Alongside the other remoulding tactics of mentality in society like mentioned in Phobic or Instinct?, this one is another of those words being used for purpose. I’ll note a few that have stood out over the years with it being made quite public and a point for discussion at the time.

Breastfeeding – this was an odd one at the time, but not so much now when you see where we have arrived recently with attitudes towards women. But we have had some rather stuffy times in this country and not everyone thinks it’s normal to feed your child with your built-in equipment when necessary. Literally what it was designed for, but hey, we know better than nature, right? It was across the board people chose to show distaste for it being done in public, with strange shaming going on, speculated that some women were uncomfortable about their men being able to see other women’s breasts. Others were just ashamed of it generally so didn’t want others to do it, as it highlighted their own issues.

Eating food or drinking – this one follows on from breastfeeding to me, because while in those cases it is a child that is having their dinner interrupted, or delayed because someone has ‘feelings’, it also has been happening to adults. A few vids online about people fasting telling people they should not eat in front of them, there have also been countless videos of vegans or vegetarians taking it upon themselves to tell others what they should and shouldn’t eat. People who have given up drinking, taking to telling others they shouldn’t, or insisting they don’t when around them.

An absolute classic happened which I think qualifies here, a very publicised statement and speech by a leading Scottish politician at the time, being offended by Scotland and its inhabitants for being ‘too white’ in his words. Now, with a country whose population was at the time said to be around 95% white, it’s no wonder predominately white, like going to an ice-cream store and saying you are offended because they only sell ice-cream. Having lived and travelled abroad, I don’t think I have ever been ‘offended’ at the demographics of a place, home or away. However, there may be a touch of disappointed, perplexed, or perhaps even confused now and again, but I don’t think offended.

Cover your ankles in case someone is offended by skin, we used to laugh in this country about the Victorians being so uptight and rigid with their ‘dress code’ of acceptable society. Fully covered, don’t show any ankle or you might be seen as a harlot. Social Status playing its role nicely there to get people to adapt and comply.

Comedy – this one has usually been ring-fenced around this subject, where it was known that you are allowed to offend as a comedian, and as a spectator you should expect to be offended. That’s kind of what they do, while humorously making observational jibes and jokes about things that they know others get offended by. And in a way, I think that helped to bring out into the open some of the reasons why people felt like that, and often it would be shown to be misconception, lack of education, a difference of opinion and so on. Many reasons people do not see eye to eye, or agree on things on a personal level, but people have taken that a bit far now, and deem it literally punishable, to have a different opinion or ideal. With no physical exchange even occurring, some are claiming psychological harm from words and how they perceived.

But I guess to me, the word and thoughts towards where it is being used, highlights an intolerance for something, or a disliking and intense personal preference towards a subject that is more than just a passing fancy or interest. It seems to create an unyielding intolerance for others, their views, ideals and ways of living. And we are starting to see more people being verbal about what it is that offends them, which often seems to carry with it a rather unhinged, obsessive or angry tone with it. Showing that aside from any logical reasoning, feelings and emotions seem to be steering the thought train once they get a platform or audience.

And it seems to highlight a certain weakness in people, who are unable to be tolerant or accepting, a rather overlooked quality and skill these days. Many are quick to be reactive, whether that be offended, hurt, ashamed, embarrassed, or whatever feeling that follows to then allow the internal mayhem to ensue. Their feelings then get projected onto the outside world rather than learning to deal with them. It’s strange to see so many get so angry or upset or feel justified to display outrageous behaviour and insults because they are ‘offended’. Therefore, it is becoming quite the offensive creature in its newly found ironic state of being. But as they say, offence is taken, not given, so when it comes to whether you are offended by something, I guess it depends on which side of the ‘fence’ you sit…

(c) MKW Publishing