Are DU'ers, as a body, more easily offended than most groups you've encountered?

[Bicoastal]

Poll question: Are DU'ers, as a body, more easily offended than most groups you've encountered?

At the risk of starting a flamewar...

[Peacetrain]

1. Welllllllll...

[HughMoran]

58. lol

:)

[Peacetrain]

82. .....

Its a mighty "deep" subject that "well" ... ;)

[Tiggeroshii]

2. I find this question offensive

[Bluebear]

3. What's this about, did you say something boneheaded & someone call you on it?

:hi:

[Bicoastal]

7. Not today, I didn't...

:hi:

[petronius]

4. I think everybody is more easily offended on the internet

I doubt (hope) people wouldn't be so touchy in person...

[Peacetrain]

8. I think you are right..

[petronius]

15. Of course I'm right, jerk! Saying so implies that I could be wrong - I'm offended!

:)

Just kidding - what I really wanted to post is: what does it say on your train tracks?

[Peacetrain]

81. I now know

Some sweet soul found it for me.. it says Palestinians on one rail and Israelis on the other.

Edit to add.


I am so sorry I made the grave mistake of agreeing with you... Oh what was I thinking.. :rofl: (that was a good one ;)

[mitchtv]

66. people are more diplomatic in person

when you can reach out and "touch" someone

[leeroysphitz]

87. Could you imagine? A simple trip to the grocery store would be like a sequel to Mad Max n/t

[NuttyFluffers]

97. my theory: it's how left-leaning/"polite" people display aggression on the internet.

on websites that have little to no rules, aggression is displayed by cursing, vulgarity, and outright abuse. on "polite forums" this abuse is not allowed, but the moderation of such has to come from a subjective source (if it's a program that searches for bad words, it quickly gets circumvented into a farce). thus, instead of displaying aggression overtly, it has to become subverted -- thus the development of passive aggressive behavior: tattling, nanny state creep in the declarations of boundaries, and hypersensitivity.

DU is a remarkable display in this sort of development, especially the finessing of rules skirting. repeated taunts that are barely permissible, deliberate twisting of words, and outright red herrings/false accusations in order to setup technical rules violations for their targets, its just about an art here. and it's just as bad as any aggressive display you can see on some less moderated site.

[Tailormyst]

110. And people are more offensive on the internet

I doubt (hope) people wouldn't behave in such rude and offensive ways in person.

There is a bit too much on both ends.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. I'm really not sure on this.

I do think that we tend to be isolated, inbred if you will...

There's a lot of reinforcement here. We will bring up a topic, and seize on it, much more than you would see in the outside world.

No flames from me...

And I do not think your poll is bogus. I did not vote, since I didn't want you to think that I saw it that way.

But I would have voted "other."

[femmocrat]

6. At the risk of being flamed...

I find myself wording posts VERY carefully. I have had people take offense at things I thought were innocuous. I have learned that there are certain things that set some people "off"--- unfortunately I don't always know what they are in advance!

[SoCalDem]

11. Come ON!

You mean to tell me that you don't have a stenopad next to your computer?

You know the one I mean?

The one where you note who has:
dietary issues
child issues
obesity-related issues
a relative who has <insert ailment/syndrome/disability here>
military issues
foreign car issues
breastfeeding issues
smoking v non-smoking issues
home schooling issues
natural foods issues
etc
etc

:rofl:

[femmocrat]

39. LOL--- Good one!

Maybe I should do that! It seems like a lot to keep track of!

[Behind the Aegis]

42. You forgot gun-toting pit bulls who support Chavez whilst not tipping at Olive Garden!!

:)

[11 Bravo]

43. You left out circumcision. I'M OFFENDED!

[Behind the Aegis]

44. Too bad, so sad! It didn't make the cut! LIVE WITH IT!

:P

[Bicoastal]

47. Ssh ssh ssh...I've learned from experience that you can't make circumcision jokes here...

...although that does bring up the question--what do these people make of Mel Brooks movies?

[CLANG]

51. Huh? No circumcision jokes? Penis jokes are a staple of our society!!

[tango-tee]

48. Guns! You forgot gun issues!

That's the dealbreaker right there.

(Stomping off in a huff, never mind what you think about it)

[SoCalDem]

64. you are right.. and I forgot Israel too

:rofl:

and 9-11 building 7

[tango-tee]

67. How could you? How could you POSSIBLY.....??????

Thanks for reminding me of more things to be offended about.

:yourock:

[CLANG]

49. You said it all for me!

[Kali]

68. you forgot chicken coatings

[leeroysphitz]

89. +1

[pipi_k]

91. But it's the truth...

I've had the same thing happen to me lots of times.

I have difficulties anyway expressing myself. Worse when I'm speaking, but still sort of difficult when I'm writing because there's no way to convey tone, etc. and even if you post a little smiley at the end of it all, someone will come along who thinks you're just being an ass.

So I too spend a lot of time carefully checking my words and intended tone.

Sometimes it's almost not worth it after sitting here for five or ten minutes changing stuff around so it won't offend someone and it does anyway.

[verges]

114. Amen!

[Kahuna]

9. Woo, Boy! I'll never forget being attacked for using the word, "cycle.."

Of course that can only mean one thing according to some of DU's finest. :eyes:

[CBR]

12. "cycle" -- LOL!!!! That is hilarious and, sadly, the outrage is

believable.

[CLANG]

52. What is wrong with cycle?

I must be too f'n old! I'm only 55!!

[Kahuna]

101. I apparently was referring to a female's monthly and didn't know it...

And even if I was (even though I wasn't), what was the big deal???? Honestly, school was out early that day because I got jumped by about 3 DUers for using the word, "cycle." "crazy." Just so you know, don't ever use that word...though I suspect that there is a little clique that just likes to harrass me.

[pipi_k]

104. So did this bunch tell you what to use instead?

Because I'm thinking there might be a potential problem with words like "recycle", "bicycle", "tricycle", "epicycle", "motorcycle", etc.


:+

[Kahuna]

112. LOL! No. They never offered any alternative. Even after I posted

the definition of "cycle" from dictionary.com, which didn't even include as a definition what they were talking about, they continued to harass and attack. I have a lot of names in my ignore folder of folks I don't even remember what they did to piss me off. I imagine that bunch is probably on ignore. Who has time for that kind of stupidity?

[CLANG]

113. cycle cycle cycle!

Too funny!:rofl: :popcorn:

[Bicoastal]

13. My worst moment was last year....

...when someone made some (very mild) Yiddish-flavored jokes in reference to Joe Lieberman. I joined in the fun with (again, mild) jokes of my own. There were some extremely offended parties, and the whole thing got locked...

But here's the thing. The OP and I are both Jews--and the offended DU'ers were ALL goyim by their own admission.

OY! :eyes:

[WolverineDG]

60. Kinda like all the white Yankees who get bent out of shape & scream "racism"

when black people & Southerners of all stripes eat fried chicken & collard greens during Black History Month.

dg

[pipi_k]

93. And the really messed up thing is...

even though a person might belong to the religion or race or culture they're joking about, there will STILL be some cretins who will insist that person is "racist".

Seems like the word "racist" is a big buzzword around here anyway, even when it's not even appropriate, such as when the issue only involves culture and not race, as in the difference between someone being Black or Native American vs someone being Polish or French.


Takes all kinds, you know...

[The Straight Story]

10. Naw we are good - hate speech is ok (as long as a group you hate), People dying is dance worthy

and so on - it all depends on how people view things.

Example: Talk about jewish influence in the US - you are a hater, talk about christian influence in the US you are aware and trying to stop the evil ones.

Steve Irwin dies, it is ok to dance on his grave because he exploited animals, someone with a D after their name dies and we get upset and tell each other how evil and insensitive those RW'ers are who are grave dancing.


Easily offended? No, just a mirror image of times of some other sites.

[Happy Hippy]

17. After only a week here...

your analysis describes my perception to a t. Having said that, DU seems like a fun place and I enjoy the lively discussion.

[tango-tee]

73. Welcome, Happy Hippy!

:hi:

Sometimes one does have to tip-toe through a minefield. Or go through it like a bulldozer, and damn the torpedoes.

[CBR]

14. I got really offended by something on DU one time and I felt extremely

stupid afterwords. People on DU are generally way more offended than others I encounter.

[Kahuna]

102. Ah ha!!! Were YOU one of the people who attacked me for using the

word, "cycle." Apparently they must have felt stupid afterwards, because they don't seem to be as outraged today, as witnessed by their absense on THIS thread. No doubt they are all somewhere nuzzling their blankies and sucking their thumbs. :hi:

[Kitty Herder]

16. I can say things without comment here that would horrify people in the real world.

But then, I live in Utah. People here get offended at my very existence.

[Bicoastal]

18. There's definitely a flip side. Hell, when I lurk in FreeRepublic...

...I'm AMAZED at the awful, awful things that usually just slide by. But you'd never call FR "tolerant..."

