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Friday, March 23, 2012

Taking offense

How often have you witnessed people pull themselves up to their full height, and say, in the most haughty, tremulous tones they can summon, "I find that statement really offensive!" 

That pronouncement has two basic translations. The first is, "I am an extremely politically correct thinker, in fact I am SO correct that I can't even countenance this trespass on a cherished illusion."

The second is, "If I could slice and dice your statement to make you look foolish, believe me, I'd do it. But since I lack the intellectual firepower to do so, instead I'm going to resort to this tired old formulation in hopes that you're intimidated enough by the power of political correctness to back off and suspend all critical thought."

The appropriate response whenever someone tells you they're offended is, of course, "So what?"

But since they most likely won't get that, you probably want to explain this way:

"Okay, I'm very impressed by your refined sensibilities. But honestly, I'd be more interested in hearing an intelligent rebuttal. Or are you going to just continue to posture and act outraged?"

Then add, "Guess I've hit a nerve. If I'd said something ridiculous, for instance, that the earth is flat, you'd never have acted all offended. You'd have laughed and made fun of my faulty logic. I challenge you to do that now."

4 comments:

Pete said...

Acting morally outraged is often just a tactic to throw the bloodhounds off the trail. Some people are real adept at acting this way when they deem it to be the card to play when things get a little close. However, at the same time it can give them away as it also signals to you that you're now onto something and further probing may be in order.

John Craig said...

Pete -- Exactly.

lowly said...

There is your problem, right there. You want to be an alpha male, you drop them before they finish. Straight right hand with all your body behind it. When they topple backwards, it is time for the left to the gookie, and as they double over, you finish with a knee to the nose. But really, a true alpha male will collapse them with the first shot.

John Craig said...

Lowly --
Spoken like a true alpha male.