Do We Have A Right Not To Be Offended?

[DallasApple]

But, Michel, some people take offense at the drop of a hat. The only way to have a "right" not to be offended is to do away with the right to freedom of expression.

Exactly..who gets to decide whats offensive and whats not?.

There are many things that might offend me that do not offend my neighbor..Things I find have no value in that another indeed finds value...And vice vresa..Do I want my neighbor telling me what I can and cant be offended by?..No...

Love

Dallas

 

[michel]

But, Michel, some people take offense at the drop of a hat. The only way to have a "right" not to be offended is to do away with the right to freedom of expression.

There is no need (IMO) ever for me to say something out loud that might offend anyone; that is how I was brought up, and I may sometimes slip up and say something I shouldn't have, but I hope I succeed mosty of the time.

The right to freedom of expression is one of those elusive Goals; it is fine in theory, but is always abused by those who wish to abuse it.

 

[Storm]

There is no need (IMO) ever for me to say something out loud that might offend anyone; that is how I was brought up, and I may sometimes slip up and say something I shouldn't have, but I hope I succeed mosty of the time.

The right to freedom of expression is one of those elusive Goals; it is fine in theory, but is always abused by those who wish to abuse it.

There's no need to say anything at all to offend some people.

I've known people who were deeply offended by my entirely non-insulting free expression of religion ( specifically, the wearing of a pentacle in my neopagan days). Should my right to free expression have been violated to preserve their "right" not to be offended?

 

[Jeremiah]

The right to freedom of expression is one of those elusive Goals; it is fine in theory, but is always abused by those who wish to abuse it.

Censorship is far more dangerous and more readily abused than freedom of expression.

 

[DallasApple]

There's no need to say anything at all to offend some people.

I've known people who were deeply offended by my entirely non-insulting free expression of religion ( specifically, the wearing of a pentacle in my neopagan days). Should my right to free expression have been violated to preserve their "right" not to be offended?

Exactly..some men are offended if a woman shows her legs in public..so much so they cant be blamed if they rape them...

Love

Dallas

 

[Tau]

Do people have a right not to be offended? This is, do people have a right to prohibit others from saying things about their religion or beliefs that offend them? Do people have right to expect an apology from others who say things about their religion or beliefs that offend them? Do they have a right to attack others who say things about their religion or beliefs that offend them? Why or why not?

One can only ever choose to be offended by the words of another, justification is purely subjective.

Or

Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.

 

[DallasApple]

One can only ever choose to be offended by the words of another, justification is purely subjective.

Or

Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.

Names will hurt you ...It depends on the circumstances..and it depends on who you are talking to...

But brother?..Names will hurt you...

In reverse?...Words can be powerfully uplifting..For the young and old...boy and girl...

Pleasant words are a honey comb,sweet to the soul and healing to the bones..(Proverbs 16:24)

Love

Dallas

 

[Tau]

Names will hurt you ...It depends on the circumstances..and it depends on who you are talking to...

But brother?..Names will hurt you...

In reverse?...Words can be powerfully uplifting..For the young and old...boy and girl...

Pleasant words are a honey comb,sweet to the soul and healing to the bones..(Proverbs 16:24)

Love

Dallas

Negatory, names will never hurt me because I do not choose to feel hurt about any percieved slight or insult, just more determined.
Yes people can feel hurt when they don't like what they hear, thats up to them.

No one's opinion means that much to me anyway, I sneer at praise as well as criticism, I treat both victory and defeat with equal contempt...I am my own judge, no one else has that right.

 

[Smoke]

You can't choose to be offended.

The thing is, you can. You can choose not be offended, too. Not that I always choose the latter, mind you, but I've learned to choose it a lot more often.

 

[Tau]

The thing is, you can. You can choose not be offended, too. Not that I always choose the latter, mind you, but I've learned to choose it a lot more often.

Thou art wise.

 

[Magic Man]

There is no need (IMO) ever for me to say something out loud that might offend anyone; that is how I was brought up, and I may sometimes slip up and say something I shouldn't have, but I hope I succeed mosty of the time.

The right to freedom of expression is one of those elusive Goals; it is fine in theory, but is always abused by those who wish to abuse it.

No, there is no need to say such a thing...unless it's something that you would never in your life think is offensive to someone else. Many times, it's a matter of saying something you believe to be completely innocent, but someone else who has different experiences than you finds a different meaning in it. Obviously there are cases where people say things specifically to be offensive, but there are plenty of cases where people take unnecessary offense. you can avoid saying the obvious things, but you can't avoid saying something offensive, even if you're very careful about it.

 

[fantome profane]

There is no need (IMO) ever for me to say something out loud that might offend anyone; that is how I was brought up, and I may sometimes slip up and say something I shouldn't have, but I hope I succeed mosty of the time.