[Cid_B]

59. Sure you would...

Just tolerant of different things...

While DU is extremely sensitive I would say that they are sensitive to things that those further along the bell curve would shrug off and visa versa.

[asdjrocky]

20. You have a lot of nerve living in Utah.

[Kitty Herder]

24. So I 've been told.

I kid you not. I have been told in all seriousness that I shouldn't live here because I don't much care for the Mormon church, because I'm a feminist, because I support same-sex marriage, vote Democratic etc., etc.

[asdjrocky]

29. That's just sad.

We all live where we live for our own reasons. Utah needs fighters too, in fact one of my very best friends lives outside of Salt Lake and one of my best trips of all time was to the Canyons.

[havocmom]

19. Easily offended or just looking for something to rumble about?

:rofl:

[beyurslf]

21. I recall being called a homophobe on here a few years ago for something I posted.

I thought it was rather amusing but someone didn't. Funny thing is, I am gay.

[Bicoastal]

22. See post #13.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SoCalDem]

65. Why do you hate yourself...?

and America:rofl:

[LeftishBrit]

23. As a body, no, I don't think so

However, as it's a large and diverse group of politically-interested people, and as almost everyone in any group has *some* hot buttons/ there are inevitably people going to be offended at *something*. (I admit that my personal hot-buttons are attacks on those who use modern medicine, and negative stereotypes about the UK because it has gun control!)

But I've come across people taking offence on virtually any board. I have seen ferocious flamewars about people's favourite books on totally nonpolitical boards. A friend was on a *knitting* board and found it very flame-filled at one point! From what I hear, parenting boards in particular often have lots of flamewars, as no one likes to have their parenting skills or their children's behaviour attacked.

[rug]

25. Let's see.

[Bicoastal]

27. So is that supposed to be a picture of something DUers will be offended by...

...or a picture of the stance taken by some DU'ers when they are personally offended? :evilgrin:

[rug]

32. In GD, the latter; in R/T, the former.

[pipi_k]

26. You want to see easily offended people?

try interacting online with a bunch of people who have various anxiety disorders (plus some issues not totally related to anxiety, if you get my drift).


My god, I never saw such a bunch of whiners in my life!!!

They're either convinced everyone is talking about THEM...or they're upset because people are ignoring them.

I saw the professional Victims, the Martyrs, and the people who worship daily at "Our Lady of the Perpetually Offended" church.

Like being constantly offended is a mark of morality or something.


Not that I don't see it here too. Some people just HAVE to find something to be offended about or they're not happy. Maybe it makes them feel better to be outraged about nearly everything. Morally better than everyone else...I dunno.

But this place isn't any worse than some of the places I've spent time.

[Canuckistanian]

28. I don't think AS A GROUP we're easily offended

What we DO have are vocal characters who are offended by anything getting too close to their own particular issues.

And as long as no one insults Canada, I'm tolerant of almost anything.

[eridani]

77. Why would anyone insult Canada?

Aren't you just Americans who would rather have health care than guns?

[stray cat]

30. More offensive, maybe more arrogant and less willing to listen or even try to understand a post

[demosincebirth]

31. I agree wit' ya.

[Shell Beau]

34. I say 150% yes.

Maybe words get mixed up online since you can't hear the tone, but I find myself explaining my posts so people won't take it the wrong way. I really feel many here love to be offended.

[Zomby Woof]

35. *sputter* *indignant*

I AM OFFENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111 :nuke:

[Shell Beau]

36. Of course you are.You are one of the ones I was referring to who loves

to be offended!



:P

[Zomby Woof]

38. ALERTING!!!!!!!1111

:cry:

[Shell Beau]

41. Please do. I already alerted on your post because I, too, was offended.

[tango-tee]

74. Alerting on an alerted alert! Mods!!

I can't take it any more!

Where is my circumcized gun to finally take care of my obesity issues on 9/11 while smoking my last cigarette? Come to think of it, my problems are all due to bad parenting! Mom! Dad! See what you made me do?

[t0dd]

37. yes, sensitive.

we had to do away with below 0 to satisfy those that couldn't accept that their ideas and discussions might be unpopular here.

[TK421]

40. yes n/t

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CLANG]

46. I voted yes

Although I don't have statistics to back up my impression, it is nonetheless my distinct impression. I could be wrong.

[TheCowsCameHome]

50. Sometimes I think it's a requirement.

.....very sometimes.....

