Why even get offended?

This is something I've really never understood my entire life. When I've felt offended, it was just natural to either deal with the person if I felt like arguing (and then drop it and move on when it's over regardless of if they admit they're wrong or not), or just shake my head and move on. Either way, the key word is moving on.

But apparently while I was maturing with general values of freedom of speech and being confidant in yourself, there were other people maturing with general values of life is pain and I don't want others to put any more pain on me. Or who knows. That was my most generous view on people like this. But if you recognize that life is pain, surely you wouldn't be easily offended, right? Because there's a lot worse things out there than someone saying something you don't like, and you would know that if you were truly in pain.

And btw, I'm not talking about being overly sensitive. Because that's another thing. I'm talking about even if someone does say something genuinely offensive. Something that actually is racist, sexist, belittling, etc. Like, who gives a fuck? It's really baffling to me. I'm not unaware that words can hurt. I've had my feelings hurt before, I just don't get that caught up in the words that someone else said. I might have when I was in elementary and middle school. But no matter what, at a certain point, you just let things go because someone making a comment, even if it is "reinforcing systems of oppression" or whatever b.s., it's still just words, man. Or woman. You really believe the system is unfair and oppressive? Welcome to society, where we make sacrifices to live in prosperity. You know that you can actually take a shit and then it gets sent into underground tunnels so you don't have to deal with it smelling bad, right? You know that there are people who make a living sweeping the streets in motorized hunks of metal so you can walk through the streets and not have to scrape your shoes of dirt, grime, and fecal matter at the end of the day? Those are some invaluable benefits if the price is that you just have to deal with other people who you might not like. No the system isn't perfect and it can absolutely be improved. But don't be offended. If you really feel strongly about it, work hard and change it in a meaningful way for the better and never make excuses. Period. Otherwise, just shut up and focus on yourself. Form relationships that add value to your life. Develop a skillset that allows you to make money in a way that you find inherently rewarding. Also, realize that there are billions of people on that planet and a limited amount of career options that you would really enjoy. So, if it turns out that the world (the market) doesn't see your work for the masterpiece that you think it is, you might have to just work a job or try harder. Either way, don't make your problems the rest of the world's problem.

But honestly, I think the mindset of these people is more like: life is power, power is controlling others(it's not, btw, if you think that. Power is your ability to create/accomplish, and that may involve organizing people, but it is not controlling them), so if I don't have power my life is nothing, so I'll use pity as my tool to get others to do what I want because I feel bad for and about myself, so I'll use rhetorical strategies and manipulation to make people feel bad for me (or at least put them in a position where enough onlookers feel bad for me that the person who said something I don't like has to listen to me to preserve their reputation) and then do what I want.

Getting offended is a waste of energy. No matter how justified you think you are, even if you think that you're being heroic by levying your hurt feelings to affect what you think is social change, it's just not ever going to help anyone or change the system mayn. It really is the same logic that motivates aggression and violence. Like we know this right? Bullies aren't self-confidant. They're people who feel insecure about themselves so they have to impose themselves on others to reaffirm their value. This is common knowledge. What do you call someone who feels insecure in general, sees a comment (or sometimes just sees someone existing without feeling bad about themselves all the time), and decides to use whatever is at their disposal to cause them problems? You would call them a bully, but they're so pathetic you almost feel you're insulting bullies. Hell, Trump doesn't do that shit, and he is a bully. Trump is not admirable. But you know what he is? "Powerful" in the sense that cry-bullies wish they could be. He can impose himself because he has a strong personality. Weak people have to curry pity to impose themselves. Trump and sjws (and people who act like this in general) are two sides of the same woe is me coin.

I'll leave you with this comedic way of saying exactly what I just said:



RIP Hicks. Wish there was someone of his caliber around today.