when is something an insult?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

yes exactly, so the problem becomes who decides what is true, when you say its an ugly painting, and the artist says otherwise, who is right?

I am.

I dont know if this is true, but in any case, in the odd situation that people do get offended when you put something bluntly, whose problem is it then? I mean its not just something thats crazy and out there, we have laws for it and laws suits are being filed for insults regularly, and we in 2010 (i think it was) an entire continent was in turmoil because of a perceived insult. It often happens that when people say they are offended by something the other person has to be on the defensive, explaining this and that, held responsible for this and that. The offended people always seem to be under the impression that it is the problem of the offender that they are offended. But why is that

I think this is mostly about how people react to being insulted. Often they have no right to demand apologies and create a bunch of drama, much less file lawsuits.

I think usually when people are that angry it is not the specific incident that they care about.

could you elaborate a bit more on this? Do you have such a "good" theory, or is your point that there is none. In some cases intent matter, and in some not?

I would say insults are something we have pretty good instincts about, when we don't confuse ourselves. Except wrong about what's mature, etc, whatever the topic is.