Humans are naturally incredibly competitive creatures. We all want to be the best we can be in order to establish a place in society that keeps us alive and possibly with extra luxuries (such as the ridiculously big cars and T.V.s). People work hard to earn their life and when someone insults this the take it as a challenge where they must prove the person wrong by defending their positition. This is usually useless as the one doing the insulting are themselves low enough to have the time to insult the other person.
Being offended is to me a natural reaction and wanting to defend your pride is also a natural act. especially when it comes to race, family, and religion or culture. When you insult someone's way of life they will be offended but acting upon these insults is a different matter. One chooses to do this oppose to ones choice to being offended.
It is also a matter of who offends you. If someone close to you offends you it is harder then when someone insults you who you don't know. For instance Mel Gibson insulted the Jews (including me) but I really don't care. Yet if someone such as my best friend insulted me because of me being Jewish that would sinult me more. We are offended by those who we, in a way, have to prove ourselves to the most. Humans naturally get insulted because of our competitive nature and the want to be the best.
Edited: Theredhound on 23rd Aug, 2006 - 6:21pm
QUOTE |
When you insult someone's way of life they will be offended |
Listening to this thread after of course posting my own two sense I understand what you both are saying and in each right was are all right. I mean opionion is our own, and we can agree disagree or even compramise to the current discussion. To be offended is a choice, that much we established, but depending upon people's perspective and their action from the reaction that is where the subject remains. The question was Why Do People Become Offended? Well the world may never know. (I sound like a Tootsie Pop commercial here) But we each have our own ideas and thoughts and I am glad to read them. Keep an open mind and listen to what others have to say.
Thanks for sharing and I hope you all have a great day!
Take care!
QUOTE (Celowyn) |
Listening to this thread after of course posting my own two sense I understand what you both are saying and in each right was are all right. I mean opionion is our own, and we can agree disagree or even compramise to the current discussion. |
QUOTE (Theredhound @ 23-Aug 06, 1:07 PM) |
Being offended is to me a natural reaction and wanting to defend your pride is also a natural act. especially when it comes to race, family, and religion or culture. When you insult someone's way of life they will be offended but acting upon these insults is a different matter. One chooses to do this oppose to ones choice to being offended. |
Some people becomes offended just because they do not like that other people disagree with them and their views, they see it as a personal attack or that they are not "smart" enough. I feel no pity for those who are easily offended, they are annoying and spoilt in my opinion because they want everybody to smile and agree with them no matter what. They need to grow up.
I believe firmly, that this is a contributor of not having much sense of humor, combined with feeling 'over sensitive'. The 2 combined I feel, results in the other person feeling that everyone is having a dig at them, or that they are being targeted.
I have come to this conclusion by spending a week with a person like this last year, it nearly drove me mad , it got to the stage that nobody dared speak, lest they offended the person, whilst the person spent the week telling everyone else that they had been "highly offended" and expected an apology!
Certainly hard work, in my opinion, and spoils the friendly atmosphere for everybody else.
I think it depends on your culture. People are socialized with different beliefs. For example, some of us were raised to believe that swearing is wrong and should be avoided at all times. If those same individuals were in the presence of people who use expletives very freely and attacked those who did not, then it is understandable why those non-swearing individuals would become offended. They would feel that others do not respect their values or feelings. But I guess to a certain extent, it is a matter of choice since sometimes it may be easy to just ignore people who are obnoxious and enjoy evoking negative reactions from others. I think to a large extent though, being offended stems from our upbringing.