Are you offended yet?

37 Replies

Read on,  I’m sure I will find a way to offend somebody. Or at least those who are always looking for something to offend them. Maybe I got all the good readers who are offended in the same way I am, by people who are easily offended.

Why do we judge the past based on the sensibilities of the 21st century? Are people not aware that the time was different back then? Was it right? People thought it  was for that time. How exactly are we going to be judged in 100 years, in 50 years? Are people going to be offended by our idiocy? I cannot answer that. But I can tell you that we will be judged. If it was wrong in the past, let us change it now and for the future. That should be how we are judged.

We are offended when people don’t agree with us. We are offended when we infer their words to different meanings other than was intended. We are offended when we don’t get what we want . And yet why aren’t we offended by racism and hatred and bullying? These are issues that should get our blood boiling the way we let loose when we are offended. And yet we don’t. Hatred is something we will never truly get rid of but we can find out why we hate. I hate some foods . (Which I will not mention here because there are people that actually like these things and I don’t wish to offend.) But how can I hate a person when I don’t know them? How can I hate a country that I’ve never been to? How can I hate an idea when I don’t even know what it is?

And yet people hate for the most obscure reasons. ‘Her eyes are blue.’ ‘He doesn’t like cats.’ ‘I don’t understand what they are saying.’ I wonder what would happen if  we took the time to look past the things we don’t like? I wonder if we would find someone that we might actually care for?  I wonder if someone looked at me and decided to hate because they didn’t like the colour of my hair?  When will we stop hating the unknown?

Children are not born hating. Bullies do not spring up out of nowhere. These are learned behaviours and they are taught by adults. The entire world has a responsibility to its children to put a stop to the negativities they grow up around. I know this is a simplistic idea and certainly the whole world cannot be fixed by the snap of my fingers but just because it can’t all be fixed at one time, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start.

37 thoughts on “Are you offended yet?”

  1. Murphy's Law

    Bravo Pam! You are a magnificent wordsmith. My thoughts exactly, but I couldn’t express them as eloquently as you. Being offended about something, anything, seems to be a way of life these days. I don’t understand people who are so rigid that they don’t bend at all. They don’t allow for other points of view.

    We were all born better than what many of us have become. What a shame. But we’re lucky in that we get yet another chance to change our behavior and get with the program.

    Happy Sunday!
    Ginger

    Think positive. Test negative.

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. iglengel

    Well said. What ever happened to the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
    Live and let live.
    Unfortunately, at age 80, I doubt that I will see anything like that happening in my lifetime, but one can hope.
    Take care and stay safe, but most of all, keep smiling. 😁🌞

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. quiall Post author

      Ah, The Golden Rule. I think everybody now worships at the golden idol of money and intrigue. I’m in my 60s and I don’t think I’m going to see us back with The Golden Rule either.

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  6. Dweeze

    The key words seem to be,” I am offended.” The ‘I am’ reflects the posture of such feelings in too many instances. Most reasonable humans know when someone is directing an intentional slur towards them. Even then, it remains up to us as intelligent beings whether to accept that injury for ourselves or to not quantify it with acknowledgment. So much depends on our social and familial upbringing. Sorry, parents, but the buck really does stop here. The reality of bigotry and racism must not be denied any longer or swept under the rug because many find it is too ugly to look at; however, overcompensation by the young for the sins of their ancestors will not restore any balance. Acknowledgment and acceptance are far different than extremist scrutinization of every word ever spoken, every commercial ever made and every wrong that was committed. There have been icons and brands that have been ostracized as racist that I still can’t wrap my head around and I AM NOT racist. It is important for people to understand there is an element of ignorant innocence with regard to commercialism. That being said, I don’t care how advertisers promote syrup or rice or anything else. I find it all a waste of money and causes our prices to soar ridiculously. As a woman, I have long been appalled by the sexism that is prevalent in advertising and that will likely never go away. If someone points out that certain words or phrases being used are hurtful, I would of course, adjust my verbiage accordingly; but being fearful of opening one’s mouth because everyone is on edge and looking for insults is the opposite problem. The problem calls for change and we all know you cannot change the past, not should we attempt to. It stands as a reminder of what was in error so that we never repeat it again,

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    1. quiall Post author

      So very well said! I think the final straw for me was when the Muppets were gay, as if that was a bad thing and nursery rhymes were racist. People are looking too hard for the negative and ignoring the positive. What a sad world they live in.

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  8. Rivers Renewed

    Excellent insights Pam! I think the future will be most offended by far right extremists, for the lies, hate and overall nonsensical insanity. Someone recently said the last 4 years were a rebellion against the future. I believe that. Our world is moving and will move increasingly progressive. It may take a while though.

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. John Hric

    So true. And not so simple. There are those who care not about the fires of hate or the results. They simply see an advantage to fanning those fires to suit their own greed for power or profit. And they gladly play us off against one another. Without the slightest care of the cost to society or the planet.

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. John W. Howell

    Good discussion. I see the offended and haters everywhere. A sad thing for sure. Most point fingers at others accusing them of hate or offensive behavior but are in fact fostering hate themselves. I wish it would stop on all sides,

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Mark Lanesbury

    Fear. The unknown. Both hold us in a pattern of protective ‘life’. Push that envelope and it reacts from habit…and of course that thing that we all balk at…change. They are all learned as you said dear lady. All we have to do is at least try to ‘understand’ first and as we do understand the fear and its brethren, we will lose the hold that our fear has over us. All fear is…is the unknown. Know it and it loses its power.

    Liked by 2 people

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  13. K.L. Hale

    I had briefly read this the other day and wanted to come back and read it again. It’s beautifully-written Pam. Your words are oozing with truth. It begins at home. I’m so thankful to God that he made me non-judgmental and open to love others. Even in the bitterness of failed relationships, untruths, health issues, and the overall “craziness” of humanity, I still hold to hope and fall on faith. I try to to stay positive as much as possible. But darn, it’s hard sometimes. Fear causes people to act so many different ways. And those who choose to not educate themselves hurts others too. Like you, I’m appalled at the sexism in our culture. I’d like to say things shock me; but anymore they don’t. It actually can make me sad if I dwell too much on it. Alas, I can jump on my WP and find my friends, such as you, that understand and share the same ideas, values, and thoughts. What a blessing! Thank you, Pam!

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    1. quiall Post author

      What a wonderful comment! You are right, we have to fall back on our faith and our friends and family. They are our strength. I too believe that good will come out of evil, that is my Faith.

      Liked by 2 people

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  14. Widdershins

    Yep, this whole rewriting the past to satisfy the cravings of some PC snowflake who’s desperately trying to be the PC-est of all PC snowflakes in the entire universe, is really getting out of hand these days.

    Liked by 1 person

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  16. bikerchick57

    You are right in asking why some people are not offended by racism and hate rather than a personal belief out of a warped view of the world. I don’t have an answer, but I hope it doesn’t become an unstoppable virus without a vaccine.

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    1. quiall Post author

      Perhaps I am naïve but I pray for the day when we concentrate on what we have that is similar more than we do that which is different. We all feel, we all bleed, we all fear. That makes us all the same.

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