Do not assume for atheists or theists or any individual or the entire planet what they have to do, or what they are comfortable with. I hate the idea that people all have glass jaws and will crumble at the first sign of dispute. Protecting ones ego at all costs in every context is most likely the biggest problem in our species history that causes the most conflict. Iran and Communist China are both examples of power existing solely to protect the egos of those in power.
YOU CRIPPLE PEOPLE with that mentality.
If it were never ok to "insult" anyone, then even without ad homins or cursing, Muslim men would be justified in STABBING A DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR TO DEATH for claiming that being a critic of their treatment of women, by your logic is "INSULTING'.
Because to those Muslims it WAS from their point of view AN INSULT! And what about the women living under them who have no voice? By allowing a subjective word to be twisted like that we would be turning mere criticism into an "insult"
It is humanly impossible to put one person or group of people into the final arbitrator of what "offensive" or even "insult" means. You start setting up taboos and making demands like that it is the quickest way to create more division and more conflict.
You are giving taboos license by doing that. Playing thought police and speaking in terms of absolutes in a diverse species is what divides us.
I am not a fan of absolutes at all. It will always for me DEPEND on the CONTEXT of a given situation.
YOU CRIPPLE PEOPLE with that mentality.
If it were never ok to "insult" anyone, then even without ad homins or cursing, Muslim men would be justified in STABBING A DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR TO DEATH for claiming that being a critic of their treatment of women, by your logic is "INSULTING'.
Because to those Muslims it WAS from their point of view AN INSULT! And what about the women living under them who have no voice? By allowing a subjective word to be twisted like that we would be turning mere criticism into an "insult"
It is humanly impossible to put one person or group of people into the final arbitrator of what "offensive" or even "insult" means. You start setting up taboos and making demands like that it is the quickest way to create more division and more conflict.
You are giving taboos license by doing that. Playing thought police and speaking in terms of absolutes in a diverse species is what divides us.
I am not a fan of absolutes at all. It will always for me DEPEND on the CONTEXT of a given situation.