[Marr]

53. People will bitch about anything. Get some balls, I say.

If it weren't for the title of this thread, I expect my headline would've drawn out several of the people suffering from Easily Offended Disorder.

I know you looked! Even though you didn't respond, I know you looked and so do you!!!!

[tech9413]

54. I can only speak for myself

I don't see a high volume of posts that don't make sense or are offensive. Those that I do see, I just take with a grain of salt and move on. No unrec or blocking, I just consider that the poster may not be so well informed on the subject or has a POV that I can't agree with.
I think most people here accept that we don't know everything about everything. In most cases, we know enough to admit what we know and what we don't.

[cutlassmama]

75. ditto

[verges]

115. Your still new. That's okay,

this too shall pass.

[inna]

55. For the "record", I voted Choice #2 and rec'd your thread.

:D

[Book Lover]

56. Other: No, I live in San Francisco (nm)

[Initech]

57. I'm offended by Fux News's constant use of the phrase "jam down our throat"

[HeresyLives]

61. I've found lots of 'third rails' on here.

And I found them by making a comment and then being attacked. There should be a list somewhere of verboten topics.

[Regret My New Name]

62. I think there is a high concentration of people who do...

but on the flip-side, there are a lot of people who don't take themselves too seriously and are not overly sensitive. The overly sensitive ones tends to be more vocal and stand out more because they can be more entertaining to read (in my opinion)... There are also a few who really really stand out in regards to be overly sensitive. I'm not complaining though, I think it makes for interesting reading. :)

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[QC]

69. Bingo! n/t

[Starry Messenger]

71. What QC said.

That thread was horrible. :(

[QC]

70. Many people come here and behave in ways that would get them punched in real life.

Others take offense to their behavior. (And then are accused of being too sensitive.)

[David Zephyr]

72. You summed it up in a capsule of truth.

Wisdom!

[Behind the Aegis]

79. This is very true.

For some, it is a G-dsend. Their bigotry or lies get deleted, then they can claim, "it wasn't me, I never said anything like that!" Others benefit because they can say "there is no "X" here. I haven't seen it!" The stupid "deleted message" post simply adds to it. The whole "check the rules" bullshit is just that "BULLSHIT." One can have posts deleted at DU for a number of reasons, including having done nothing to violate DU rules (deleted sub-threads sometimes include posts which don't violate DU policy). Moderators can't be expected to answer every IM as to why one's post was deleted. Of course, this also doesn't include posts deleted for "unwritten rules" or "moderator discretion." It comes down to posters being honest, which isn't always realistic.

[Tailormyst]

111. I agree

[Prism]

76. There's usually a history behind it

I have no tolerance of bigots (and there are an awful lot of bigots around here).

However, the ones I tend to call out are the ones who have a history of bigotry. To the casual observer, it may appear I'm going off the rails about one little remark. To others, they'll realize I am plain, stone cold sick of the same bigots getting away with it over and over and over, some of them going on years of shitty, bigoted statements.

So, to you, you might think I'm tearing into a homophobe over nothing, because you may not know things about that poster that I know. You may not have prior experience with them.

To me, I'm not letting that ignorant-assed bigot get away with it for the forty billionth time.

[gleaner]

78. I chose other ....

Some members are and some are not. It depends on the individual. I don't think you can generalize about a place as diverse as this. The most intolerant place I ever posted was a conservative forum during the 2004 election as the not very loyal opposition. Those people nearly drove me crazy. They were stone vicious but if you disagreed with them, no matter how politely they were all over the place demanding an apology and hurling shit at you. This seems like paradise by comparison.

Is anyone else tired of people of all political stripes demanding apologies for things that are said to them innocuous or otherwise? They put themselves in the public eye knowing they are going to draw the lightening and then start bawling if things don't go their way. It's time they grew up and realized that life is hard and if you dish it out, you better expect to take it. This is something I notice mostly from Republicans. I think it is time to put it to rest and tell them to grow up and shut up.

[hack89]

80. The tailored hair shirts are a tip off. nt

[panzerfaust]

83. Not that easily offended

but with difficulty in holding rational discourse.

This not being limited to the DU, but reflects current societal values where virtually all argument is extremely polarized with ad hominem attacks the primary tool - a good example of this being any thread on global warming.

