You have no right in Western Society not to be offended.

[Notanumber]

Once this fundamental has been accepted by all citizens we might start living in harmony.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Agreed. Patton Oswalt said this:


"'You gotta respect everyone's beliefs.'

No, you don't.

That's what gets us in trouble.
You have to acknowledge everyone's beliefs.

And then you have to reserve the right to go 'That's f****ing stupid, are you kidding me?!'"

~ Patton Oswalt

____________________

I would go a bit further:

You also have to acknowledge everyone has a right to believe as they wish.

Just as nobody has the right to force-fit those onto everyone else.

Is there common ground, then, among various beliefs?

I think there is-- and it is the search for this commonality that lets us humans create societies, cultures and dare I say it, even global cooperation.

I do think there are core beliefs that everyone can accept, as being valid to all.

 

[SomeRandom]

While I'm all for civility and against people making people uncomfortable on purpose, I have to agree.
What offends a person is often subjective and not particularly agreed upon even within a specific community. What offends one Christian in a certain depiction of the story of Christ is, to another, just a different expression of love for Christ, for example.
Unlike say hate speech or speech designed to illicit violence against a group of people which do contain very striking patterns one can point to, something "offensive" is harder to pinpoint and far more varied. The recent "controversy" over Far Cry 5 for example.
This is not about anti or pro SJW or whatever. I think being offended can and has been used to silence legitimate expressions of art or even stifle debate. And if we do value freedom, that has to include freedom to say things that people do not like. Those people can then express their distaste, of course. Thus starting a dialogue or shouting match rather.

 

[Nietzsche]

Agreed. Patton Oswalt said this:


"'You gotta respect everyone's beliefs.'

No, you don't.

That's what gets us in trouble.
You have to acknowledge everyone's beliefs.

And then you have to reserve the right to go 'That's f****ing stupid, are you kidding me?!'"

~ Patton Oswalt

I acknowledge you believe that, that's great, but I'm not gonna respect it.

I have an Uncle who believes he saw Sasquatch! We do not believe him, nor do we respect him!

 

[Stevicus]

Well, I accept free speech for all, and I also agree that no one has a right not to be offended. But then again, if there's a lot of incendiary rhetoric going back and forth, that will certainly have consequences.

 

[Father Heathen]

 

[icehorse]

Hooray for the OP.

This also means that any call - by anyone - for blasphemy to be a crime, has to be instantly and firmly squashed.

 

[Revoltingest]

Reminds me of some discussions here.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Strange. Reminds me of 1984, actually... but only in the conception.

Orwell observed that he who controls the information, controls the world.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

I acknowledge you believe that, that's great, but I'm not gonna respect it.

I have an Uncle who believes he saw Sasquatch! We do not believe him, nor do we respect him!

Except I was quoting Oswalt-- so your beef is with him.

Note that I did not say I agreed or disagreed with it, although I can see the implication that I did, since I posted it. I thought it apropriate to the discussion.

Note also that I did not offer up any examples of consensual belief-- only surmised that such could exist.

So, actually, I did not state my beliefs, per se...

 

[Nietzsche]

Except I was quoting Oswalt-- so your beef is with him.

Note that I did not say I agreed or disagreed with it, although I can see the implication that I did, since I posted it. I thought it apropriate to the discussion.

Note also that I did not offer up any examples of consensual belief-- only surmised that such could exist.

So, actually, I did not state my beliefs, per se...

Errr.

I was quoting him too. In fact, I was finishing the quote you started.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Errr.

I was quoting him too. In fact, I was finishing the quote you started.

Oh. My bad, then--- that's what I get for getting quotes from the internet.

 

[Notanumber]

Is the Internet going to become a government or international tool for thought control?

May and Merkel crackdown on Internet Free Speech

 

[Kilgore Trout]

There are a lot of mentally and emotionally imbalanced people who are neurotic and have no emotional self-regulation. I feel bad that they don't have the ability to change their perspective or situation, but there's nothing anyone can do to protect them from their own damaged minds.

Some people thrive on negative emotions. Offending them is actually doing what they want. If you stopped, they'd find something else to be offended by.

 

[bobhikes]

Is the Internet going to become a government or international tool for thought control?

May and Merkel crackdown on Internet Free Speech

It already is people use the internet to verify their self thoughts. They seek only web sites that confirm or agree with their beliefs. Certain agencies which have agenda's use this to trap people into giving money and support.

 

[Notanumber]

Trust John Cleese to be spot on with his observations –

 

[LukeS]

A society based on reason, as the OP claims, or smoke and mirrors revolving around vested corporate interests?

"In the UK, in 2014 there were 8,697 alcohol-related deaths."

Alcohol statistics

"Alcohol, more than any illegal drug, was found to be closely associated with violent crimes, including murder, rape, assault, child and spousal abuse."

Alcohol, Drugs and Crime

In Islam alcohol is a crime for Muslims, yet the "West" (I find geopolitical labels unhelpful at times) is perceived to want to spread its influence globally.

Ok, you got "us" beat, you been studying utilitarianism for years and years, the principles are undeniable and the equations are in. 100% pure reason, its there on paper.


In fact I'm a fuddy duddy stick in the mud conformist who knows nothing of the good life. All in all im just another "brick in the wall". Yet in a freee society if I were to try to warn kids about the dangers of alcohol, I'd probably be arrested for interfereing (its a possibility)????

 

[LukeS]

"Another night Tube means more options for Londoners to exploit the nightlife of one of the world's greatest cities. But with half of its nightclubs closing in the last five years will there actually be anywhere left to go "out out" at 2am on a Sunday?"


Last call: What's happened to London's nightlife? - BBC News

My guess is the internet has loosened the evil capitalists grip on our lives.

 

[Yerda]

There are a lot of mentally and emotionally imbalanced people who are neurotic and have no emotional self-regulation. I feel bad that they don't have the ability to change their perspective or situation, but there's nothing anyone can do to protect them from their own damaged minds.

Maybe seeing others disagreeing without freaking out helps. A good example and all that.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Maybe seeing others disagreeing without freaking out helps. A good example and all that.

Children, and people with child-like minds, do need good examples in order to learn. Unfortunately, child-like adults are much less likely to actually learn than actual children.