What Does It Mean to Be Offended?
The word “offend” means to make someone feel hurt, angry, or upset. “Offence” is subjective.
Offence is a feeling. When you feel offended by something, it means you feel hurt or angry. It’s your experience of feeling offended that makes the situation offencive – no one can tell you what you should or shouldn’t feel offended about.
You can feel offended about things that don’t bother other people. For example, one person may find a raunchy joke about a certain topic offencive, while another person may find the same joke hilarious, even though they have the same sense of humor!
Offence is a subjective experience – no one can tell us what we should or shouldn’t be offended about unless we let them.
Why Are People So Easily Offended?
Why are people so easily offended today? It’s not because the world is more offencive than it used to be, but because we’ve changed. We’ve become more sensitive, less tolerant, and less willing to compromise. We’re also more dramatic in our insults and often do so to gain sympathy or attention.
There’s a new term for this behavior: “snowflake.” A snowflake is someone who thinks they’re special and unique, but in reality, they’re just one of many snowflakes. Snowflakes cannot handle opinions that differ from their own or anything that goes against their beliefs.
They label things as “unacceptable,” “offencive,” “racist,” or “sexist,” and as a result, they feel attacked by everything and everyone, because everyone has different ideas about what’s and isn’t acceptable in today’s society. It seems that people are so easily offended these days.
Anything and everything can upset someone, and it seems that you can’t even have a conversation without someone getting upset. But why is that? Why are people so easily offended? And what can you do about it? In this blog post, you’ll learn more.
Due to Their Sensitive Emotional State
The reason why people are easily offended depends on their emotional state. People’s emotional state can be affected by both internal and external factors- the time of day, the weather, whether they just fought with their spouse or roommate, and whether they ate well or not.
Part of the difficulty is that people often don’t consider how someone else feels when they send a message. In addition, message recipients don’t always consider why they feel so strongly when they receive a message.
For example, if someone gets in trouble with their boss at work and then comes home and finds heavy traffic on the way home and then receives a text message from a friend calling them lazy, it might make sense that this person would be upset because the text message seems unfair, not considering all the other things going on in this person’s life at the time.
Emotional intelligence also plays an important role here: someone who’s more emotionally intelligent can consider other emotions more quickly than someone who’s not as emotionally intelligent.
Due to a Lack of Empathy
If you aren’t able to understand and share another person’s feelings, you’ll likely care less about their feelings. This only increases the likelihood that you’ll hurt them with your words or actions.
The best way to develop empathy is to try to look at every situation from another person’s perspective. This way you can better understand their feelings and empathize with them. To put it in simple terms, see things through another person’s eyes before you make any judgments about them or them. You’ll be surprised what a difference this small step can make!
Empathy is the ability to understand other people’s emotions and experiences from their point of view, rather than judging them based on your views and experiences. So if you don’t have empathy for someone, not only will you not be able to share his/her joys and sorrows, but you won’t be able to connect with them emotionally, which can lead to serious relationship problems in the long run!
Due to the Decline in Humanities Education
As you may have guessed, the decline of humanities education plays a role in this trend. We’re so concerned about preparing our children for high-paying jobs that we’ve cut these subjects.
What do literature and philosophy have to do with technology and science? Everything. If we want to teach our children empathy and understanding, knowledge of history and culture is essential.
When you learn about other people’s ideas – especially their art – you begin to understand how they think, how they feel, and how they make sense of their lives. Without this understanding, it becomes far too easy to take things out of context or accept them at face value.
We must remember that the goal of education isn’t just to produce workers, but also citizens. We want our children to be well-educated individuals who can think critically about the world around them and make informed decisions to improve it.
Due to the Hyper-Sensitive Culture of Social Media
Social media has created a culture where people are constantly attacking each other or jumping on a bandwagon attacking others.
Here’s the perfect example: you’re scrolling through your Facebook and see a post that reads, “What if we lived in a world where every woman had equal rights?” Sounds innocent, right? Well, what happens next is an all-out war between those who agree with the post and those who don’t. The comments section turns into an ugly mess of arguing and name-calling, eventually leading to the original poster deleting their account forever. Pretty nasty.
Social media makes it very easy for people to take offence at what others say. They often take things too literally or out of context and get upset when they find that something doesn’t agree with their beliefs (even if no one asked them). It’s almost as if they need a safe space to not get offended online because society has made us all so sensitive!
Due to the Current Political Climate
In today’s political climate, individuals and groups are extremely sensitive to what others say. This is because they’re afraid of being labeled racist, sexist, homophobic, or something else negative in today’s society. People are afraid to speak their minds for fear of being labeled a bigot and attacked social media.
Even if their heart is in the right place or they didn’t mean to offend anyone with what they said, they can be seen as bad people by others. This can lead them to believe that what they said must be wrong because they don’t want to be denounced and shamed on social media.
This happens every day and probably more often than you might think! The result is that we, as a society, are very easily offended by others, even if there’s no intent behind their words or actions.
Due to Their Social Clique or Tribe
We’re all tribal to some degree, and most people are influenced by the opinions of their peers, especially if they grew up in a culture where it’s easy to be offended. They may not like how easily offended they’re, but it’s very difficult to break out of something you’ve done most of your life.
The tendency to be easily offended is so ingrained in our culture that people who don’t conform can be excluded from social activities. It takes a lot of strength and self-confidence not to be swayed by the opinions of others, but self-censorship can occur when you fear that you’ll get in trouble for what you say.
