jojom
Active Member
There's a thread created by davidilic9, since closed, titled "God is a ***!" I assume it was closed because of its inflammatory nature, which is well and good. However, it brought to mind the common reaction people have to disparaging remarks made about X, Y, or Z.
If these are subjects one has little or no interest in the reaction may be nothing more than a "Ho hum."
But, if X, Y, or Z happen to be of personal interest or concern, or even about ourselves, our immediate reaction may be furious indignation, sometimes followed a physical threat
"Jesus slept with his mother the whore."
"Okay! that's enough you &%#**##*% . Prepare to pick your teeth up off the floor!"
Not unreasonable you might say; However, consider:
1) Is the remark true? If so, then why get mad at the truth? Even if you may dislike it it's hardly reasonable to let its mere mention upset you. If it does then you may want to seek consoling.
2) Is the remark false? If so, then why are you caring? Do you really care what others think when what they say is false? Why are you putting any value in it, especially if you don't know the person who said it. If you say my mother chews her underwear, so what? I know it's not true, and I don't care what you think. The power of such a remark only lies within ourselves, what we choose to give it; not in it's nature or who said it.
So, while a remark may be inflammatory, it's only inflammatory because we let it. Don't give such remarks any meaning and they won't "get to you." Put them in perspective and ignore them.
I haven't said all this to excuse the "God is a ***!" title and post, because I recognize that it was most likely "deliberately inflammatory in order to provoke a vehement response from other users." A violation of rule 3. I'm just trying to put name calling and insults in perspective.
They aren't worth our time, and if acknowledged only play into the hands of the jerk who said them.
On a personal note, my typical retort is "why do you think I care (what you think/say)?" Which sums up how I believe all insults should be handled. Don't bother to care.
*a syncretic religion of Caribbean origin.
.
If these are subjects one has little or no interest in the reaction may be nothing more than a "Ho hum."
"Santeríans* eat dung."
"Ugh. Okay."
"Ugh. Okay."
But, if X, Y, or Z happen to be of personal interest or concern, or even about ourselves, our immediate reaction may be furious indignation, sometimes followed a physical threat
"Jesus slept with his mother the whore."
"Okay! that's enough you &%#**##*% . Prepare to pick your teeth up off the floor!"
Not unreasonable you might say; However, consider:
1) Is the remark true? If so, then why get mad at the truth? Even if you may dislike it it's hardly reasonable to let its mere mention upset you. If it does then you may want to seek consoling.
2) Is the remark false? If so, then why are you caring? Do you really care what others think when what they say is false? Why are you putting any value in it, especially if you don't know the person who said it. If you say my mother chews her underwear, so what? I know it's not true, and I don't care what you think. The power of such a remark only lies within ourselves, what we choose to give it; not in it's nature or who said it.
So, while a remark may be inflammatory, it's only inflammatory because we let it. Don't give such remarks any meaning and they won't "get to you." Put them in perspective and ignore them.
I haven't said all this to excuse the "God is a ***!" title and post, because I recognize that it was most likely "deliberately inflammatory in order to provoke a vehement response from other users." A violation of rule 3. I'm just trying to put name calling and insults in perspective.
They aren't worth our time, and if acknowledged only play into the hands of the jerk who said them.
On a personal note, my typical retort is "why do you think I care (what you think/say)?" Which sums up how I believe all insults should be handled. Don't bother to care.
*a syncretic religion of Caribbean origin.
.
Last edited:
