I agree, but unfortunately is but a subset of whom they discriminate against.
All poor people are lazy or stupid
It goes on and on. They simply judge people on the barest facts and assume they are right and refuse to hear more.
Blaster_Master:
Honestly, I think taking offense at things is a sign of personal work to be done. That’s not to say I don’t think certain things aren’t deplorable and possibly worth righteous anger, like racism, sexism, or whatever, but letting such things affect my personal state never pays off.
For example, with regard to racism, if someone says something that they don’t intend as racist but comes off that way, there’s no point in me getting upset because it wasn’t intended; instead, it can be pointed out, and if it was truly unintended, they’re now aware of it and it won’t happen again. Getting upset in that situation can potentially blow it out of proportion, or force them to get defensive, neither of which is productive. If, OTOH, someone says something racist with the intention of being racist and being offensive, then to let it affect my emotional state is to allow them to achieve their goal. Instead, the best result is to remain calm and take whatever action is appropriate rather than responding in anger and escalating the situation.
That said, there are some things that do still offend me, particularly belligerent willful ignorance, but even in that case, being offended solves nothing, as being stubborn and fighting back won’t change their minds and will just get them to dig in their heals, and getting angry just escalates the situation. However, I strive to resolve that sort of situation so that, in the future, I won’t be offended by it anymore.
Blaster Master nailed it.
Blaster_Master:
Honestly, I think taking offense at things is a sign of personal work to be done. That’s not to say I don’t think certain things aren’t deplorable and possibly worth righteous anger, like racism, sexism, or whatever, but letting such things affect my personal state never pays off.
Maybe we mean different things by take offense. For me it means to find deplorable. It does not mean I a upset, it means I speak out.
Blaster_Master:
For example, with regard to racism, if someone says something that they don’t intend as racist but comes off that way, there’s no point in me getting upset because it wasn’t intended; instead, it can be pointed out, and if it was truly unintended, they’re now aware of it and it won’t happen again. Getting upset in that situation can potentially blow it out of proportion, or force them to get defensive, neither of which is productive. If, OTOH, someone says something racist with the intention of being racist and being offensive, then to let it affect my emotional state is to allow them to achieve their goal. Instead, the best result is to remain calm and take whatever action is appropriate rather than responding in anger and escalating the situation.
You miss when discrimination has material affect. When one does not get a job or is fired. When one does not get promoted etc. In these cases action needs to take place and the other things that have no material affect are simply thing that lead to things with material affect.
Blaster_Master:
That said, there are some things that do still offend me, particularly belligerent willful ignorance, but even in that case, being offended solves nothing, as being stubborn and fighting back won’t change their minds and will just get them to dig in their heals, and getting angry just escalates the situation. However, I strive to resolve that sort of situation so that, in the future, I won’t be offended by it anymore.
Again we interpret taking offence differently.