One reason for this is that it can diminish your standing in the group if you don’t adhere to their norms – people don’t want to be seen as weak, but as strong, or as wrong, but as right.
Due to the Different Perceptions of the Internet and Social Media
Because the Internet can be so much, we need to learn to use it effectively. The Internet has a bad reputation these days, but it can also be a good force. For example, people are using their computers and phones again to search for missing people or to report on local news – not just national events and celebrities, but also things happening in your community that you may not know about.
The Internet is also used to spread misinformation that you should not include in your speech or writing. This can take many forms: Fake News about national and international events, rumors about celebrities, conspiracy theories, etc.
You must understand how the media works in today’s world – and how the Internet works in that context – to avoid spreading misinformation yourself or inadvertently encouraging misinformation because you don’t understand exactly what you’re reading/watching/listening to.
People Tend to Overlook Their Weaknesses and See Only Their Strengths
This is partly in our nature. People tend to overlook their weaknesses and see only their strengths. They tend to focus on the good things about themselves and not the weaknesses. This helps us feel better about ourselves and more confident in our abilities. We also feel safe interacting with others because we’re less likely to see them as a threat or competition.
People are more likely to see their strengths than their weaknesses, which can make it hard for them to understand why others aren’t impressed with what they’ve accomplished in life (or why others might even find fault with them).
This can lead them into a downward spiral in which they become increasingly defensive and anxious about being with someone who doesn’t share their positive opinion of themselves, which can make it harder for these people to get along well socially.
People Are Afraid of Being Vulnerable
Vulnerability is scary, even for people who aren’t offended by everything. It means you’ve to show yourself. It means exposing your weaknesses and accepting that you might be hurt by them.
This can be difficult because there are parts of ourselves that we don’t like to share with others, especially if they think it’s a weakness or doesn’t like themselves enough to accept it.
Being vulnerable means asking others to do the same and expecting them to respect those differences in return. Many people would rather keep their differences to themselves than risk being rejected or taken advantage of.
It’s easier to be offended when someone says something you disagree with than to take the time and effort to explain why you feel uncomfortable around them (which may reveal something about yourself).
Due to Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
The unhealthy coping mechanisms of people who are easily offended are as varied as the people themselves. But some examples are:
- Denial. Pretending a problem doesn’t exist so you don’t have to deal with it.
- Self-blame. Some people find it easier to blame themselves than to accept that others have wronged them or that bad things happen without anyone being to blame.
- Withdrawal from others and enjoyable activities such as hobbies and sports may occur if the person feels they’ve been offended by someone they were close to or by a group they felt they belonged to before the offence.
- Using alcohol or drugs to feel better instead of working through the feelings can lead not only to addiction, but also to problems at work, in relationships, and with the law.
Due to the Fear of Being on the Wrong Side of an Argument
Many people are easily offended because they fear being on the wrong side of an argument. They don’t want to lose, and if their opponent makes a valid point that threatens their position, they shut down and either get offended or ignore the comment altogether.
People who are easily offended will also take their opponent’s comment as an attack on their person, rather than it being about the real issue. This is one reason why we must learn to take comments more calmly and be less sensitive – then we may be able to have better conversations with others!
People Have Learned to Expect the Worst From Others
It’s not that people are looking for things to be offended about; on the contrary, they almost expect it. They’ve even learned to expect the worst from people. And why? Because they’ve been conditioned by their environment and experiences to believe that the worst is likely to happen.
If you ask me what triggers this reaction in us, I’d say there are two main reasons: childhood trauma and a negative self-image.
What we perceive about ourselves (and our environment) when we’re young can stay with us forever if we don’t actively work to correct it as adults. If you were mistreated or abused as a child and haven’t yet (or not at all) worked through this, you tend to fear others because you associate them with danger and pain.
This means that you’re an easily offended person because you can’t trust anyone… especially not kids who spend a lot of time on the Internet and whose social circle is often limited to their peers (or those only slightly older than them). Even if these kids have parents who love them very much, their peers may have had traumatic experiences in childhood that cause them to be easily offended or upset when something is said online or in person.
It’s also possible that a person’s negative self-image can lead to problems when they’re trying not only to navigate life but also to properly interact with others. The person may think less of herself than what others see in her and then feel threatened when someone else is socially better off.
People Are Self-Centered and Don’t Mind Their Own Business
If you’re a person who’s frequently offended, you would not follow this simple advice. Instead, you belong to the kind of person who’s self-centered and vain. Your life would revolve only around yourself and your thoughts and feelings.
You don’t care about others at all. You probably gossip about them behind their backs for no reason. You probably even look for people to gossip about because it gives you something to do and makes you feel better.
However, if every individual in this world minded their own business, there would be no gossip! Everyone would live their lives the way they want to, not the way others expect them to, or the way they think they should – and that’s how it should be!
People Have Been Wronged in Some Way
Some people have been wronged in some way and they still hold on to it.
Have you ever been wronged? Maybe it was a friend who betrayed you, a relationship partner who slept with your best friend, or a boss who passed you over for a promotion because he favored an unworthy jerk. If so, maybe you feel like your career is being hindered.
Or maybe you’re stuck in a dead-end job because the company’s good old network keeps denying you opportunities for advancement. Or maybe you just feel like there are no more opportunities for advancement and success for people like you when others are taking them away from you.
Maybe you feel that other people are getting ahead at the expense of others and that the world is full of cheats and liars who’ll do anything to get ahead. And maybe they seem to get away with it, while honest people like you’re forced to play by the rules and let most of their potential go to waste.
