My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Speak to new fathers on our Dads forum.

Dadsnet

Offended

15 replies

Dadthelion · 30/03/2013 22:32

Just wanted to get this off my chest, as I'm very rarely offended.
And I agree with Mr Fry.

'It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so fucking what?'

  • Stephen Fry.
OP posts:
Report
Pan · 31/03/2013 13:39

Yes and no.

yes, it probably gets over-used to shut people up.

no, as stuff sometimes offends me, or is generally offensive, though I have never actually said "I'm rather offended by that" - but if I ever did I'd hope to think I'd go on to say why it is offensive to me or others.

Report
TiggyD · 31/03/2013 23:06

Yay! Lets all be racist knowing that it doesn't matter if you offend!

Just because he talks nice doesn't mean he can't be a dick.

Report
rubyrubyruby · 31/03/2013 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pictish · 31/03/2013 23:14

Yes I agree. I do like that quote of his.

I think it a lot.

Report
TiggyD · 31/03/2013 23:18

Isn't offense an opinion? Isn't that quote like saying 'I don't give a fuck about your opinion'?

Report
Dadthelion · 31/03/2013 23:35

I believe it means your opinion isn't more valid because you're offended by something.

And debate can't be shut down because someone says they're offended.

I posted on a thread where the OP was offended at the term birth-mother.

I thought, how can someone be offended by something so banal, and should people stop using it because others find it offensive?

IMO they shouldn't.

Racism etc. is a different matter as it's illegal.

OP posts:
Report
MrsWolowitz · 31/03/2013 23:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dadthelion · 01/04/2013 09:22

Well I'm offended that you don't like the quote.

It implies I'm stupid and wrong, if you don't retract you're comment I'll scweam until I'm sick.

OP posts:
Report
MrsWolowitz · 01/04/2013 10:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lottiegarbanzo · 01/04/2013 10:20

It simply asks people to explain their reason for feeling offended, which may or may not stand up to scrutiny. The objection is to using 'offence' as a way of shutting down discussion.

Report
chibi · 01/04/2013 10:27

you can think and say what you like,and i can think negatively of you because of it.

your fabulous opinion does not preclude my being offended by it, or saying so.

my saying so does not prevent your opinion from being held or expressed.

i hope this clarifies, and that you feel better for it.

Report
MrsCosmopilite · 01/04/2013 10:39

Ah but the thing is here, that it's all in the way it is phrased.

To say you're offended by something is to express an opinion about your personal feelings, surely. I mean, you could be offended by someone wearing a baseball cap back to front, but that's just your opinion.

However, to say that something IS offensive - like racism, ageism, sexism, etc. Well that is making an observation about the thing itself.

lottie has it pretty much in a nutshell.

Report
rubyrubyruby · 01/04/2013 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dadthelion · 01/04/2013 14:15

Well said lottie, my thoughts
exactly.

OP posts:
Report
MrsWembley · 01/04/2013 19:51

I luff Mr. Fry and agree with him often, including the opinion you have quoted here.

The phrase implies a certain feeling of arrogance and entitlement, as if to say 'it doesn't matter what else you bring to this argument, I will knock it back with this phrase and nothing you say will have any weight. I am right because I am offended by your opinion/argument.'

It is not the same, as already said ^^, as 'What you say is offensive', which generally means that the majority find the opinion/argument offensive and it is culturally out of step or out of time.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.