Part of being Privileged is not having to think about being Privileged

[I.S.L.A.M617]

It's easy to say when you're not the victim of bigotry and discrimination constantly.

I've dealt with my share of bigotry and discrimination. I'm not speaking as somebody looking in from the outside.

It's also easier for some people than others. It's not being thin-skinned to be offended by someone using the N word (obviously depending on the situation). As for your example of "go **** yourself", that's about polite society; it's about recognizing that some people don't like certain language and so it's best to censor yourself in mixed company. Same goes for using things like racial slurs.

It's complete and utter bull ****. The whole concept of people not liking certain words is ridiculous, in my opinion. Just the pretentious air of self-righteousness when somebody says "you can't say that"....

 

[Magic Man]

I've dealt with my share of bigotry and discrimination. I'm not speaking as somebody looking in from the outside.

Then you should understand how something that references that could be unpleasant for people.

It's complete and utter bull ****. The whole concept of people not liking certain words is ridiculous, in my opinion.

I understand that you aren't easily offended, but that doesn't mean everyone should be like you. As I said, everyone's different. Some people are more sensitive to these things than you. It's not unreasonable to not want to hear references to the racism and bigotry that have negatively affected your life.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

I understand that you aren't easily offended, but that doesn't mean everyone should be like you.

Nobody should be easily offended by words. Nothing good ever comes of it. The fact that people ARE changes nothing about this statement. Nobody should be so morbidly obese that they can't move, yet such people exist.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Then you should understand how something that references that could be unpleasant for people.

mball please.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Nobody should be easily offended by words. Nothing good ever comes of it.

Being offended is nothing more than giving someone else power over you. I can't imagine voluntarily giving somebody who I think is an idiot power over my feelings and thoughts. Seems like a really unproductive and frustrating way to go through life. However, it does seem that some people do enjoy the feeling of victimhood and self-righteous anger that comes with allowing yourself to be offended.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Being offended is nothing more than giving someone else power over you. I can't imagine voluntarily giving somebody who I think is an idiot power over my feelings and thoughts. Seems like a really unproductive and frustrating way to go through life. However, it does seem that some people do enjoy the feeling of victimhood and self-righteous anger that comes with allowing yourself to be offended.

Exactly.:yes:

 

[Magic Man]

Nobody should be easily offended by words.

Agreed.

Nothing good ever comes of it. The fact that people ARE changes nothing about this statement. Nobody should be so morbidly obese that they can't move, yet such people exist.

I'm not sure what this has to do with anything. Yes, no one should be easily offended by words, and it's not our job to bend over backwards to make sure we don't offend people. However, it is entirely reasonable for people to be offended by words in some cases, and we should take that into consideration.

 

[Magic Man]

mball please.

Which part are you having trouble with? The fact that the N word references bigotry and discrimination, or how it would be unpleasant for people to hear references to that?

 

[Magic Man]

Being offended is nothing more than giving someone else power over you. I can't imagine voluntarily giving somebody who I think is an idiot power over my feelings and thoughts. Seems like a really unproductive and frustrating way to go through life. However, it does seem that some people do enjoy the feeling of victimhood and self-righteous anger that comes with allowing yourself to be offended.

Yes, there are people that like that. Agreed. Then there are people who are reasonably offended by what others say, since there are times when taking offense is reasonable. It's not an all-or-nothing thing.

 

[Me Myself]

Being offended is nothing more than giving someone else power over you. I can't imagine voluntarily giving somebody who I think is an idiot power over my feelings and thoughts. Seems like a really unproductive and frustrating way to go through life. However, it does seem that some people do enjoy the feeling of victimhood and self-righteous anger that comes with allowing yourself to be offended.

Agreed.

Generally speaking, just my friends and people I trust and love tend to be able to offend me. In that, only by trying, as I would never expect them to try.

It is interesing that so commonly our strengths are our weaknesses.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Being offended is nothing more than giving someone else power over you. I can't imagine voluntarily giving somebody who I think is an idiot power over my feelings and thoughts. Seems like a really unproductive and frustrating way to go through life. However, it does seem that some people do enjoy the feeling of victimhood and self-righteous anger that comes with allowing yourself to be offended.

Yeah because everyone just choses to be offended, and enjoys it.

 

[Magic Man]

Yeah because everyone just choses to be offended, and enjoys it.