People Have Developed a Culture Where They’re Offended by Everything
People have developed a culture where they’re offended by everything, even if it’s not meant to be offencive or harmful.
People are offended by everything. At least, that’s what you can tell if you spend enough time on social media. You may even feel that way yourself, or be the one offended by the outrage of others. That’s because culture has emerged where it’s easy to feel offended, and that hurts our ability to communicate with each other in real life.
It leads people to protect themselves from being confronted with ideas they disagree with, while never having a real discussion about opposing views. The simplest explanation for this is that people already had these views that they’re overprotective of and now have an outlet in which to express them with minimal resistance (social media).
Before, they may not have had a place for it, or at least not one that was as far-reaching. So they use all available means to spread their message, their stance on an issue – some more extreme than others. They’ve justified their arguments morally by creating a division in society between right and wrong, usually along political lines, but not always. When you label someone a “bad guy,” it affects a person’s self-esteem and morals.
They then feel better about themselves for “putting down” a person who holds a different opinion than they do, especially if that opinion is partisan and/or backed up by current events/speech bubbles. This happens so often that there are now memes that just make fun of those who do this: “This is why we can’t have nice things,” “You’ve been reported,” etc.
Before this environment was created, it would have been unthinkable for someone to get upset about any political argument (almost all arguments on the Internet) or any image uploaded online (such as Spongebob being used as a meme). Now it seems to be the norm; and what’s worse, no one seems to want that to change!
People Are Too Sensitive to Criticism
In some cases, feeling offended can come from people being overly sensitive to criticism. Some people feel offended when they’re criticized, even when the person criticizing them is right.
When this happens, it’s not necessarily because you’ve done something wrong, but because the other person has been conditioned to see criticism as an attack on their person rather than as an opportunity to make progress.
If you have this problem, you should take a hard look at your life and figure out what you can do to get tougher and overcome it. You’ll do better in life if you don’t take every little thing so personally – and if you let others tell you what your faults are, you’ll be a better person in the long run.
People Can Turn Innocent Words Into Something Offencive Seemingly at Will
We’re so inundated with tactics aimed at an offence that sometimes people can turn an innocent remark or gesture into something offencive seemingly at will. We see this often in the media, where accusations of racism and misogyny are frequently thrown around.
Sometimes it’s easy to tell what’s meant in the original context and what’s interpreted by others as racist or sexist. In other cases, it’s not so clear. The bottom line? Even if someone doesn’t mean anything bad to you, you can still feel offended. It’s not about what was meant, it’s about how you took it and the impact it had on your life.
People Misinterpret What Others Say as Intentionally Hurtful
You may feel offended when someone says something that’s not offencive. Sometimes people say things without realizing how they sound or what effect their words will have on others.
Sometimes people express thoughts and opinions without realizing that others may not think the same way they do about certain issues and topics. When someone says something and we take offence, it’s often because we don’t understand the meaning of what he or she’s saying or have misinterpreted it in some way – especially if the person is a stranger who’s no idea what our personal experiences in life have been like so far.
We tend to believe that there’s only one correct interpretation for every situation, and this assumption makes it easy for us to misjudge others when all they need from us is respect or compassion, not a criticism (even if what they say offends us).
And sometimes people just want attention – so before you get into an argument about an innocent post someone put on social media like Facebook or Twitter, etc., ask yourself, “Would it be better if I ignored it?”
People Can Be Easily Offended When They Need to Stay Mentally Strong
If you’re mentally strong, you’ll naturally not be offended by trivial things. However, it’s very difficult to be mentally strong, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Most people don’t become mentally strong. There are many different reasons why people need to stay mentally strong:
- To not lose control of their lives or emotions when something bad happens (e.g., a family member dies or your car breaks down on the way to an important business meeting).
- To not feel sorry for themselves when life gets tough (e.g., job loss, breakup) and to recover quickly from setbacks.
- To get their ego under control when they succeed (e.g., a promotion at work).
People Don’t Know How to Deal With Their Feelings
If you want to stop being offended so easily, it’s important to understand your own emotions. This is called emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions and the emotions of others around you. To develop emotional intelligence, you must practice being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The best way to deal with negative emotions isn’t to deny or suppress them, but to acknowledge and accept them.
You can also become less sensitive by changing the way you think. The next time someone says something that upsets you, ask yourself: Am I offended or just feeling hurt? Is there something constructive about this situation? What could I do differently next time?
Due to Being Ignorant
A person may not have a clue about something. They may not know what’ll hurt someone if they say it, or they may not understand why they feel the way they do. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge, especially about something important.
We can all be ignorant if we don’t pay attention to or learn things. (Think back to the days when you didn’t even know an election was happening until it was over). However, when people are an easily offended person, it’s usually seen as a problem.
This is because people who are offended all the time often act out of ignorance-whether it’s because they don’t know their feelings and motives, or because they don’t know other people’s needs or feelings.
It’s a Sign of Egotism
Some people believe that being an easily offended person makes them look good, so it’s a sign of egotism.
There may be a connection between selfishness and the number of things you’re easily offended by. But it’s not that simple. Self-centered people rely on others to make themselves feel good.
A person with a fragile ego can’t feel good about themselves if someone else looks better than them. This means that a person with a fragile ego will feel jealousy if someone else has something they don’t have or is more successful than them in some way.
