5 ms·

Can’t even be not-racist correctly these days. Is there any hope of this “find a reason to be offended” culture dying out or are we stuck with it forever?

diegoperini 7y ago
"Be offended on behalf of someone" can die alongside as well. Point well made.
- diegoperini 7y ago
  Maybe a small exception can be made when that other has little to no voice due to circumstances but it does not apply in this context. I've seen people from all nationalities express opinions on HN without worry.
  - wolco 7y ago
    In situations where one has little voice. Having someone more powerful speak for them usual results in them still having no voice but the person speaking for them can use this to further their voice. We must allow others to use their own voice. Teach them. In the past many of sins have resulted in assuming someone else's pain. The rich do gooder's action doesn't always help and frequency hurts. I will give you an example. A shoe factory in India employing children and offering a dollar a day pay. Twitter campaign mounts company closes plant. Twitter folks rejoice and feel they have done good. But back in India everyone loses their job, the kids working were supporting sick parents who cannot work and get sicker. Children are forced into the sex trade. People on twitter are still rejoycing because no one followed up on the people they were speaking up for. In fact they were not speaking up for these workers they were speaking against the shoe company. After they caused the shoe company pain they didn't care about the rest. The question becomes are you speaking for the voiceless or yourself? If the voiceless wanted to reduce immigration because they want to increase the chance of getting a good paying position would you share those voices if they didn't match your views/voice? Or would you try to mute that voice but increase the volume on some other aspect you believed in? Speaking for someone else is probably a bad idea.
    - diegoperini 7y ago
      I believe there can still be examples where an opposite (as in one with positive impact) case can be made. Regardless, you have a point, thus I stress, exceptions are exceptions.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
CathedralBorrow 7y ago
Funny; reading your comment vs the one you're replying to it seems like you're much more offended.
- irishcoffee 7y ago
  I am irritated, maybe even a little bit angry. Sad, disappointed, slightly defeated. Pensive. Introspective. Offended, not at all.
  - CathedralBorrow 7y ago
    Fair enough. Do you think the same could be said of the person you replied to and you assumed was offended?
    - irishcoffee 7y ago
      Nope.
    - perl4ever 7y ago
      Maybe splitting hairs, but "esoteric" isn't exactly the same thing as "exotic", and it can be taken as a placeholder for other countries not mentioned, rather than describing the ones who were. If, let's say, Eritrea or Lesotho were called "esoteric" is that offensive? The word "exotic" has a lot of connotations to me that could suggest stereotypes, whereas esoteric seems to me more just describing ignorance.
drewcoo 7y ago
If people are trying to treat one another well, asking if anyone should be offended makes sense. The problem is the self-righteous criticism and censorship, not finding reasons to be offended. It's about attitude and action, not thought policing.
DarthGhandi 7y ago
Offended as a Service is inevitable. Name what offends you and have a company write Markov bot letters on your behalf as you are busy modern human being and time is important.

diegoperini 7y ago

"Be offended on behalf of someone" can die alongside as well. Point well made.

diegoperini 7y ago
Maybe a small exception can be made when that other has little to no voice due to circumstances but it does not apply in this context. I've seen people from all nationalities express opinions on HN without worry.
- wolco 7y ago
  In situations where one has little voice. Having someone more powerful speak for them usual results in them still having no voice but the person speaking for them can use this to further their voice. We must allow others to use their own voice. Teach them. In the past many of sins have resulted in assuming someone else's pain. The rich do gooder's action doesn't always help and frequency hurts. I will give you an example. A shoe factory in India employing children and offering a dollar a day pay. Twitter campaign mounts company closes plant. Twitter folks rejoice and feel they have done good. But back in India everyone loses their job, the kids working were supporting sick parents who cannot work and get sicker. Children are forced into the sex trade. People on twitter are still rejoycing because no one followed up on the people they were speaking up for. In fact they were not speaking up for these workers they were speaking against the shoe company. After they caused the shoe company pain they didn't care about the rest. The question becomes are you speaking for the voiceless or yourself? If the voiceless wanted to reduce immigration because they want to increase the chance of getting a good paying position would you share those voices if they didn't match your views/voice? Or would you try to mute that voice but increase the volume on some other aspect you believed in? Speaking for someone else is probably a bad idea.
  - diegoperini 7y ago
    I believe there can still be examples where an opposite (as in one with positive impact) case can be made. Regardless, you have a point, thus I stress, exceptions are exceptions.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

CathedralBorrow 7y ago

Funny; reading your comment vs the one you're replying to it seems like you're much more offended.

irishcoffee 7y ago
I am irritated, maybe even a little bit angry. Sad, disappointed, slightly defeated. Pensive. Introspective. Offended, not at all.
- CathedralBorrow 7y ago
  Fair enough. Do you think the same could be said of the person you replied to and you assumed was offended?
  - irishcoffee 7y ago
    Nope.
  - perl4ever 7y ago
    Maybe splitting hairs, but "esoteric" isn't exactly the same thing as "exotic", and it can be taken as a placeholder for other countries not mentioned, rather than describing the ones who were. If, let's say, Eritrea or Lesotho were called "esoteric" is that offensive? The word "exotic" has a lot of connotations to me that could suggest stereotypes, whereas esoteric seems to me more just describing ignorance.

drewcoo 7y ago

If people are trying to treat one another well, asking if anyone should be offended makes sense. The problem is the self-righteous criticism and censorship, not finding reasons to be offended. It's about attitude and action, not thought policing.

DarthGhandi 7y ago

Offended as a Service is inevitable. Name what offends you and have a company write Markov bot letters on your behalf as you are busy modern human being and time is important.