[Bluenorthwest]

84. Wrong question. The real issue is wheater or not people are

more likely to be offensive here. I see people here who take extremely rude and arrogant stances all the time that would get them slapped down and asked to leave in the real world. Posters who write 'do you think health care is free?' or 'you don't know what that word means' are saying things that in real life would not go over at all. Very common on DU is the term (facepalm). I ask you, have you ever facepalmed in reply to an engagement from a peer in the real world? Anyone?
How about the people who snap off 'nonsense' and 'absurd' or 'don't be stupid' without further comment? Can you imagine that in the real world?
So this idea of 'easily offended' in a place where people will call you stupid to your face, where they ask middle aged people if they know that they pay for their Insurance, is the opposite of the correct one, which is this: Why are people so eager to drop their daily decency when they are online? Why do people type things they know they could not get by with in the real world?

[old mark]

85. Yes, yes, yes....but I seldom try to be considerate. Only Freepers are more sensitive, and they

often respond to my prodding with threats of violence rather than the drippy, snarky sarcasm usually found here.

"Religious" people are THE WORST of all!


mark

[Orsino]

86. In discussions of first principles, the consequences of which can be fatal?

We haven't seen offended on DU yet.

[rucky]

88. Yes, but it doesn't bother me much anymore. n/t

[onehandle]

90. Yes. Especially in one certain room that has special rules to protect their fragile feelings. nt

[Fumesucker]

92. Other: We openly discuss issues here that most people avoid like Ebola IRL..

I guarantee that a great many issues that people discuss here would lead to a screaming match plenty of places IRL..

As someone who has a hard time "making small talk" and is totally disinterested in sports it's often difficult to find a subject to discuss with a lot of people IRL because I know that a lot of the things I like to talk about lead to conflict and often remarkably quickly.

[Nikia]

94. I think it has to do with in group vs. out of group speech

When people talk with people that are similiar, they often say a lot of things that would be considered offensive to other people. Some of these are classically sexist, racist, classist, etc. Other comments might have to do with certain issues or experiences. On DU, everyone assumes that we as a group are liberals/progressives/Democrats and uses in group to the affect. In general, we could talk negatively about Bush without people getting offended, but beyond that people have different ideas about what it means to be a liberal/progressive/Democrat. People use in group language about many issues on here, which can offend people that are not in that group. Then there are people using in group language while referencing religion, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic class, family situation, location etc. and that can really offend people.
I still think that discussion from different points of view, even if they might offend some people, is valuable here because this is an opportunity to interact with a diversity of people who some of us might not interact with in real life. I think, though, that we should be sensitive to the fact that when we interact here that we aren't talking to a group of our friends who are very much like ourselves.

[NuttyFluffers]

95. of course! hypersensitive people are great "canaries in a mine" politically, but it has its bad too

i come here for political discourse, not for guidance on how to live my personal life. that'd be like trying to survive as a Victorian governess surrounded by hysterical nuns, mother-in-laws, and precocious spoilt children. i like insight, but am not a glutton for punishment.

[undeterred]

96. I think that the notion that people at DU are easily offended

is highly offensive in and of itself.

So there. :P

[dems_rightnow]

99. Same here

So I've put everyone on this thread on ignore. Same goes for everyone in the 3 threads following it, just in case.

[WilliamPitt]

98. 1-2-3 cry! 1-2-3 cry!

Um...yes.

[Robb]

105. I can't believe you'd say such an insensitive thing.

You have offended me, sir. It's pistols, at dawn.

[WilliamPitt]

117. Sorry. Overslept.

:P

[bridgit]

100. Yes - the IRL world has a much thicker, less brittle skin

[mitchtv]

103. as I said upthread

IRL people are more careful what they say, as well

[MrScorpio]

106. I can't stand dumb asses

Dumb asses offend me without reservation

Everyone else... I try to forgive

[WCGreen]

107. It depends on the day of the week....

The time of day...

[Mike 03]

108. This is a very intelligent poll, not a bogus poll whatsoever, because I voted

"Other" because I think some of us are very sensitive, like me, but a lot of DUers have thick skins.

One thing I like about this place is that over the past seven years, I have gotten a thicker skin as a result of participating at this website.

I am far from "strong", but I am a lot less sensitive to criticism than I used to be.

[Tailormyst]

109. I think we could stand to have more people who cared about others feelings

instead of more people numb to the comments and actions of others.

[TransitJohn]

116. It all just depends on if you're discussing an individual's pet issue/cause or not.

n/t

[QC]

118. Especially if their "pet issue" is their own legal equality, or lack of it. n/t

[Arkana]

119. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

Christ, I thought I was thin-skinned.

[ensho]

120. the 'easily offended' are the religiously insane

nt