One way to get rid of these negative feelings is to belittle other people and make them look bad, even if they’ve done nothing wrong. They can do this by claiming that what the other person said or did was offencive or meant in a certain way, even if it wasn’t meant that way.
Here’s an example of how easily an insult can be used to make oneself look better: Sally has been trying to lose weight for years, but she hasn’t succeeded yet. She goes out to dinner with her friends, including Jane, who’s recently lost weight and looks great in her new dress! Sally could be jealous inside, but instead, she says, “Oh my goodness, Jane! You really should stop wearing those tight-fitting dresses, because you’re making the rest of us look fat!”
People Feel Misunderstood
Let’s first explore the question of why people sometimes feel misunderstood. Some may feel this way because they don’t know how to better express their thoughts and feelings.
Others get mixed messages and interpret things in a way that makes them feel misunderstood. Sometimes people judge themselves and think everyone else is judging them too – which makes them think they’re misunderstood when in fact no one is paying attention to them.
Regardless of the reason, there are some actions you can take to avoid being offended when you feel misunderstood:
- If you don’t understand someone, ask for clarification and state how you understand what was said or done so you don’t have to wonder if it was more than intended.
- Take time to check the source – if someone has said hurtful things in the past or behaved in a way that makes you feel bad, it may be best not to take their words as truth until you’ve more information from other sources.
- Be honest with yourself about whether or not the person who made an offencive comment did so intentionally or unintentionally. If she was intentionally trying to hurt your feelings, an insult may be warranted, but if her intent was innocent, an insult makes no sense at all!
Due to a Fragile Ego
A fragile ego is a fascinating phenomenon. It occurs when a person’s ego feels threatened and therefore reacts sensitively. Essentially, it happens because someone feels “attacked” when they’re criticized or not treated with the respect they feel they deserve. The person is unable to accept feedback or criticism objectively and view it as neutral input.
For example, you have a colleague who’s working on a project where there are technical difficulties. You think he or she’s doing a good job, but you want to help them more. You go over to their desk and make some suggestions about how things could go better if you did x, y, and z instead of what you were doing before. Your colleague is offended by your suggestions! He responds with something like, “What, I’ve been working so hard on this for weeks! What makes you think I’m incompetent?”
People Often See Things Through Their Glasses and Filter Out Information
People often see things through their glasses and filter out information that contradicts their worldview.
Most adults have a worldview, i.e., how they see themselves concerning others and the world around them. They also have what’s called cognitive biases, which we use to rationalize our decisions and behavior to make us feel better about ourselves.
Let’s say you tell a friend that you can’t go camping with her because you’ve to work that weekend. She assumes it would be easy for you to get time off and that your boss is just being mean or selfish for not granting it.
In reality, everyone in your department couldn’t take time off at once without your team being understaffed, but she doesn’t take that into account because she thinks your boss cares more about everyone having fun than doing his job well. If she didn’t think that way, maybe she wouldn’t be offended by what happened (or wouldn’t think it happened at all).
People Carry a Lot of Baggage
People carry around a lot of baggage – and it can get in the way.
Think about it: You’re probably carrying around emotional baggage from your childhood and past relationships. This baggage can lead to frustration and even depression, which can cause you to get angry at the actions of others.
The thing is, people don’t always understand why they get angry so easily. Even if you think you’ve gotten over something that happened years ago, it may still be affecting you in ways you don’t realize.
You Expect People to Treat You in a Certain Way
You expect people to treat you a certain way, and when they don’t, you’re offended.
This isn’t the same as an assumption, which is defined as a thing that’s assumed to be true or certain without any evidence to support it. The difference is that assumptions are made before you know what a person thinks. Expectations are what you believe will happen based on another person’s actions. If your expectations aren’t met, that’s cause for offence.
There’s nothing wrong with having expectations of others. It’s important to be open-minded and listen to others’ opinions. However, there are two problems when we focus too much on our expectations:
- We assume that everyone agrees with us, which means we’re more likely to be offended if our assumption about their opinion turns out to be wrong.
- We cannot control our emotional reactions when those expectations aren’t met.
You Don’t Feel Heard
There’s a reason why many people feel offended when they witness conflict – they haven’t been heard, understood, and/or respected. When you’re hurt, the least you can do is stand up for yourself and say what you think.
This is one of the most common reasons we’re so easily offended. If we don’t assert ourselves enough, we become passive-aggressive or are simply upset when someone dares to disagree with us or disrespect us in some way. In these circumstances, we’re seldom satisfied because we rarely get everything we want and deserve.
If you find yourself in these situations often, maybe it’s time to take action:
- Start believing in yourself and your thoughts.
- Learn how to better express your thoughts.
- Don’t be afraid to express your true opinion without fear of disapproval. I think this is also a sign of insecurity, but also of self-confidence – believing that you know exactly what you want and where you stand, at all times.
You’ve Been Mistreated in the Past
Maybe you have some unresolved trauma from the past. Maybe you had a terrible experience with your family or you were bullied when you were young. These things can affect your mental health and make it harder for you to feel safe and secure.
It can be helpful to seek help to help you deal with these things. A trained therapist or coach can help you with this process, but you should also think about how these experiences are affecting how you feel right now. If they’re still affecting your life, it’s a good idea to think about how they’re holding you back and then develop a plan to change them so they don’t affect your view of the world around you.
For example, if someone made fun of your weight when you were younger, and now all the adults on social media are making comments about your body shape – there’s a way to do something about it by changing your mindset from negative thoughts about your self-image to positive ones, if that’s possible (or at least neutralizing any feelings caused by outside influences).
