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Everyone’s offended these days

eev.ee

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Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#51

Post by crystalmeph »

lmm wrote: post #25

"None of our platforms are built to deal with it" is a false equivalence. The same social factors exist on every platform, but somehow you don't get the same outrage-storms on other platforms, only Twitter and Tumblr. I don't suggest people who find themselves offended quit the Internet. But I do suggest that they, and everyone else, quit Twitter. You'll find you're much happier for it.

It probably extends beyond Twitter and Tumblr, but they certainly seem to be the first ones anyone thinks about when you talk about emotional echo chambers.

Given that, your advice does make some sense. If the problem is worse on certain platforms, people should be asking themselves if staying on those platforms is worth the price they pay. Of course this entails a trade-off - this article was right that there are no easy solutions to the problem.

Full disclosure - this is the only active account I have on anything remotely "social," although I do browse some of the other things without logging in, so I'm talking as something like an outside observer with a personal bias against the whole medium, precisely because I find the emotional echo-chamber off-putting and distracting.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#52

Post by tomp »

s_kilk wrote: post #39

> The subtext here is that cretinism is acceptable, but being a target is not. > If you’re a total dick who only uses the Internet to seek out strangers and ruin their day for kicks, you are absolutely welcome. If you happen to be one such sought-out person, there’s the door. Sums it up perfectly.

> If you’re a total dick who only uses the Internet to seek out strangers and ruin their day for kicks, you are absolutely welcome. If you happen to be one such sought-out person, there’s the door.

Stephen Fry wasn't "kicking" anyone. On the other hand, people who are offended usually do, they viciously attack others (even get them fired!).

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#53

Post by cconroy »

akud wrote: post #42
cconroy wrote: post #36

Is Fry leaving bc of the PC culture or bc of all the mean things trolls say about him? This may be obvious but I don't know Fry or his circumstances.

He's leaving because of the pc culture. http://www.stephenfry.com/2016/02/15/peedinthepool/

Are you sure it is not just because he is not having fun anymore. Otherwise is skin is too thin.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#54

Post by Kurtz79 »

masklinn wrote: post #5
chrisallick wrote: post #2

Didn't read, but this offends me.

> Didn't read That's your loss, really.

Is it ?

I kind of have a hard time understanding the point the author is trying to make (apart from "Fry is an hypocrite").

It might be the writing, but it seems to me he constantly goes off a tangent.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#55

Post by bobby_9x »

mfoy_ wrote: post #12
chrisallick wrote: post #2

Didn't read, but this offends me.

Ironically, the article mentions you! >People who have so desensitized themselves to everything offensive that they’re offended by mere attempts to be considerate.

It's not being offended by 'attempts to be considerate`.

I feel like many of bullied are not getting the therapy they truly need. Instead, they are becoming the bullies through sites like Twitter and big companies, schools, and now even governments are catering to their whims because nobody wants the bad press.

The same feminist group that twitter appointed to ther new free-speech censorship board has said some of the most horrific stuff about men. It’s beyond offensive, yet there are no bannings or accountability.

These groups see direct results and the power they have over individuals.

It really needs to stops or we will have no freedoms left and the mentally ill will be in charge of our lives.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#56

Post by hyperpape »

_xhok wrote: post #14

There's a bit of nuance needed re: the paragraphs near the start. Offended people tend to expect others to cater to them. Stephen doesn't; he's simply explaining why people are wrong: for treating "I'm offended" as something that should be pandered to. That isn't the same. The author seems to be suggesting that because everyone thinks their behavior is universal and objective, one cannot justifiably make this claim,…

"Maybe; but Fry never tries to invalidate others' feelings."

"“Will all you sanctimonious fuckers fuck the fuck off Jenny Beavan is a friend and joshing is legitimate."

Really?

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#57

Post by krig »

SerLava wrote: post #49
krig wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an aside, I was stunned to see that "Stephen Fry leaves Twitter" qualifies as national news in Sweden [1]. I don't know how this could get any more ridiculous. Can't wait to get the non-stop 24-hour coverage of Stephen Frys Twitter account: Is he going to start using it again? Will he start posting on Google+? Twitter CEO refuses to comment! [1]: http://www.svt.se/kultur/film/stephen-fry-lamnar-twitter

It's not in the news because of the event... Like they don't track Twitter posts and see some celebrity stops posting and go put it in the news. It's the commentary about the platform and the people using it. Sure it's not exactly 9/11 but it's not THAT bizarre that someone picked it up.

That would be one thing, if that was what it was. But it's not! It's exactly what you say, "in the news because of the event". The whole story is "Stephen Fry made a joke and then he left twitter and wrote about it on his blog". There is zero discussion of the platform or the people using it.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#58

Post by tomp »

glenda wrote: post #47

It's pretty interesting that the people complaining about people being offended too often are so easily "triggered" by other people being offended. I've been noticing this a lot lately, even on HN. Someone will mention equality or fairness and there will be a whole slew of people complaining about how people are too sensitive now-a-days. In reality, those complainers are being overly sensitive themselves.

> It's pretty interesting that the people complaining about people being offended too often are so easily "triggered" by other people being offended.

Not really (for me). I couldn't care less if you're offended. But if you start attacking me because I offended you (or someone else), and start making the general discussion impossible ("pissing in the pool"), then of course I'll oppose you, not because I'm "triggered", but simply because I want my discussion back! (And also because I don't think people should be fired for having opinions.)

> Someone will mention equality or fairness and there will be a whole slew of people complaining

Only if they mention "equality" (e.g. affirmative action) and "fairness" (e.g. wage gap). That's not because our feeling are over-sensitive, but because we're over-sensitive to the bullshit arguments proponents of these ideas keep repeating as if they were the greatest achievements of logic and/or statistics.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#59

Post by type0 »

theseatoms wrote: post #17
masklinn wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you actually read the article? Or did you just look at the title and see a "witty quip" opportunity? Because the latter seems far more likely given your comment seems unrelated to the article's content.

No, I didn't read it. From a quick skim, the article doesn't look worth reading, given its length. Are we not allowed to discuss the title of submissions, only the body of text?

Agree. I didn't like the article. I wish i haven't read it, really it it was waste of time. Sorry author, don't get offended, please.

Re: Everyone’s offended these days

#60

Post by VeejayRampay »

That tendency to react to other people's opinions and to be easily offended is a behaviour that is most prominent in the Anglo-Saxon world (and North America in particular) where defense groups and lobbies are powerful. I'm not commenting on whether or not that kind of policing is actually good or not, just that this is not "everyone", just "Some people in the Anglo-Saxon world, especially the United States".

EDIT: I live in France and I have never observed that kind of behaviour in the Latin world or Eastern Europe for example. Most of the time when someone would say something "offensive" that doesn't directly impact the people in the room, the reaction goes along the lines of "Well, that's your opinion, whatever" or some form of polite debate.

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