My generation is being taught to avoid topics of conversation that may offend someone. This is bad, and here’s why.
Human beings are meant to discuss. Often, we argue with another viewpoint, or choose to take something personally, or to not say anything at all. Regularly, the conversation is a meaningful discussion that allows all parties to leave with a new opinion, a changed mind, an understanding, an offense. All these outcomes are completely valid responses to conversations with other people.
But the there’s a new, dark cloud hovering over the realm of words: Fear. Not natural fear, from life experiences or personal wisdom. This is fear that is built out of ridicule, out of people made examples in public forums, of constant warnings by anyone and everyone and no one at all, repeatedly informing us that if we say something out of line, or even slightly outdated, or unknowingly insulting, that we are a racist, or a homophobe, or a sexist. And anyone who says these things is publicly mocked and shamed, and it’s okay to do so, because they said something wrong.
Heckler’s Paradise
This is more scary for the outspoken. I very often mock people who purposefully misguide others, groups or companies saying dumb things, or very stupid individuals that I feel have gone unheckled for too long. I understand that I might get called out on it, and it’s my own fault if someone gets me back. Most hecklers should understand this. But, if I were to start heckling Bruce/Kaitlin Jenner for his/her words of blank-mindedness, there is a very real possibility that someone, or a large group of someones, would begin sending me death threats, attempt to dox me and my family members, hack my accounts and publically humiliate me, and more nasty behavior. If I was a celebrity, this might carry negative consequences for the malicious group. However, depending on public opinion, it might be considered perfectly fine with our current media sources.
Let me give you an example: In popular culture, it is normal to believe that Fox News and anyone who works for them or consumes their media is an idiot. (I’m not saying this is true, just what the current trend is.) This means that if a Fox anchor tripped on stage in front of a camera, that video would be shared on the internet in a negative light, with negative screenshots, negative heading titles, and a general air of mockery. If, however, Hillary Clinton were to trip on-camera, any video that managed to get out would be announced as a “human” Hillary, a woman who is just like us, with positive stories and her laughing the incident off.
So Who Are You Voting For Again?
This is not a political post (I hate both candidates equally). It’s a basic understanding of marketing. Read the news, and watch the trends. Is there an article thumbnail of Trump on CNN? 9 times out of 10, it’s of him making a ridiculous face to show how stupid he is. Is Hillary getting talked about on TownHall.com? They screengrabbed her in the middle of an intense speech where she’s snarling and looks like the Grinch. This sort of marketing isn’t new. However, it is more prevalent. There’s an entire internet to help sway your opinion, to grind down your worldview to match as many other people’s as possible.
Opinion Piece
It’s hard to understand sometimes, but people having different opinions than you is a good thing. If everyone thought the same, talked the same, acted the same, we would fail to be unique creatures, and robots would rule the earth. No one has all the right opinions, and we can’t all expect everyone else to agree with ours. Forcing others to believe the same things through fear and ridicule is a terrifying way to achieve nirvana, don’t you think?
Back to my original point: Offence is guaranteed. If I wrote about how much I like cheese tomorrow, and an Indian vegan lactose-intolerant reader happened upon my post, they might get a little ticked. Okay. Does that mean they have the moral obligation to send me a tweet and threaten to shoot me if they see me? Or does it mean they can go read something they won’t feel bad about? Every day, I read people’s posts about the most horrible things, about religion, or politics, or family, or white males between 25 and 35 (we get hated on a lot recently). But I don’t take it personally. I consider the opiner’s topic, its relevancy on my life, and if it is not relevant, I ignore it. Sometimes it sticks with me, and as a result, I need to get a second opinion from someone I trust. Yet at no point should I lose my civility and become personally offended.
Come On Already
I know I’m rambling. Let’s wrap this up.
Stop taking everything so personally. If you have a thin skin, practice shutting up, and it will get thicker. Grow a pair, become an adult, and treat others with civility and humanity. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has a different viewpoint than you, and everyone will eventually offend you. Deal with it.
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