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BS: Culture of Offendedness
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 04 Apr 03 - 02:02 PM Here's the original Bitching and whining And pissing and moaning Screaming and snorting Till my mouth is foaming Snotty name-calling And sarcastic zings These are a few of my favorite things When the dog bites When the bee stings Then it's not so bad They're just some more of my favorite things That it's you and not me makes me glad Harpy, funny, ain't it? "Oh, lets have a complaint thread about people complaining too much." At least I try to save my offendedness for the things that really bug me. If I did it too much, I'd be like the little boy who cried "asshole!" once too often until no one paid attention to him. (Of course that wouldn't happen here.) Must go off to find the snow thread. I hate snow. I'm big-time offended by snow, and I think we oughta drop about a gazillion tons of it on Saddam. "Here's a friggin' chemical for ya - it's called H2O!!!" |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: leprechaun Date: 04 Apr 03 - 01:41 PM Steve Martin is my hero. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: *daylia* Date: 04 Apr 03 - 01:37 PM Ah, you people are a mammering, folley-fallen ratsbane! And that's not even taking into account the dankis, guts-griping strumpets among you! Ya gleeking, fly-bitten moldwarps! ;) For the Shakespearean insult generator that generated those, click here :) daylia |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: harpgirl Date: 04 Apr 03 - 01:00 PM ...gee whiz, Jeri...you sure did get a lot of people to play "ain't it awful" with you!!!! LOL harpy |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Rick Fielding Date: 04 Apr 03 - 12:39 PM John...Why I oughttta!! You were just waiting to be offended weren't you? Or was it the 'culture' you were lyin' in wait for? On the other hand, I've just realized that I don't REALLY know J Lo. Heather says she has a huge bum, and sings a song on Much music that goes: "I usta have a little, now I have a lot, But I'm still Jenny, Jenny from da block. Being a fan of good poetry, I'll have to give this gal another chance. Substitute "Tom T Hall" for her name. Rick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 Apr 03 - 12:04 PM Raedwulf's rule works well enough when what's being said might offend you. It's a bit more complicated when what's said or done is calculated to hurt someone else, and if you just grin along or hold your tongue you feel you'd be colluding in that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: John Hardly Date: 04 Apr 03 - 11:28 AM I LOVE: Adam Sandler J Lo Mel Gibson Singer songwriters who let me feel their pain (especially grrlll ones under twenty three) Reality shows Short phrases from Dubya Ovation guitars Kaiser capos Halle Berry "Friends" Tommy Franks' haircut ...and little baby ducks... ...and ice cream. And I love you too. -Tom T. Hall (lyricist extrordinaire) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Rapparee Date: 04 Apr 03 - 08:30 AM Bush's mother loves him, and so (probably) does his wife. I don't know enough about Blair to know if anyone loves *him*. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Raedwulf Date: 04 Apr 03 - 08:26 AM Simple rules: 1) If you are not trying to offend me, there is nothing for me to be offended at. 2) If you *are* trying to offend me... I ain't going to give you the satisfaction! In fact, I'll probably laugh at you instead, because you're an asshole. So either way, I don't get offended. Simple, innit? *g* It's an interesting question, Jeri, but it should be pointed out that a lot of people here are speaking of anger and offense as practically the same. In my book, they're not. No way. It takes a fair amount to get me angry. It usually boils down to someone's blind stupidity. I've fired off a few stiff posts at people who just won't/don't/can't read what is put in front of them. But that's anger borne of frustration, not because I'm offended by their stupidity, let alone p-o-v. Offence can lead to anger, but it can also lead to sadness, pity, & a variety of other emotions. Just the same as anger doesn't have to be caused by offence. I get narked sometimes - I can't remember the last time I got offended. Perhaps I'm being pedantic here, & making an over subtle distinction, but words are important. Number of times I've seen an argument because one word means two different things to two different people, & neither realises... {rollseyes} Words are important! So what exactly were you getting at, when you said "culture of offendedness", Jeri? To me, a lot of what's been said is very much tangential to what I understand from the phrase (not that I'm knocking the discussion! *g*). If it's what I understood, then the simple application of rules 1 & 2 above would save a hell of a lot of unpleasantness in the world. Now {snarls} how the hell do we drum that into all the blockheads of the world???!!! ;-) *ggg* |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 Apr 03 - 06:52 AM Of course irony works both ways, and sometimes fails to work. People are more likely to miss if when it, on the face of it, says something favourable. For example if you sid that, with all their faults, you have to admit that Bush is a likable guy, and that Blair's humble sincerity is beyond question...Well there are some people who'd take that at face value. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Apr 03 - 10:38 PM Well, I dunno. I think I'm one of those writers who just can't do irony, and I think it's probably my fault. I don't know why. Rick, can you give me irony lessons? I'd ask Spaw, but I'm afraid of how I'd turn out. And yes, I think the blame goes to the writer. Being one of those writers, I must say I'm sorry. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Rick Fielding Date: 03 Apr 03 - 08:59 PM Hmmmmmmm...OK, I give up. Time to dumb myself down! I LOVE: Adam Sandler J Lo Mel Gibson Singer songwriters who let me feel their pain (especially grrlll ones under twenty three) Reality shows Short phrases from Dubya Ovation guitars Kaiser capos Halle Berry "Friends" Tommy Franks' haircut |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Jon Date: 03 Apr 03 - 08:34 PM That one reminds me of a post on rmc years ago. Possibly not original but have just looked it up to refresh my memory. Someone posted: "Not very good with irony, are you?" and a reply was: "Sure she is. That's the hot piece of metally your flatten out your shirties with." Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: John Hardly Date: 03 Apr 03 - 08:25 PM I hate ironing. I always seem to press more wrinkles IN that out. And it's hot. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 03 Apr 03 - 07:23 PM The only way to ALMOST ensure ALMOST no one's offended by humor is to dumb everything down. I'd hate to see that happen because I really enjoy wit, and one of the things I love most about this place would be gone. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 03 Apr 03 - 07:02 PM Irony tends to be the default mode for people writi g from teh East side of the Atlantic. It is when we actually mean what we say that we are likely to feel it necessary to point that out, rather than the other way round. And I mean that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Kim C Date: 03 Apr 03 - 05:39 PM Didn't people get all mad at Jonathan Swift when he suggested that they start eating children to reduce the population? I suppose it's impossible for any one person to communicate so perfectly, so that EVERYONE reading his/her words can understand them. It's just part of the human condition. Sure, be offended when there's really something important to be offended about. Otherwise, get irritated for a minute if you must, then go grab some coffee and get on with your day. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 03 Apr 03 - 05:07 PM Casual Observer, I don't believe it is the writer's fault. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: catspaw49 Date: 03 Apr 03 - 05:02 PM Basically C-O, we have no idea and you're probably right. Sorry if we offended you. Have a nice day. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Casual Obsever Date: 03 Apr 03 - 04:59 PM If a reader can't take a joke, how is that the writer's fault? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 03 Apr 03 - 04:14 PM I wouldn't think most people would use irony in letters they wrote directly to someone they didn't know. I could be wrong though. I'm fairly sure irony in editorials, articles and other forms of public writing was occasionally taken literally. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Casual Observer Date: 03 Apr 03 - 02:06 PM What about writing a Letter to the Editor for publication in a newspaper? What about writing a letter of inquiry to someone you've never met? People are not always personally acquainted with the recipients of their letters. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: harvey andrews Date: 03 Apr 03 - 01:47 PM Also Rick, tone of voice as well as facial expression is a primary tool in irony, just a little more inflection on a word....like "Oh really!" compared to "Oh, really?" As to the Baez audience...they're beyond irony obviously. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 03 Apr 03 - 01:24 PM Rick, to answer your question, yes! Except for when you're driving west on Thursdays, and then the answer would be 'seven'. My standard reaction in cases when I'm not sure if a statement's made ironically is to play along and respond literally. Sometimes I escalate the irony to see what happens. You don't hurt anyone's feelings by not taking them seriously, but if they DID mean to be ironic, I can have the same claim of "you didn't get it" that they have. It's a wimp's way, but it's mine. Casual Observer, I believe using irony wouldn't have been much of a problem in letters because people generally wrote to people they knew. They'd know what to expect. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Jon Date: 03 Apr 03 - 01:04 PM Casual Observer, When people write with pen and paper, they know who they are addressing and write accordingly. With Internet forums and newsgroups, one is putting a message out to an unknown audience. One could argue that in those circumstances, one should always play safe and avoid anything such as irony on the basis that it might be missundertood but I believe that life would become very dull and boring without these things. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Gareth Date: 03 Apr 03 - 12:59 PM Actually they used the psudonym (SP) "discusseded of Tondbridge Wells" With appologies to any 'Catters from that part of Kent (UK) Gareth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Casual Observer Date: 03 Apr 03 - 12:54 PM Emoticons. Hmm. What did people do for many years when they used to write letters with pen and paper? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,Jon Date: 03 Apr 03 - 12:06 PM Last time I touched on that subject was on a crossposted topic to rec.music.folk and rec.music.filk following my usage of the wink ;-) being missed. Here is most of one reply: Jon Freeman wrote: I don't agree BTW. I think that without facial expressions and particularly when dealing with an "audience" containing many you don't "know", that some indication whether *grin* or the emoticon is needed but I also believe that people should try to recognise such indications and give a little thought before diving in. That's not to suggest that I'm infalible - I've managed to missread a post and dived in responding to what I'd read rather than what was said on more than one occasion. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 03 Apr 03 - 11:57 AM "It's not my fault" applies every bit as strongly when it's management and so forth trying to lay off the blame for their errors on the people who get injured as a consequence. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Steve-o Date: 03 Apr 03 - 11:50 AM Wonderful thread, Jeri. As the ever-wise Dave Barry has said, "No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously". We are developing a nation of whiners...it comes with having it too easy, having too much, and valuing fewer of the important things. Also, I think, we seem to LISTEN to everybody now, and somehow give them credence, whereas in the past we often would take the time to evaluate (which is now disparagingly called "judging"). As Arlo so wisely ovserved, "America is not the only country that can find out things about the last guy, but it's the only country that would take time for that guy. Other countries would say, 'He's the last guy- screw him!'" At least here at the Mudcat, we should learn to ignore the whiners. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Rick Fielding Date: 03 Apr 03 - 11:31 AM All right Jeri (or anyone else) I have a question for you. Suppose you like to use irony and humour in your everyday speech? It's just a style......perhaps even a defence against the overwhelming 'dumbing-down' of everything around you. Now in public, this works.....probably around seventy percent of the time. You know....that kind of 'supermarket banter' that can get a smile out of people who no longer feel their jobs (hence their lives) count for anything. Amongst your (my) friends, the percentage is much higher....probably 90 percent. Yes, I know a LOT of folks and I DO have to watch myself around 10 percent or so, of them. They simply don't have a wide or deep enough experience to appreciate irony. Fair enough. Those that think I'm an incomprehensible asshole, would hopefully stop coming around after a while. BUT....BUT....on the net (Mudcat) it seems that verrry few folks understand irony at all. I've said things that were positively "Python-esque" in their ridiculousness, and had miffed PMs from mainstream Mudcatters, (people whom I've communicated with for quite a while) who simply didn't have a clue that I wasn't being serious. Is it mostly not seeing a FACIAL EXPRESSION? Someone said that without that (sort of) wink, far fewer people would get ANYONE'S jokes. Veteran internet users (and I ain't one of them) MUST have dealt with this, and come up with solutions in the past. I've started putting "ha ha!" after certain sentences, but that makes me wanna puke. It's like explaining a joke. I know that some folks say something like "grn", which may mean "grin" I guess, but that's almost as bad. Hmmmmm, like a lot of times, just writing something down seems to answer yer own questions. Perhaps there IS no way to alert people to written humour. I gather those "facial expressions" are crucial". *************************************************************** By the way....on a completely different subject: Joan Baez is coming to town, and the paper said that in every concert she's done this month, people (from all parts of the audience) are getting up and leaving......BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN CRITICAL OF BUSH AND THE WAR!! Who on earth did these people think they were going to see? Yanni, Celine Dion? Now I find this news story screamingly hysterical. So is it just me? Great thread Jer Rick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: catspaw49 Date: 03 Apr 03 - 11:30 AM LOL.....nah Jeri, yain't alone............ I also keep thinking of that Steve Martin line in Roxanne where he says, "Oh irony? No, we don't have that here. People here ski topless while smoking dope so irony isn't too big. The last time anyone used irony here was 1982 when I was the only practitioner of it and I stopped because everyone just stared at me." Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 03 Apr 03 - 11:18 AM Anybody else see the inherent irony in this thread? No, I didn't start it to be ironic, I was serious. But upon further thought, "I am SO pissed off at all these people that are angry all the time" is pretty funny. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Troll Date: 03 Apr 03 - 10:56 AM I think that we have evolved (DEvolved?) a society where no is ever to blame, where everything that happens is always someone elses fault, and where everyone seems to think that THEY DESERVE to be happy and BY G-D! someone had better get their ASS in GEAR and make it HAPPEN. And, of course, if it can be explained, it can be excused. "Your Honor, my client may have chopped three of his co-workers up into hamburger meat but he was abused as a child. His Mother ignored him at times to care for her other six children and his Father yelled at him several times during his traumatic childhood. He was brooding on this when one of his co-workers told him to wake up and start 'doing his share' and something just 'snapped'. We request that all charges be dropped and that he be given a medical retirement from Burger Doodle with full benefits. It is obvious that he was not responsible for what he did." And no one ever mentions the hundred thousand people who had childhoods just as bad ,or worse, than our young miscreant -excuse me, alleged miscreant- and lead productive, law abiding lives. But to explain it is to excuse it. Everyone is a victim and so everyone is perpetually offended. I recall a cartoon from many years ago in Playboy.( I only read it for the cartoons, Honest!) This Lounge Lizzard type is sitting in a lawyers office and he says,"So I'm invited to this party. The Drinks were bar booze, the food was mediocre and the conversation forgettable. Now, do I have gounds for a lawsuit or don't I." troll |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 03 Apr 03 - 10:46 AM "...chimps also bare their teeth when they are frightened, uncertain, or uncomfortable" And so do we - and, as has been pointed out in this thread, it is when we are frightened, uncertain or uncomfortable that we are liable to get violent. But sometimes we can use humour and laughter to help pull us through. It's maybe a shame that our closest relatives are chimps, rather than orang-utans or gorillas, who seem to have less volatile temperaments, from what I've heard. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: JenEllen Date: 03 Apr 03 - 10:27 AM Kevin, chimps also bare their teeth when they are frightened, uncertain, or uncomfortable. If it were any true comparison to humans, I think people would be 'smiling' a lot more than they do nowadays. (big grin with REAL humour attached) Another 'smiling' observation is that a LOT of time and money seems to be being spent on things to make your teeth 'perfectly white'--if you never smile, how's anyone ever going to know? ~Elle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 03 Apr 03 - 08:20 AM GUEST,pdc, thanks for that. It's good to be reminded there are worse places out there. It's not all that comforting, but it gives a bit of perspective on Mudcat. There are people who just don't get it - especially when it comes to irony, but there are those who miss the main point period, in favor of going after one word or idea that trips their trigger. You can explain to those who just don't understand. You'll always end up being the bad guy to those who don't want to understand. Thomas the Rhymer, I don't think I'd ever consider myself a sensitive MALE. I'm SO offended by that! Hmmph! Elle, I've seen the previews for Scare Tactics. My first thought was "how do they keep the people filming safe from the victims beating the crap out of them when they find out?" Then again, if I were being chased around by a guy in a bigfoot costume, I'm pretty sure I'd have a clue something was up. Seamus, yep. I don't know if people don't learn irony in school or whether the knowledge dies from lack of use once a kid gets out into the 'real world'. It's what openmindedness exists in society, the grace, that allows people to think "I can't understand why a person would say/sing that. Maybe there's something else going on." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Wolfgang Date: 03 Apr 03 - 04:57 AM Seeing that there is not a single post in here that could give me an excuse to claim being offended I think I better shouldn't post here at all. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Thomas the Rhymer Date: 03 Apr 03 - 02:28 AM I can't believe you would start a thread like this one... What were you thinking? Get a life! I'm sure you'd probably consider yourself a "sensitive male", and you probably read books and long to discuss the content too... There, how'd I do? I am amazed at how difficult it is to find a shred of common decency these days... Were all in this competitive reaction thing, where the rude comeback has taken the leadership role. I just don't relate to it well, and I find this 'trend' to be the single most hurdlesome encounter these days. It gets in the way of so much goodness, and nice people just go home saddened on a semi-regular basis. However, I reserve the right to 'deflect' mean people nuances... It is tough sometimes to deflect without 'reflecting', which tends to add fool to an already out of control fire... ;^) ttr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: GUEST,pdc Date: 03 Apr 03 - 01:19 AM For those of you who think that Mudcat is "black and white" and argumentative, even offensive, take heart. I switched to this forum (primarily for threads on the Iraq situation) from another one called "Capitol Grilling." Omigod, you wouldn't believe the vitriol, the insults, the cheap shots! Check it out; you'll be glad to come back here, which is comparatively civilized. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: DougR Date: 02 Apr 03 - 11:47 PM Here's my read on it Jeri. I think you are right. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Seamus Kennedy Date: 02 Apr 03 - 11:25 PM I don't wish to be repetitive, but I posted this over on the Eric Bogle "I Hate Wogs" thread, and I 'd just like to add his. Stop and think for a moment before re-acting. Is someone TRYING to be offensive? Are they seriously trying to be hurtful? I still do a lot of satire and irony in both my comedy patter and songs, and I get a raft of shit from people who obviously were not taught irony and satire in high-school English classes. It's no wonder Tom Lehrer is not performing any longer. Sometimes I get written complaints or e-mails, and I always respond to them asking if the writer had read any Dean Swift. Invariably they don't know who Swift was. The one song that I get dragged over the coals for regularly is Old McDonald's Deformed Farm in which I speculate about animals having human handicaps complete with "symptoms' and "effects,' stuttering, lisp, Tourette's Syndrome et al. I checked with several friends of mine who have the handicaps mentioned in the songs, and asked if they were offended or hurt. To a man they said no. But they're adults, and I can see where the mocking of a handicap might have an adverse effect on a child. So I don't do it when kids are in the audience. I figure that thinking adults can discern the difference. But, often I'm wrong. There are people in this world whose sole function is to go around being "offended" so they can get a little bit of attention. And frankly, I wish they'd turn all their attention on Catspaw.*BG* Seamus |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Ebbie Date: 02 Apr 03 - 10:38 PM And I think you are right. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Mudlark Date: 02 Apr 03 - 10:34 PM I don't know about the rest of the planet, but I think the Western world has been gettng mixed messages for some time now, and I think it is driving people crazy. There is the message that "we deserve it," whatever "it" is, that we have an inherent right to use up most of the resources, buy gas guzzlers if that's what we want, etc. The other side of that message, often unconsciously felt, but powerful, I believe, is fear. We are aware, at some level, that we have what everybody else wants, and perhaps at an even deeper level fearful that not only may it be stolen but that we are unworthy to have it in the first place. There is the message that technology will save us, make life easier, etc., and in some ways it does. But most of us are steadily moving into a world in which we depend more and more heavily on things we understand less and less. It leaves us on shaky ground. When you get your water from a deep hole in the ground, heat with wood, and communicate by hollering at your neighbor, you may not be living the good life, but you understand the things your life depends on. Stores are crammed with largely irrelevant consumer goods, w/advertising to create a need for them. Acquiring stuff is a short term antidote to stress, but money is being concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer, meaning most of us are being urged to buy what we can no longer afford. In the West we are all very tuned into various media...kids (and adults too) learn how to act by watching what their peers do in the movies and on TV. Trouble is, acting is exactly what is going on here, causing people to lose their grasp of personal authenticity. Humans don't, for the most part, do all that well with conflict and complexity. It's deeply disturbing to be told one thing but feel the opposite, especially if that opposite feeling is crawling around just below full consciousness. It makes people tetchious, edgy, and anger is a way to scratch the itch. At least that's what I think. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Jeri Date: 02 Apr 03 - 09:54 PM Bobert, you blame those guys for why people enjoy being offended? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Bobert Date: 02 Apr 03 - 09:52 PM Well, danged! I know I'm gettin' into this thread a little late but I'd just like to throw a few other thoughts into the soup: Not to be playing the *blame game* but these are a few of the folks/institutions that I blame. 1.The Japanese? (Why the Japanese, Bobert?) Well, they kicked but in the 80's with their better products and got the westerners all razed up to *compete* and so compete they did. 2.The *Western Corporations*. In competing with the Japanese, they took it to economic war levels as they pushed their labor force to new highs in production. 3.The Ad-men who sold the *western* society laborer ( more the US worker) a bunch of junk that he doesn't need but will spend a life time paying for because he thinks he needs it. Like how many $25,000 cars can a man own before he figures out that he doesn't own anything? 4.The government which makes decisions about spending like they own the presses that print the money. (Hey, wait, they do own those presses?) and then spend it with little or no regard for the tax payers who are out there working their brains out on Boss Hog's widget assembly lines. 5.Sports which they certainly aren't. Everything is about winning. So here we have a bunch of over-worked crazed folks riding from job to job in their Lexus's witha cell phone in one hand and a hand gun in the other, on their way to their kids soccer game, where their team had better win, then get back into the Lexus, get home after dark, crash after a few drinks and go at it agian the following day. Yeah, these aren't win-win times. These are not times when labor is appreciated. Or loyality. We got overworked, underpaid, underappreciated laborers, working their brains out to keep Boss Hog in hihg cotton anf they're collectively pissed off. And to make matters worse, we stick everyone in one big Skinner's box of metropolitan areas that desensitize people into specks of insignificance. That's my read on it... Bobert |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Barry Finn Date: 02 Apr 03 - 09:45 PM Hi Jeri, after this thread I'm gonna go get me a case of woolite & drink my way out of here. Just call me one of the orginial Baaa Boys. Ok, I'll quit this sheep shite. Barry |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Ebbie Date: 02 Apr 03 - 09:21 PM I agree with Bill D and Spaw when they speak about rapid societal change. 'Future Shock' seemed extreme to me when I read and reread it a few decades ago, and I wrote a college paper doing my best to refute Toffler's thesis. I contended that humankind has always dealt successfully with higher technology, that a horse-drawn plow was a cultural advance over the digging stick, and an electric washing machine replacing a washboard was of tremendous significance. I'm no longer so sure that we are doing well at all. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Forum Lurker Date: 02 Apr 03 - 08:51 PM NicoleC-I'm not so sure manners are a good thing. They often let people say the "right" words, and assume that they have been polite, when they have been just as offensive as if they had used what are deemed obscenities. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Culture of Offendedness From: Bill D Date: 02 Apr 03 - 08:16 PM ...and overshadowing it all is *money* ...... what passes for value in this society has changed a lot in recent years. There are meta-skills and tricks in the manipulation of the money flow and deciding what gets rewarded. Professional athletes demand ever greater salaries, and the 'fun' of following sports is now an expensive hobby, and some resent it a lot.....People now have the idea that if they don't get what they want, or they are injured, they need to be compensated BIG TIME! ...and we all know what happens in people's heads when they feel the deck is stacked against them and they cannot win and keep losing ground... (like health insurance)....they get angry and want to hit something, or yell at someone. Remember those films 40-50 years ago about how technology was going to make life easier and reduce the work week and let us play happily in our copious spare time? And who remembers Alvin Toffler's "Future Shock"?....the boy weren't far wrong. |