Indignation - people need to get a little perspective.

[nortonrider]

It never ceases to amaze me as to what some people get so upset about. I'm not just talking about TB either, although it happens here quite a bit.
Examples include: people using the words; "retarded", "fag", "midget", etc....

Honestly, I believe that people seek out things to be outraged about just to make them feel better about themselves.
Some of that "holier than thou" mentality.
I know that the small battles are the easiest to win, which is why they are the most often fought. a win is a win.

Seriously, with all of the crap happening on this planet, the thing that raises peoples ire are words like "crippled" and "fat".

People need to get a little perspective on things. If you want something to go all "activist" on, try this:

3000 people slaughtered just a few days ago!
3,000 killed in South Sudan massacres - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Now there's something that people should have some strong feelings about and it hasn't even made the news.

There is a local issue right now where a girl's senior picture isn't going to be allowed in the yearbook because she violated the schools dress code.
The story has now gone viral, people are up in arms about it, and she is going to be on the Today show tomorrow morning because she thinks that her rights have been denied.
What a stupid thing for people to waste their energy getting upset about.

That is all - rant over!

[i_got_a_mohawk]

So we should just not worry about racism, sexism or bigotry in general when there are worse things in the world.

Quite . . .

I'm worried about my fuel bills from the festive period, maybe I should forget about them, after all, the national deficit is so much more.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

Honestly, I believe that people seek out things to be outraged about just to make them feel better about themselves.
Some of that "holier than thou" mentality.

So you're indignant about other people's indignation?

[knumbskull]

i agree that there are some very serious issues in the world that should perhaps command people's attention more than they do.

however, it would also be nice to think that we could *also* try to move beyond the kind of pejorative language you describe

[nortonrider]

Originally Posted by Febs

So you're indignant about other people's indignation?

Yeah, I guess that I am.

actually, I'm just making a point.

[Unrepresented]

While I agree with you that the concerns can seem improperly prioritized, I do believe that as a society we're capable of multitasking our progress. It doesn't seem like we should put all other social advances on hold until we've completely eradicated our basest moments. It's going to be a long time until we stop killing each other, and I don't think we can wait that long to reform everything else.

[BassChuck]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

.....Honestly, I believe that people seek out things to be outraged about just to make them feel better about themselves.....

True. There's a lot of misplaced anger out there. I'm not sure that this is any different now than from other times in our history. Perhaps with media and technology its easier to find things to attach that anger to.

And the comment about 'a win is a win' is true too. But I think we need to find that there is no win over anger that comes from outside oursleves.

We need to work on finding peace from within. Once that's done, these other things sink to a much lower level of importance and we are able to deal with them productively.

[pacojas]

rant on, brother!

[rr5025]

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

While I agree with you that the concerns can seem improperly prioritized, I do believe that as a society we're capable of multitasking our progress. It doesn't seem like we should put all other social advances on hold until we've completely eradicated our basest moments. It's going to be a long time until we stop killing each other, and I don't think we can wait that long to reform everything else.

That will never be stopped.

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by rr5025

That will never be stopped.

Agreed- IMO/IME we're all messed up; that will not change.

[SamanthaCay]

Are you part of a minority, have you had your friends or loved ones die due to social oppression or ever had your life physically threatened?
Did you fight back or say to yourself you know what there are more important things to worry about?
You may find that if you could spend a day in someone else's shoes things would be different.

As far as the injustices that exist in our media and what is covered and what is not, I think for the most part we would most likely agree, but as far as whether or not some should or should not be upset by certain language in a negative context such as the words you mentioned I could not disagree more.

For example, I have friends that have been murdered buy people chanting the word “fag” so it's not such a harmless word to me. It's a pretty f****** scary one.

[nortonrider]

Of course I would expect some opposition to my view, that's exactly what I'm talking about!

It just seems to me that everyone lives in their own box and they only have an opinion on something when it lands close to it.

A little perspective people - that's all I'm talking about.

"I used to complain about not having any shoes until I saw the man with no feet".

[Popbumper]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

So we should just not worry about racism, sexism or bigotry in general when there are worse things in the world.

Quite . . .

I'm worried about my fuel bills from the festive period, maybe I should forget about them, after all, the national deficit is so much more.

"Festive period"? That just pisses me off.......

Chris

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by Popbumper

"Festive period"? That just pisses me off.......

Chris

It would be factually incorrect to call it Christmas, as that would be just the one day. I sat on my *** and overate for a solid fortnight

[MJ5150]

When I get angry enough about something to act out on that anger, it is not because I want to feel better about myself.

-Mike

[Mark Wilson]

[tZer]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

Of course I would expect some opposition to my view, that's exactly what I'm talking about!

It just seems to me that everyone lives in their own box and they only have an opinion on something when it lands close to it.

A little perspective people - that's all I'm talking about.

"I used to complain about not having any shoes until I saw the man with no feet".

Then I met a man who got upset because I called the man I met with no feet "stumpy". He missed the point that I am now so much better for having met the man who called himself "Stumpy, the footless midget" and he got all bent out of shape.

Then he went off explaining how he was so bent out of shape by this and met a man who was literally bent out of shape due to a horrible pretzel factory accident. He then realized what it means to be literally bent out of shape, felt enlightened by this situation and he went on to tell someone about it referring to the poor guy as "Twisted Tommy" and this chick got really steamed...

[bassteban]

I am offended and butthurt for having been forced by my inabilty to look away into laughing my ass off at that. Calling a cheap lawyer as we speak...

[Relic]

Well, I agree that while there are often much bigger things in the world to focus our attention on, and I also agree that there are folks around who seem to choose to be offended as though they need to use that to give themselves some sort of self-worth or something. That said, ignoring some of the "little stuff" is also not an option at times. Words can, and have hurt and one should realize that.

[kanonfodr]

Suck it up, buttercup! The world is a scary, mean, and unforgiving place so you better get tough or get out.

Peace,
Greg