It’s a Good Excuse for Not Being Open to New Ideas
It may be that your friend or the person who sent you this article fears that you think he/she’s trying to invalidate your view or impose his/her own on you. No one likes to be proven wrong or to feel that their beliefs are being ridiculed, so they often hold on to them even more strongly.
Also, some people have had negative experiences with others trying to challenge their beliefs in a threatening way that’s caused them to listen to other points of view. You can explain to them that in this case, it would be helpful to understand why they feel threatened by other opinions.
This can help them recognize and overcome cognitive biases that make listening to other opinions seem like a personal attack on their views (e.g., the backfire effect). “Please understand that I’m not trying to change your mind,” you might say. “I just want you to consider other perspectives.” You can also tell about your own experiences where you were surprised at how much learning about another culture broadened your horizons and enriched your life.
Political Correctness Has Made Many People Afraid to Speak Out
Political correctness has made many people afraid to speak out if they have a different opinion.
Political correctness has created a society where many people are afraid to speak their minds. People are labeled as insensitive or hurtful if they have a different opinion. Politically correct people are usually politicians who inherently have to say the right thing so as not to offend anyone. They are enablers of the belief in political correctness.
There’s nothing wrong with being kind and caring in speech and writing. However, political correctness is unnecessary and has only led to more division between people because it can offend others.
Some examples of political correctness:
- The word “man” is considered offencive by some men because it includes women, so we use “mankind” instead. If we’re referring specifically to men, we’d use the term “humanity.”
- When we say, “I need a man in the house,” many men feel insulted because it implies that women aren’t capable of doing the housework themselves.
Some believe that political correctness is used as a weapon against them because they have a different opinion than those who follow this concept closely. Others believe that it’s an attempt at censorship, where free speech is suppressed.
The idea behind political correctness is a good one. Political correctness was created to make people from marginalized groups feel accepted and included in society. However, the way it’s been implemented is a big mistake. People no longer dare to speak their minds for fear of being labeled “politically incorrect” or offencive.
This has led to politicians becoming more politically correct because they didn’t want to appear insensitive or intolerant.
Due to Religion
People are more easily offended by people who disagree with them when it comes to religion.
This is because people feel more strongly about their religion than they do about other issues. For this reason, they’re also less tolerant of the religious beliefs of others.
Also, people are more likely to feel offended by things that go against their religion. For example, if someone says something offencive about Christianity, Christians are very quickly offended because they believe their religion is the right one and other religions are wrong.
Because they believe they have the right religion, many people assume that all other religions must be wrong. Also, some people wrongly assume that not only must all other religions be wrong, but also all those who follow them. As a result, some people are easily offended when someone disagrees with them about some kind of religious belief or practice.
Due to the Remarks of Their Close Friends and Family Members
People can be easily offended by the remarks of their close friends and family members, even though this rarely happens in other relationships.
It may seem strange at first glance, but people are more easily offended by the remarks of their close friends and family members than by the remarks of strangers. This is because we put our loved ones above everyone else.
We don’t want to hurt their feelings, so we’re more interested in what they have to say. Also, people may think that they can say anything to their loved ones because they won’t hurt them. However, this isn’t true. To avoid offending each other, you and your loved ones must express yourselves carefully when you talk to each other.
Due to an Inflated Sense of Entitlement
It’s not uncommon for people to have a sense of entitlement – the feeling that they deserve to be treated a certain way, or that they’re entitled to special treatment. This can come from trauma and abuse in childhood, leading some to believe that they’re worthy of being treated poorly, while others come out of childhood with such low self-esteem and self-confidence that they always expect the worst.
In either case, this can manifest itself in your expecting something negative in your interactions with others. If you feel that someone is constantly expecting something bad from you and other people – or you feel that everyone else is only thinking about themselves – then submissiveness may be your problem.
People Look for Reasons to Be Offended
Think about it: the offended person has a strong opinion and believes they are right. They’re so sure of their opinion that he or she hopes that the world outside of them will prove them right.
So if you disagree with the offended person, all they have to do is find a reason why you’re wrong – and they are even more right than before!
Offended people are also looking for a purpose: being offended gives them a sense of accomplishment. They feel like moral guardians and protectors of the “better way” – whether it’s politically correct thinking or other norms. Standing up for their values gives them a sense that their lives have meaning.
People Don’t Know How to Express Their Feelings in a Positive Way
Let’s face it, some people are bad at expressing their feelings. Don’t be one of those people who let their thoughts and feelings build up until they explode like a time bomb!
If you have something to say, say it. If someone says something that offends you, speak up and tell them why. This may seem scary at first, but having honest conversations with others is much more effective than avoiding the topic altogether.
f you don’t want to offend anyone by speaking your mind, try to phrase things positively rather than negatively or aggressively. For example, instead of saying, “I hate how messy this room is,” try saying, “I love how tidy the room is when we keep it clean! Can you please help me clean it up? I could use your help.”
See how that works? The second statement expresses your opinion and is positive at the same time! No need to make others feel bad by being negative – we all make mistakes and forget to clean up after ourselves sometimes!
Due to Their Personality Type
When it comes to overcoming your personality type, the most important thing is to understand how your personality type relates to being easily offended. When you’re able to accurately predict and assess what types of words or actions will offend you, you can better decide what to avoid or embrace.
Your personality type also determines your willingness to tolerate certain behaviors and criticism. The more easily offended someone is, the less open he or she’s to negative feedback from others.
