Do we have a culture of offence?

[Stuart]

Very interesting column in The Grauniad today.. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...ts-free-speech

I actually agree with the article. We've had a few instances in the last few weeks where someone has said something that, in the grand scheme of ithings, is relatively minor, and they've been rewarded with a lot of press coverage and thousands of complaints to OFCOM, which has lead them to "apologise".

I've also seen people on this forum start fights because someone else said something that is, IMO, relatively unoffensive.

Not that I am saying that no one should be offended by anything. I do realise that we each have our own standards regarding what's offensive.

My concern is, however, that certain people are now so easily offended that others are getting frightened to say anything that may even remotely cause offence, so, are self censoring. The Guardian highlights the example of Honour Killings, and the fact that because they are committed by Muslims, they are seemingly almost OK. Certainly few people seem willing to publicly criticise them.

My other concern is the media. Not only is the media fueling this phenomena, but it's suffering the effects. The media is becoming increasingly scared to try any thing that might cause offence. This is leaving us with increasingly boring TV and radio programmes (and, incidentally, very few comedies of any sort), and, I suspect, will carry on doing so.

[Gary L]

We're all sheep. we're being raised and taught by the governments of the day. you think it's bad now. wait till we advance a few years.

we'll have people too scared to sign on due to not wanting to offend those that have a job. and nobody will be sleeping rough, due to not wanting to make the streets look untidy.

all the others will be giving a major cut of their weekly wage to the government, due to not wanting to annoy Dave.

[Taf]

I can't remember the last time I was offended.

Upended, yes.

[Pierre]

The thing that gets on my noggin is that people who are "offended" by whatever, then seem to thing that there should be some kind of recourse, some kind of restorative action because of it.

and that is completely wrong.

If you are offended by something, then be offended.

There's no need for apologies from the offender.

What's offensive to people varies, it's a matter of opinion that's all.

If a TV program offends you, fine, be offended and don't watch it again. However, there may be many millions of people it didn't offend and are quite happy to watch it.

I hate how we have to capitulate to the offended few, well I don't capitulate, if I ever offend you... tough, don't ever expect an apology from me.

[Osem]

NO and frankly I'm offended by that very notion...

Seriously, for some folks being 'offended' is almost a full time job. For some of them I reckon it's part of their agenda to restrict our freedoms and impose their ideals. For others it's just a means by which to stir up trouble and thereby sell newspapers.

[Hom3r]

I am very hard to offend, I work with a group of people that we tell joke and say stuff that may offend other, but we do it in a "closed" environment.

There was a thing on LBC on the lines of this.

Some uni group had a cartoon of Jesus and Mohammed in a pub having a drink.

Know I was supprised to hear that the main reason that offended Muslims was that both Jesus and Mohammed were drawn as the are BOTH relegious icon and should not be drawn.

[Damien]

No one problem with being offended. People can be offended by whatever they wish. The problem is when they think they are entitled not to be offended or challenged in any way and that when they are they are entitled to an apology or for someone to be fired.

[Russ]

People get "offended" and "irritated/annoyed" mixed up far too much.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Russ

People get "offended" and "irritated/annoyed" mixed up far too much.

And that's just on here!

[tweetiepooh]

If I offend someone and they let me know that it is an issue for them then it is up to me to firstly apologise and also to try to to offend in the same way again. It's being mindful of others and I'd like the same courtesy to be shown to me.

It is slightly different in the media though where someone is "speaking" to a wide range of people where the degree of offence varies greatly. It gets far harder then to quantify. And in some cases you can say something that may even "offend" a majority but isn't in itself offensive. For such "broadcasters" they'd need to gauge the response.

Further sometimes you need to "offend" to get a point across. You may show images that "offend" to raise awareness of an issue that people really should be offended about. (Pictures of people starving in a famine relief campaign may fall into this category.)

And then there are those who are just offensive. They don't care about the impact or they fully intend to offend as a "weapon" and then stand behind a freedom of expression to justify it.

Where the line is can vary and change.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

If I offend someone and they let me know that it is an issue for them then it is up to me to firstly apologise .

Purely down to your discretion though, whether you feel an apology is required.

[TheDaddy]

Offended and offence have to be 2 of the most over used words around at the moment and quite frankly they offend me and will be banned if I ever get the supreme overlords job.