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Nowadays, the mainstream media routinely covers instances where someone has been offended by something. At times, what has taken place can receive a fair amount of attention, and, at other times, it can receive a small amount of attention.
But, while this source typically covers instances that have taken place a little while ago, one can browse through a social media site to see it happening in real time. Here, one can instantly find out about what has caused another person to be offended. Two Worlds If the mainstream media reports on something, it can relate to what has taken place online or offline. Likewise, if someone online is offended about something, it could be due to what has occurred online or offline. What this shows, then, is that someone doesn’t need to be around other people in order to get worked up about something. Thus, someone could go somewhere that is completely isolated, but as long as they have a device, something will disrupt their inner peace. Unavoidable One way to look at this would be to say that being offended is simply part of life and that the world is not going to align with how they think it should be. With this in mind, it is going to be a total waste of time and energy for someone to continually get worked up about things. Behaving in this way can stop them from using their time and energy to actually make the world a better place. It will be as if another person is telling them to jump and they will jump just about every time, having absolutely no control over themselves. Self-Reflection Therefore, if someone values their time and energy, they will see how wasteful it is to get offended all the time. If, for example, there is something in particular that annoys them, they could invest their time and energy into doing something about it. They will then be able to do something constructive with their time on this earth, as opposed to allowing their surroundings to toss them around. This will allow them to be a cause and not purely an effect. The Modern-Day Outlook However, even though the world is not perfect and there will always be things that cause annoyance, there are plenty of people in the western world who are unable to accept this. As a result of this, they will believe that the world should always align with their view of how it should be. Through being so idealistic and not having an outlook that is grounded in reality, it is going to be normal for them to be tossed around. How they feel is then typically going to be defined by what is taking place externally. Analogy In a way, it will be as though they are walking barefoot on ground that is full of big and small nails. There will be big and small things that will get a rise out of them, making it hard for them to feel at peace. If they were walking on nails, it would be essential for them to put something on their feet; this might not take all the discomfort away, but it would certainty make a difference. Equally, having a more detached approach to life won’t make them immune to what is taking place around them, but it will almost certainly have a positive effect on their wellbeing. Self-Absorbed Based on how they behave, it can show that they believe that the world should revolve around them and that they shouldn’t have to adapt to the world around them. If this is the case, one is likely to have an inflated sense of importance. On the other hand, if one didn’t have a grandiose sense of importance or even if they felt as though they were not important, they probably wouldn’t expect the world to be this way. It will be all about their needs, with them giving little though to the needs of others. One-Sided It will up to other people to make sure that they don’t do or say anything that will have a negative effect on them. What this is likely to mean is that they won’t give much thought to the effect that this would have on free speech. Controlling what other people can or can’t do might allow them to feel better, but it is highly likely that this would also end up having a negative effect on their life. Their ability to express themselves would be heavily restricted, and they soon come to see that they are living in a prison without bars. Consequential Thinking One of their greatest needs will be to live in a world where nothing ever bothers them, and this is basically going to be a world that is sterile. One way to imagine this would be to think about a world that only contained soft things and had nothing that was hard or sharp. It will be a world that is comfortable, that’s for sure, yet it will be a world that is totally bleak. Thanks to being so consumed by their own feelings, it will stop them from being able to empathise with others and to reflect on the impact that this would have on their fellow citizens who have views that don’t go along with what is classed as acceptable. Socially Acceptable Behaviour What can make it even harder for someone to realise how destructive it is for them to try to control what other people say and do is that this kind of behaviour is supported by different parts of society. Ironically, numerous universities and colleges are happy to restrict free speech. This is then tantamount to someone going to a gym to get fit, only to be told that they are not allowed to use any of the equipment. If a university/college restricts what someone can or can’t say to make sure that no one else is offended, would it be accurate to say that it has abandoned the principles that it was founded upon? Conclusion It would be easy to say that the attack on free speech is being instigated by people who are narcissistic, but it is not this black and white. Another thing that needs to be taken in account is the fact that certain elements of society encourage this type of behaviour. If the support at the top wasn’t there, this kind of behaviour wouldn’t be taken seriously. The question is: are people like this being used to move the citizenry down a certain path? If they are merely pawns, what is the endgame?
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
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 Oliver JR CooperAuthor of 28 books, Transformational Writer, Teacher & Consultant. Introductory Consultation
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Disclaimer
That which is contained within these articles is based on my own empirical understanding and is true for me at the time they were written. However, as I continue to grow, what I perceive as the truth will inevitably change and as a result of this - parts of these articles may not reflect my current outlook.
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