TheVoxRox
1 HN recommender · recommended in 4 months, 2012–2019
7:49 · 4M views · Apr 23, 2011
Comedian Steve Hughes delivers a stand-up bit on political correctness, offense and health and safety culture, arguing there is no right not to be offended.
Cited in free speech and moderation threads as the famous comedic rant on being offended.
5 comments from Hacker News
> The internet is American, apparently. Whatever is posted online, you can find someone who is offended by it. Americans need to stop being afraid of words. I am actually worried this might seep into my culture at some point. It's fine to hold politicians and such to higher standards, expecting them to choose their words carefully. That's why it's called political correctness. But going around trying to police people's speech in everyday colloquial language, such as Google is doing here, is a road that will lead to disaster in many ways. Steve Hughes did a pretty famous 'rant' on the subject: this video
So who decides what is or is not offensive? Can anyone? How is one to predict what may or may not offend someone? What if I find your comment and tone offensive? does that mean that you have to now remove it? or that you'll censor youself in the future, lest you continue to offend me? And if you attempt to question the genuineness of my offense, then I take further offense at you attempting to de-legitimizing my original offense taken. To ground my point by way of example, consider this lunacy about the cry of "Japanese cultural appropriation" and how that is 'offensive': [LINK] Happily it was put to rest (by an ethnically Japanese person) but this is typical of the insanity that has taken over most campuses in the US right now Yes, it is infantalization to request that others self-censor just in case they may cause offense to you. there is no 'right to not be offended': this video
I think this would never happen where I live. Honestly this seems like its the same thing as you guys in the US not being able to say merry christmas because it might offend someone. What's so wrong with being offended anyway? this video I think people over there just take everything to seriously.
More internet drama over trite things, hooray. This kind of stuff just reminds me of Steve Hughes' comedy bit on being offended.[1] [1] this video
I didn't say they don't. I said that 'hurt feelings' are not grounds for a criminal nor civil legal case. this video