For some of us, this can be a problematic trait because we feel incapable of handling our personality properly. But it’s quite easy for most of us – as long as we know our introvert and extrovert preferences – to go through our daily lives with a clear conscience, knowing that too much negativity around us won’t hurt us (honestly, it’s probably harder for extroverts because they tend to be risk-takers).
People Simply Don’t Understand How the World Works
The world isn’t a pretty place, and the sooner you learn that, the better. If you’ve been upset about anything that’s happened to you or what someone has said to you, it’s probably because you’re naive about how the world works.
People who are easily offended often don’t understand other people’s opinions. They ignore others’ perspectives on life and immediately feel attacked by their beliefs and attitudes, even if they differ from their own.
People who are easily offended also don’t understand the context of a situation. They often jump to conclusions without being aware of what happened or why it happened, causing them to overreact in ways that make them seem stupid or unintelligent.
Finally, people who are easily offended tend to overreact when something doesn’t go their way. This can be a small thing, like using plastic cups instead of glasses at dinner. But no matter how big or small the offence, it’ll always be equally severe!
Due to Different Definitions for Certain Words and Ideas
The word “liberal” means something different to people than the word “conservative.” Even asking a question is interpreted differently by different people. For example, one person may ask a question because they want an answer, while another may ask it out of politeness or to avoid conflict. Different words and phrases can mean very different things to different people.
Another reason people misunderstand each other is that we tend to interpret words based on our own experiences and beliefs. If you’re easily offended by something, you’re probably interpreting it based on your own beliefs.
Often we don’t even realize how different our definitions or interpretations are from other people’s until it becomes a problem in some way (e.g., conflict). If we’re aware of this tendency, we can better understand why some people feel offended by certain topics/words/phrases and others don’t – and hopefully have healthier conversations with each other as a result!
People Want to Feel Offended Because It Makes Them Feel Superior or Correct
You’ll encounter people who use insult as a weapon. Sometimes they do it simply because they want to win. They have no interest in learning more about your point of view; they just want to be right (or feel superior). They may also try to exert power over you, whether by applying social pressure or putting you through emotional distress.
Practice staying calm and taking deep breaths when these people get irrationally upset about things you say – they aren’t objective. Even if they’re right in their outrage, ask yourself: is this person reacting this way because she cares about the issue? Or is she simply trying to win the argument?
If someone is easily offended, it may indicate deeper issues such as low self-esteem or insecurity. If someone is quick to take offence and defend himself or herself, it may mean that he or she’s been hurt before and continues to expect that others will only treat him or her badly.
This behavior could be due to a lack of trust (in oneself and other people). If someone constantly expects that others will disappoint him or her, he or she’s much more likely to be offended when something negative happens (even if it was unintentional).
People Have Different Life Experiences
We all have different life experiences. We grew up in different cultures, sometimes even in completely different countries. And we often come from very different backgrounds: some of us come from wealthy families and attended good schools, while others have had to struggle to make their way through life. These life experiences affect us in many ways, such as how easily we’re offended or not.
For example, if you grew up with strict parents, you may be more likely to be offended if someone else tells you what to do as an adult. On the other hand, if your parents let you get away with everything, you probably don’t care if someone else says something that offends you because it doesn’t mean much to you personally.
Due to Different Beliefs or Values
The last thing I want to do is offend anyone, but the truth is that people are offended every day and for all kinds of different reasons.
This may be because people have different beliefs or values. Values drive our actions and can change over time. They’re also very personal, which means we don’t always understand why someone has certain values or how they apply them in different contexts.
It’s easy to say, “I’m offended” when we don’t understand or agree with another person’s beliefs or values. Sometimes these differences can lead to conflict if we don’t take the time to understand where the other person is coming from before trying to resolve the situation.
People Are Vindictive by Nature
Why are people so easily offended? There are 5 possible reasons.
Vindictive People Feel Pain More Intensely Than Other People
They are naturally attuned to their environment and how it affects them. Vindictive people can’t help but notice when another person makes them uncomfortable, and some vindictive people even use this trait to their advantage to anger or belittle others.
Vengeful People Tend to Be Sensitive, Anxious, Moody, and Angry
They don’t know how to deal with their emotions once they’re triggered, and they take out their innermost anger on them. They don’t realize that the reason for their anger is usually something trivial or someone else’s fault (not their own), which leads them to react negatively in small doses over an extended period. Without a healthy outlet for pent-up anger, it’s only logical that these people will become vengeful toward others when given the opportunity.
Vengeful People Are Unable to Take Responsibility for Themselves
They believe that there’s only one way to do things and that everyone else should conform to it, rather than finding a creative solution themselves – they lack imagination and creativity, but deep down they still think that the world would be better for everyone if everyone behaved this way and that (of course, this noble goal falls apartment when confronted with reality).
The lack of critical thinking leads many vengeful people to believe that something is wrong because someone else did it, instead of realizing that what was right wasn’t done by anyone; some even go so far as to say that it’s all just a big conspiracy that someone made up against them (which also has nothing to do with anything at all).
These people need to intervene before they get too entrenched in the world of pharmaceuticals (and we’d love to have our pills for free); unfortunately, most drugs cost money in pharmacies these days.
People Can’t See Beyond Their Perspective
People can’t see beyond their perspective – or their own opinion.
They tend to think their own opinion is the only valid one and cannot see beyond it. They often don’t consider the feelings of others or think about how what they say might affect others.
