Quote Originally Posted by Kadagar_AV View Post
Very good TS.

I guess we have to separate insults and offense...

What is, or isn't, an insult is decided by the one making it.
What is, or isn't, offensive is however decided by the receiver.

This of course results in a HUGE grey area, and that's why social skills are so important, to navigate those grey waters.
i guess thats a nice way of putting it.

The way I see it the grey areas are mostly the result of not knowing what the intentions are of others, and that, since it is subjective, pretty much anything can be offensive to someone.

Which brings us back to a question posed a few times before, to what extent should i concern myself when someone else is offended by what i say. And what happens when I know what I say will be offensive to the other person, but I simple think he shouldnt be such a whining *****. To take homosexuality again, I think every gay person knows that explicit gay behaviour offends some people, but they may simply not care. I think im right in saying that the majority of the people on this forum would say they have every right to ignore the feelings of those who are offended by their sexuality. But that brings us to the question of why it is ok in this case, and why it is not ok other cases, such as swearing. I may swear aloud, not with the intention to offend others, however while fully aware it will or may offend others.