Are people more easily offended these days?

[snarlingcoyote]

I think it's just the human condition. After all the saying "we are all the main characters in our own plays and only spear carriers in everyone else's" isn't a new saying.

 

[mouseforcemom]

I think it's just the human condition. After all the saying "we are all the main characters in our own plays and only spear carriers in everyone else's" isn't a new saying.

It's new to me and I LOVE it.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, people are far too easily offended today.

 

[piglet50]

my dh says that we live in the "land of the offended". i am called insensitive by some family members because i am able to let most things roll off my back.
they are offended because i'm not offended!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I'm offended you would ask that!

 

[C.Ann]

If people can get so "offended" over little non-issues like that, I pity them when something really offensive happens in their lives!! However will they cope?

 

[LBIJim]

Yes, I think people are spending much more time these days finding ways to be offended.

How right you are!! Some people so enjoy being offended that they go out of their way to find it.

Jim

 

[Jey12]

Welcome to the era of entitlement. I would say bring in some just for that coworker, but she'd probably feel she was "owed" them and miss the point completely.

 

[bicker]

Are people more easily offended these days?

To the basic question: No. People are not more easily offended. Rather, people have a generally higher expectation of being respected as a person (at least), and are more willing to express how offended they are.

I also think that some people are unwilling to grant others the respect innately owed to a fellow human, and so we see many examples where matters of offense attract more prominent attention.

I brought in some extra tomatoes from my garden to share with coworkers. I placed them in the common area with a sign that said "free to a good home." A couple hours later, I can hear one of my coworkers on the phone talking about the tomatoes and complaining that she would have liked some but she came in late because of a morning dr. appointment. I hear here tell the person on the phone "Well, I guess DisneyBeagle doesn't care who she offends. She should have waited until everyone was at work before giving the tomatoes away."

Here we see a counter-example: First-come, first-served is a very well-established principle of fairness in our culture. I could see offense being perceived if you shared tomatoes with everyone except for the (for example) Latinos. But laying them out for everyone, first-come, first-served, is in no way offensive in-fact.

My MIL is offended because her neighbor didn't wave when she drove by. I kindly said maybe the neighbor didn't see her, but nope MIL said "She is always doing stuff like that which offends me." Come to think of it, my MIL uses the "offended" word a lot.

This example is indeterminate. Your MIL could be right, or she could be fabricating the context of offense as you believe.

A friend is having a super small wedding (like 50 or less people) and she isn't able to invite every one that she would like to invite. One of my other friends mentioned the other day that she will be offended if she doesn't get an invitation. I can see that it might hurt her feelings, but I don't understand being offended.

No one is owed an invitation. That much is true. However, beyond that, if I have three friends, and I've always made them feel that I love them all equally, and then invite two of them, the third one does has reason to be offended.

Regarding the cases of fabrication of offense, discussed above: Do you think people haven't been doing that for centuries?

 

[bicker]

Not only are people acting more and more offended these days but I also think people has less self control than ever before. People now feel like they can say whatever they want to say whenever they want to say it and don't think twice about it. It doesn't matter if anyone is hurt or made to look stupid, everyone is right and people want everyone to know it.

That is a really good insight, that the two are related: People are more likely to express the offense they feel that has been done to them, and people are more likely to offend others.

 

[smidgy]

I'm offended that you even started a post like this. Kidding of course.

Unfortunately there are those people out there who are just looking for something to complain and be offended with. Those people get annoying after a while and then get offended with me when I try to ignore them. I just nod, smile and move on my way.

I didn't have to look far!!! If you have EVER read Nebo's trip reports, you would knowthat he despises tomatos!!!
OP, you should have made sure that no one in your office (or on these boards) is allergic to tomatos before you even made the offer! how rude.

 

[smidgy]

Once you have been around a few of these characters, it becomes easy to spot their ilk.

now THAT'S a great word! I always make a point of pointing out great words!(they're so much fun!)

 

[goofyernmost]

People are nuts.

Yes they are.

If people can get so "offended" over little non-issues like that, I pity them when something really offensive happens in their lives!! However will they cope?

Ain't that the truth! Oh, wait...I know what happens. They can't cope so they spend the rest of their lives, dependent on others for their livelihood because they are just so traumatized. I think everyone should have to go to war (I am not an advocate of war, BTW). Maybe exposure to the real horrors of life would put things into perspective.


We live in a rough world. There are no or very few warm fuzzies to latch onto. It seems counter productive to constantly be "on the alert" for offending words or actions in this type of world.

Wouldn't it seem like we should be trying to find something positive rather then always the negative. I know I have seen this in my workplace so much lately. It's a wonder that people aren't spraining ankles while jumping to conclusions. Anything that is said is twisted to the point of ridicules, visible to everyone except the one that has twisted it.

That goes from the top down. The worse the leader is the worse the followers are. It is a primary reason why I have decided to retire early. People no longer make sense to me. I'm not offended by their actions because I have no need to be offended, but, I am tired of it. Becoming a hermit is sounding pretty good at this point. People are so entitled that they really believe that their superiority is so great that people are just constantly trying to offend them in some way. Why? Don't know but they must be just aware of how jealous everyone is of them.