It's a common idea among people who haven't had to deal with any kind of discrimination. For instance, it's extremely hard to offend me. I like all kinds of jokes, I'm generally laid back, and I'm a middle-class white guy. So, it's easy to not let things get to me. It would also be easy for me to assume it should be that easy for everyone to just let things go or ignore racist comments by others, because my experience tells me it's easy. However, once I step outside of my own experience, I realize others have a much different experience, and it's reasonable for those experiences to make it much harder to just ignore racist remarks and things.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Which part are you having trouble with? The fact that the N word references bigotry and discrimination, or how it would be unpleasant for people to hear references to that?

I think it is an ugly word, I dispise hearing it. That said, I hear certain people of color use it quite a bit.

You know, "I can say it but you can't" Guess what, I don't want to say it anyway and people who do are ignorant.

 

[Magic Man]

I think it is an ugly word, I dispise hearing it. That said, I hear certain people of color use it quite a bit.

You know, "I can say it but you can't" Guess what, I don't want to say it anyway and people who do are ignorant.

Do you think when a black person says it, it has the same motive/impact/association behind it? For instance, would you react the same way to me saying something negative about Reagan as you would to a conservative saying something negative about him?

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

It's a common idea among people who haven't had to deal with any kind of discrimination. For instance, it's extremely hard to offend me. I like all kinds of jokes, I'm generally laid back, and I'm a middle-class white guy. So, it's easy to not let things get to me. It would also be easy for me to assume it should be that easy for everyone to just let things go or ignore racist comments by others, because my experience tells me it's easy. However, once I step outside of my own experience, I realize others have a much different experience, and it's reasonable for those experiences to make it much harder to just ignore racist remarks and things.

The thing is, why is it so terrible to admit you are a victim of something? It's like if someone talks about being victimised, they are just revelling in their victimisation and enjoying the drama and attention and obviously there is something more wrong with them than the perpetrator.
It's actually a sick way to think really!

 

[Magic Man]

The thing is, why is it so terrible to admit you are a victim of something? It's like if someone talks about being victimised, they are just revelling in their victimisation and enjoying the drama and attention and obviously there is something more wrong with them than the perpetrator.
It's actually a sick way to think really!

Sure. As always, there's a middle ground. There are people who revel in their victimization, and that's not a good thing. But there are also people who acknowledge the victimization but don't revel in it. Pretending that anyone who is offended by something a stranger says is reveling in their victimization is wrong. Likewise, encouraging being offended easily is also wrong.

I gave an example earlier in the thread of a liberal using the term "U.S. Americans" because she had heard some people from other parts of North and South America complain about how "Americans" could refer to them to. That's an example of going too far to appease people, since people from other parts, like Argentina wouldn't be "Americans", they'd be "South Americans", for instance. If someone complains about that, I'd say it's silly. However, there are many times when it's perfectly reasonable to complain about how people talk about you or your ethnic group/nationality/religious group/etc.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Sure. As always, there's a middle ground. There are people who revel in their victimization, and that's not a good thing. But there are also people who acknowledge the victimization but don't revel in it. Pretending that anyone who is offended by something a stranger says is reveling in their victimization is wrong. Likewise, encouraging being offended easily is also wrong.

I gave an example earlier in the thread of a liberal using the term "U.S. Americans" because she had heard some people from other parts of North and South America complain about how "Americans" could refer to them to. That's an example of going too far to appease people, since people from other parts, like Argentina wouldn't be "Americans", they'd be "South Americans", for instance. If someone complains about that, I'd say it's silly. However, there are many times when it's perfectly reasonable to complain about how people talk about you or your ethnic group/nationality/religious group/etc.

Yes! I agree with this.
I like the spelling "Amerikans" by the way (for the fake Americans)

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Yeah because everyone just choses to be offended, and enjoys it.

Why else would you give another person the power to make you feel offended? I don't expect everyone to understand this concept, as many people sincerely think that being offended is something that happens to you, and not something you decide to do. Of course, their attitude does make it easier to feel self-righteous and like a victim - an enjoyable feeling for many people.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Why else would you give another person the power to make you feel offended? I don't expect everyone to understand this concept, as many people sincerely think that being offended is something that happens to you, and not something you decide to do. Of course, their attitude does make it easier to feel self-righteous and like a victim - an enjoyable feeling for many people.

Yeah you are right I don't get, sounds like a white, cis, straight, male proverb.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Yeah you are right I don't get, sounds like a white, cis, straight, male proverb.

And attributing this to race, gender, and/or sexuality sounds like a cheap and empty cop-out. However, I do understand that it is an easy excuse for many people to write off what straight, white males say just because they're straight, white and male - especially if they don't agree with it, but don't have a substantial argument against it.