean that we don’t need to be “offended” by them. I believe there is a difference, but I worry that the difference is being lost.