It’s great if you have an opinion, but if you can’t see beyond your perspective, you may be too wrapped up in yourself to have a healthy debate with someone who’s different beliefs than you.
So make sure that when you share your thoughts and opinions, you don’t just focus on your feelings and ignore those of others. Make sure you consider how what you say might affect the other person.
Due to Feeling Powerless
The way we think about ourselves and the world determines how we behave. If you think your life sucks, you’ll probably live like an absolute loser. If you don’t think you deserve better, why even try?
Of course, there are many factors at play here, such as gender identity, race, and personal beliefs or values – but none of that would matter if it weren’t for how we feel about ourselves and what we think is possible in our lives.
The same goes for feeling easily offended. When someone feels powerless (e.g., when they’re bullied at school), it may be because they’ve been conditioned by repeated negative experiences with other people (e.g., with their parents) that they aren’t worth anything.
When this happens, they develop an internal belief system that perpetuates their sense of inadequacy and makes them more likely to perceive injustices against them that don’t exist…which in turn makes them easily offended!
Due to Being Young, Liberal, and Outspoken
Unlike older generations, young people tend to be liberal and outspoken. This doesn’t mean that all young people have the same political views, but it does mean that they tend to have a broader worldview. A more outspoken person is also more likely to encounter an opposing view or experience something that triggers it.
The bottom line is that a young person who prefers to keep their thoughts to themselves will certainly be less likely to be offended than an outspoken young person who has no problem expressing their opinion on any topic they encounter. This doesn’t mean you should never speak your mind; it just means you should make sure your feelings aren’t hurt before you open your mouth.
People Tend to Be Oversensitive Because of Unresolved Issues
Many people tend to see themselves as victims of others’ inconsideration and bad behavior, but in reality, they’re hypersensitive to what others say or do because of their unresolved issues.
Unless you know a person very well, you can never know for sure whether or not they mean to maliciously offend someone, unless they’ve said something intentionally offencive. However, many people tend to take things personally when it’s not necessary.
Most people have had traumatic experiences that have deeply hurt them and made them insecure about certain things. I think that these past hurts and experiences often make them hypersensitive and harden their hearts toward others who’re trying to help them feel better.
People Focus on the Negative
Those who are easily offended are likely to get angry about anything bad that happens during the day. It’s easy to get bogged down in negativity and focus on everything that’s going wrong.
It’s much more useful to look at things from a different perspective. Focus on what you can control, what you can do, what you can change, what’s good and working, and what you’ve.
Instead of getting upset that your dog peed on the carpet today, praise him when he hasn’t peed on it in a week. The way you think about something has a big impact on how you feel about it.
People’s Expectations Aren’t Realistic
If you have realistic expectations, you’re more likely to be happy with the outcome of a situation. The problem is that sometimes people expect too much from life, which causes them to feel hurt and offended when their expectations aren’t met.
You can tell if your expectations are unrealistic if they’re ridiculous or impossible to meet. For example, if you expect a stranger to stop what they’re doing and help you move the couch you just bought at the furniture store, that’s an unrealistic expectation because it’s not possible for someone who doesn’t know you to drop everything and help you move your couch.
Expecting your best friend who loves to help people to help you move your couch, on the other hand, would be a more realistic expectation because even if your friend loves to help people, he mightn’t want to leave the family barbecue early just to help you move a couch. He’ll certainly want to help you, but he may have to wait to do so until later in the evening when the barbecue is over.
Instead of having unrealistic expectations, such as strangers helping you move and friends leaving their barbecue early to help you move, have realistic expectations, such as asking friends for help only when it’s possible for them to do so because of their current obligations (e.g., after the barbecue is over).
Not Giving Others the Benefit of the Doubt
You should give people the benefit of the doubt. When faced with a situation in which you’d normally feel offended, you should give the person (or group) involved the benefit of the doubt:
- Don’t immediately assume that there’s malice behind what was said or done. It may have been unintentional. Be open to their arguments and backgrounds before forming an opinion about how they want to be perceived.
- Don’t automatically think that their comment or action was a deliberate attack on you personally. It’s possible that they didn’t realize they did something wrong and want to make amends when they have the chance.
- Don’t blame yourself for the discriminatory attitudes and actions of others. They’re responsible for themselves, and how they treat others is up to them, not you.
You Don’t Care About Other People’s Feelings
As the old saying goes, you don’t care what other people think. This self-assurance is often frustrating to others, who then respond by saying how offencive you are. And that’s where we need your help.
You see, it’s not hard to be indifferent. It only looks that way because your behavior seems offencive. The truth is that everyone does what they do for their reasons and in their way. So when someone doesn’t do something for you – for example, when your counterpart at the restaurant doesn’t get out of your way – you may be frustrated and angry because he or she seems selfish or doesn’t show consideration for you.
But realize that this person probably doesn’t know how to behave as a good person, and is therefore intentionally making “bad choices” because someone else in authority over him or her has told them not to: either an adult or society in general (in this case, an organization like the government).
Note also that sometimes people do things differently than they should simply because no one has ever taught them how to behave properly.
Due to Low Self-Esteem
A person with low self-esteem experiences an abundance of negative feelings and thoughts about themselves, such as:
- I’m not good enough
- I’m insignificant
- No one loves me
- My needs aren’t important
- People don’t respect me
- I’m stupid/ugly/fat, etc.
Low self-esteem can in turn lead to poor body image and lack of confidence in social situations, which in turn makes you more likely to be hurt by criticism or insults from others. And so the cycle continues: if you feel bad about yourself and lack confidence in other people, you’re more easily offended when they say something.