The right to freedom of expression is one of those elusive Goals; it is fine in theory, but is always abused by those who wish to abuse it.

But what if I were to tell you that the disrespect that you have shown to freedom of expression deeply offends me? If I were to say this would you refrain from expressing your opinion? (btw I disagree but I don’t actually find your post offensive)

I can respect someone who tries not to be offensive because I believe that most of the time this is the best way of communicating. Often when we offend someone they cease to listen.

But I don’t agree that there is no need ever to be offensive. Sometime it is required. Sometimes an idea must be expressed even knowing that some people will take offense.

We do not have the "right not to be offended". We do have the right to be offensive. And perhaps what is more important we have the right to be offended. It seems that some people believe that being offended is the end of the world. But on the contrary I believe that we all should be offended, by something, somewhere, sometime, and on a fairly regular basis. I think it is important to be offended.

Let me take RF as an example. Anyone who has been around here long enough has read something that they found deeply offensive. And most if not all of us have posted something that someone else had found deeply offensive (I know I have, and I might be doing so right at this moment). But despite this we keep coming back. No, not despite, but because of. Everyone here has made a deliberate choice to expose ourselves to ideas that we might find offensive. We have done so be cause we recognize that there is value in being offended. It is good for us. And if it is good for us, how can we deny it to others? I think that assuming that the person we are talking to cannot handle being offended is dismissive and condescending. Personally I would rather offend someone than dismiss them.

 

[DallasApple]

Negatory, names will never hurt me because I do not choose to feel hurt about any percieved slight or insult, just more determined.
Yes people can feel hurt when they don't like what they hear, thats up to them.

No one's opinion means that much to me anyway, I sneer at praise as well as criticism, I treat both victory and defeat with equal contempt...I am my own judge, no one else has that right.

Well then maybe words cant "hurt " you ..But words in fact stir emotion in you..You in fact are "affected"..

"sneering" is in response to a feeling...

You are not "void" of emotions..and words can bring them on..there is no escape..you get no free pass..

Love

Dallas

 

[Tau]

Well then maybe words cant "hurt " you ..But words in fact stir emotion in you..You in fact are "affected"..

"sneering" is in response to a feeling...

You are not "void" of emotions..and words can bring them on..there is no escape..you get no free pass..

Love

Dallas

As far as my sneering at praise is concerned all is vanity, feeding the ego, and likewise getting angry over defeat or insult is again feeding the monster.
My emotion is tightly bound, I am INTJ personality type, we don't like emotion much, they are frequently overwhelming, and we tend to find emotional displays in others alarming and/or discomforting, we are the most 'devoid' of emotion of all the Myers Briggs personality types, but of course no one is a perfect vacumn and some emotions slip by the defence mechanisms occasionally.

 

[Somkid]

People who support freedom of speech have no right to an apology from from anyone other wise it means they only support their personal freedom of speech. As far as religion goes well you know how it goes those shooting their mouths off about it are generally ignorant human beings it has little to do with religion they are just "righteous" people who if you took religion away from they would find something else to be annoying and incorrect about.

I can't tell you about Midnight Blue because I haven't spotted her in Asia.

 

[Azakel]

People who support freedom of speech have no right to an apology from from anyone other wise it means they only support their personal freedom of speech. As far as religion goes well you know how it goes those shooting their mouths off about it are generally ignorant human beings it has little to do with religion they are just "righteous" people who if you took religion away from they would find something else to be annoying and incorrect about.

I can't tell you about Midnight Blue because I haven't spotted her in Asia.

Midnight is a he my friend. lol.

 

[UnTheist]

lolz.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Do people have a right not to be offended?

No, but it might be a better world if we where a little more considerate.

This is, do people have a right to prohibit others from saying things about their religion or beliefs that offend them?

A right? No. An obligation to retaliate? Absolutley.

Do people have right to expect an apology from others who say things about their religion or beliefs that offend them?

No

Do they have a right to attack others who say things about their religion or beliefs that offend them?

What goes around comes around. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Why or why not?

People in glass houses should not throw stones.

Bonus Question: Is Midnight Blue really so hot bottles of Tabasco explode in the grocery store when he walks past them? Or is that just another silly RF rumor no one knows how it got started?

There might be some truth to the rumor. Bill is a very attractive man. :yes:

 

[methylatedghosts]

You can't choose to be offended.

Ok, I rephrase. You can choose to change who you are so that you are no longer offended. Thus, choosing to be offended.

But that probably doesn't make as much sense as it does to me 0.o

 

[Reverend Rick]

I believe the word we are looking for here is tolerance. People need to be tolerant of others all the while folks can tone down things without being too restrictive.

A little give and take and live and let live can make life more enjoyable for everyone.