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IT IS NOT HER RIGHT TO GET OFFENDED. Now you're probably wondering why I used all caps. I really don't have a good explanation for that. Because once I read yo

by seivan 14y ago

IT IS NOT HER RIGHT TO GET OFFENDED. Now you're probably wondering why I used all caps. I really don't have a good explanation for that. Because once I read your post, that's the first thing that sprung to my mind.. in Helvetica-Neu, bold 38px.

mtrimpe 14y ago
Thank you for so beautifully making my true point: that these issues bring a lot of deep-seated emotions to the surface that we often don't even consciously understand or are aware of and that that is the real topic we should be discussing.
JPKab 14y ago
Nothing in the Constitution says that people have a right to not be offended. This is why the ACLU defends asshole Nazi/KKK idiots when they put up signs, perform protests, etc. Are standards for not offending people much higher in the worksplace? Of course they are, and for good reasons. We want people to be comfortable. But lets just make this clear: if you have a zero tolerance policy at work for saying "offensive" things, and there is not a clear definition of "offensive", you are not working at a place that respects your rights. They didn't comment on her ass. They didn't harass her in any way. The guy should'nt have said penis in public, right? It was unnecessary. And on that logic, my wife shouldn't breastfeed my son in public. It is unnecessary, she can just go to a private room. Why do those gay guys have to kiss in public. It offends me, they should have to go someplace private, this is a work event...... Do you see the slippery slope here? Evolution is offensive to a lot of people where I am from, does that mean I get fired if I say "evolve" at work in front of an idiot bible thumper?
- seivan 14y ago
  Nailed it :-) Also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY
nollidge 14y ago
I am not a person prone to hyperbole, so please understand that when I say this is one of the stupidest things I have ever read on Hacker News, I'm not saying so for the hackneyed dramatic flair. This... is one of the stupidest things I have ever read on Hacker News. You appear to not have given this even one iota of critical thought, or are a complete psychopath, or perhaps you are using a language superficially identical to English but semantically entirely unlike it. I cannot think of any other reasons why someone would express the idea that people don't have a right to feelings.
- seivan 14y ago
  I can't have a discussion with you, if you actually believe people have a right to get offended and act on those emotions above other peoples emotions. No person has a right to get offended. Period. I don't know what caused you to call me stupid here, but I can understand you felt a need to call me out on something. It's my passionate belief that you have a right to express yourself freely. I am not going to argue with you there. If Mr.Bean can't explain it to you. Then there is nothing I can do, and I will carry on. And I won't be offended, because I can leave it behind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY
  - nollidge 14y ago
    It's very simple: if you don't have the right to be offended, then you don't have freedom of thought, much less freedom of speech. That you cite Rowan Atkinson's support of free speech as a defense is incredibly ironic. He's not saying you don't have a right to be offended or to express it, it's that you don't have a right to expect the government to act on that offense, and I'm in full agreement. I think you're treating "I feel offended" as equivalent to "I wish to suppress someone else's speech" or even "someone is required to care that I feel offended", when they don't necessarily follow each other. Everyone has an inalienable right to get offended. What they don't have a right to is for anyone to give a shit about it. I hope now you can understand why my mind was boggled. EDIT: Also, please note that I very intentionally did not call you stupid, I called your comment stupid.
eridius 14y ago
What does rights have to do with anything? This isn't a matter of free speech. It's a private event, with a code of conduct (which those two did violate, however unintentionally), in a professional setting.
deleted 14y ago
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by seivan 14y ago

mtrimpe 14y ago

Thank you for so beautifully making my true point: that these issues bring a lot of deep-seated emotions to the surface that we often don't even consciously understand or are aware of and that that is the real topic we should be discussing.

JPKab 14y ago

Nothing in the Constitution says that people have a right to not be offended. This is why the ACLU defends asshole Nazi/KKK idiots when they put up signs, perform protests, etc. Are standards for not offending people much higher in the worksplace? Of course they are, and for good reasons. We want people to be comfortable. But lets just make this clear: if you have a zero tolerance policy at work for saying "offensive" things, and there is not a clear definition of "offensive", you are not working at a place that respects your rights. They didn't comment on her ass. They didn't harass her in any way. The guy should'nt have said penis in public, right? It was unnecessary. And on that logic, my wife shouldn't breastfeed my son in public. It is unnecessary, she can just go to a private room. Why do those gay guys have to kiss in public. It offends me, they should have to go someplace private, this is a work event...... Do you see the slippery slope here? Evolution is offensive to a lot of people where I am from, does that mean I get fired if I say "evolve" at work in front of an idiot bible thumper?

seivan 14y ago
Nailed it :-) Also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY

nollidge 14y ago

I am not a person prone to hyperbole, so please understand that when I say this is one of the stupidest things I have ever read on Hacker News, I'm not saying so for the hackneyed dramatic flair. This... is one of the stupidest things I have ever read on Hacker News. You appear to not have given this even one iota of critical thought, or are a complete psychopath, or perhaps you are using a language superficially identical to English but semantically entirely unlike it. I cannot think of any other reasons why someone would express the idea that people don't have a right to feelings.

seivan 14y ago
I can't have a discussion with you, if you actually believe people have a right to get offended and act on those emotions above other peoples emotions. No person has a right to get offended. Period. I don't know what caused you to call me stupid here, but I can understand you felt a need to call me out on something. It's my passionate belief that you have a right to express yourself freely. I am not going to argue with you there. If Mr.Bean can't explain it to you. Then there is nothing I can do, and I will carry on. And I won't be offended, because I can leave it behind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gciegyiLYtY
- nollidge 14y ago
  It's very simple: if you don't have the right to be offended, then you don't have freedom of thought, much less freedom of speech. That you cite Rowan Atkinson's support of free speech as a defense is incredibly ironic. He's not saying you don't have a right to be offended or to express it, it's that you don't have a right to expect the government to act on that offense, and I'm in full agreement. I think you're treating "I feel offended" as equivalent to "I wish to suppress someone else's speech" or even "someone is required to care that I feel offended", when they don't necessarily follow each other. Everyone has an inalienable right to get offended. What they don't have a right to is for anyone to give a shit about it. I hope now you can understand why my mind was boggled. EDIT: Also, please note that I very intentionally did not call you stupid, I called your comment stupid.

eridius 14y ago

What does rights have to do with anything? This isn't a matter of free speech. It's a private event, with a code of conduct (which those two did violate, however unintentionally), in a professional setting.

deleted 14y ago

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