People Are Conditioned to Be Offended by Cultural Changes
The thing is that people get offended because of changing cultural norms. When society changes, the things that people find offencive also change. This can also be said on a personal level: you may feel offended by things your friends don’t, or vice versa.
The reason is that people as individuals and groups have been conditioned to feel offended by cultural changes. When a person belongs to a particular group, they see the world through the lens of their experiences and values.
These values may include religion or culturally specific beliefs, such as what’s appropriate in public spaces or what topics (such as death) are considered taboo when dining with someone you just met.
People Just Don’t Know How to Laugh at Themselves Anymore
Let’s face it. Everyone has been offended at some point in their lives. And yes, there are reasons to be offended (racism, sexism, etc.), but sometimes people just need to relax and laugh at themselves a little.
I’m all for self-deprecating humor. When you make fun of yourself, it shows that you don’t take yourself too seriously and that you can laugh at your flaws and shortcomings. It’s a sign of self-confidence if you can make fun of yourself in front of other people because it shows that you don’t care what others think of you as long as they’re having a good time with you and not laughing at you.
You Feel Judged by Others
Being offended can come from feeling judged by others. Have you ever felt that someone judged you because of the way you dress, your accent, or something they found out about your past? This kind of judgmental behavior is a big reason people feel offended.
People often feel judged when others make assumptions about them. We all make assumptions sometimes like someone is nice because they’re well dressed and polite. But sometimes we make more serious assumptions about other people that offend them and hurt their feelings.
The next time you realize you’re assuming another person’s personality or abilities, stop and think about whether that assumption is justified based on your observations. If not, it may be best to keep such thoughts to yourself until you know the person better!
Not Being Able to Tell the Difference Between Jokes and Serious Statements
Some people get offended because they can’t tell the difference between jokes and serious statements.
They take everything literally and have no sense of context, perspective, or empathy. They simply don’t understand sarcasm, irony, or other forms of humor. It’s important to remember that not everyone has a good sense of humor.
A person who’s easily offended may seem humorless only because he doesn’t understand when you joke with him or about him, nor does he know how to joke in return (and even if he does, his attempts at joking are usually too obvious). He doesn’t realize he’s getting it wrong, so don’t get mad at him or make fun of him – instead, help him know the difference between being serious and not being serious.
People Are Easily Offended to Appear Virtuous or Moral
There’s often a social reward for being easily offended. Many people consider those who are easily offended to be more virtuous and morally superior. The more offended you’re, the more others think you’re virtuous, so some people fake offences to appear virtuous.
This also explains why many people who are not actually that offended get involved when someone else is mildly offended. They don’t want to be seen as less virtuous than their counterpart, so they join in on the outrage. This is also called virtue signaling and can occur in both online and offline situations.
People Are Easily Offended When Their Identity Is Threatened
We identify in different ways with the group or groups to which we belong. For example, if you’re a New Yorker, you may have more in common with other New Yorkers than with most other people. If you’re religious, your faith may be very important to you and play a role in every major decision you make.
These identities can become so deeply ingrained in our thoughts and behaviors that they’re almost like an extension of ourselves. We feel personally attacked when someone attacks our identities or the groups we belong to.
For example, if someone calls me fat or stupid, I may feel hurt, but I probably don’t see it as an attack on my identity unless I’m insecure about being fat or stupid (and even then it may not seem like an attack).
But if someone criticizes my faith or nationality, I might take that as a personal insult that requires something of me (e.g., defending myself or fighting back). This makes sense because these aspects are so strongly connected to my person that I feel they’re part of my identity.
People Simply Enjoy Being Offended and Find It Empowering
One of the best ways to feel offended is to pick a fight. This makes you feel superior and powerful like your rights are being trampled and like everyone in the world is wrong. This feeling can be addictive for many people – some even find it empowering. This is ironic because it’s a craving for something that most people never want to experience again.
There are two kinds of people who enjoy getting offended: those who see themselves as victims, and those who like controversy even when they don’t need it. I’ve met both kinds of people in my life: some want to be heard, others want attention. In both cases, they have an unhealthy tendency to overestimate themselves, which I believe stems from their desire for social validation.
The first group may also be less likely to comment on news articles or political debates involving touchy subjects like race relations or religion because they’re afraid of offending someone else with their opinion (whether intentionally or not).
The Rise of Feminism Has Also Made People More Easily Offended
In recent years, the number of people who call themselves feminists have grown significantly. While this movement has led to many positive changes in our society, it’s also led to people being more easily offended than before. This is evident in the backlash to seemingly innocuous comments or exhibits, as well as various identity-based movements and protests.
At the same time, it’s important to recognize that these changes aren’t necessarily bad. On the contrary, greater acceptance of diversity and sensitivity to issues of oppression can ultimately help us create a more equal and peaceful world for all.
Feminism not only gives women the opportunity to speak about their experiences but also promotes understanding between people with very different beliefs and opinions. In this sense, feminism is a necessary and exciting development that’s changing the way we view ourselves and others.
So while some see this increase in offences as problematic, others believe it’s ultimately part of a larger shift toward greater freedom and equality for all people.
Conclusion
I hope that by now you have a good idea of why people feel offended, whether they are justifiably offended or not. It’s important to remember that what offends one person may be different for another. By keeping an open mind and being understanding of others’ feelings, we can avoid unintentionally offending each other.
