No offense, but you’re easily offended
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Quirks are wonderfully entertaining. These routines that continue on, frequently along with an unaware individual, are hard to be rid of.
Personally, whether I ask what the weather is like outside (my god, we live in the tundra) or what the heck happened with Manti Te’o, I cannot help but start with “I have a weird question,” regardless of whether it is truly weird or not. Another phrase that has become well known and widely used is “no offense,” and you can bet your bottom dollar that if someone starts a sentence off with these two supposedly harmless words, there will be offense. It is as if by stating the intention not to hurt any feelings right off the bat, telling a friend that she smells like rotting meat will go over well.
Ironically enough, when talking about offending people, some people might just walk away feeling a bit offended. There are so many instances in which our society gets bent out of shape.
Celebrities are expected to not only deal with the paparazzi but to treat them kindly, as if they are friends, never creepily lurking with cameras, and couples eating at romantic restaurants are not seen as “ideal customers” if they raise their voices. There is a level of expectation that has been handed down to us over time, taught through both culture and everyday experience.
At what point does being offended become hypercritical or humorless? If you were told as a child not to put your elbows on the table, it might be a little over-the-top for a date to throw his or her plate of food at you, making a scene if you did so. As it is with everything, too much of anything is usually bad: that includes taking offense. As perfection-seeking-students (some of you are probably thinking “yeah, right”), or rather, as humans, we strive to do our best. But when criticized, given the silver or bronze metal, we usually and collectively think that some mistake has been made, or that someone has been bribed (I swear that is how tests always seem to work…).
Expectant of the highest standards, it seems as if we all assume the bad will prevail, therefore picking at tiny and hardly visible details, paranoid that they might just lead to bigger and badder things. Car horns used to be friendly gestures, and team names as well as a multitude of other things were not analyzed and changed for their supposed offensiveness. If it could possibly-maybe-kind-of be taken the wrong way, it must be wrong. Our minds are challenged to find the utmost offensive idea or implication not second, but first, before anyone else can catch it. No offense.
sschoch@lanthorn.com
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Pictures of the Year 2012-2013
Courtesy Photo/Joe Kargula and Erik Peterson run the Marathon leg of the Ironman Triathlon
GVL / Robert Mathews Quarterback Heath Parling (12) leading the offense past Notre Dame College.
GVL / Eric Coulter Senior Jake Isaacson placed eigth in the Spartan Invitational. Isaacson's time of 25:04 was the highest among Division II athletes.
GVL/Jessica Hollenbeck Student Senate President Jack Iott speaks to the assembly during Thursday's meeting.
Courtesy / gvsu.edu President Haas and Montcalm Community College President Robert C. Ferrentino sign the transfer agreement
Courtesy Photo/ GVSU Athletic Department Sophomore Chris Cunningham lines up a putt at a past match.
Courtesy Photo / GVSULakers.com Andrew Darrell prepares to return the serve earlier this season.
GVL / Jessica Hollenbeck President Haas cooks pancakes during Family Weekend's "Pancakes with Presidents".
GVL / Jessica Hollenbeck President Haas cooks pancakes during Family Weekend's "Pancakes with Presidents".
GVL / Archive Forward Briauna Taylor (31) chases down a lose ball in a game last season
Courtesy Photo / Dean Breest Sophomore Allyson Winchester was named the GLIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year after finishing first with a time of 20:48.8.
GVL / Archive GVSU's Breland Hogan rises and fires over three defenders last season.
GVL/Bo Anderson Briauna Taylor leads the fast break during a game earlier this season.
GVL / Robert Mathews Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning, James Moyer, leading a walk through of the Mary Ideam Pew Library
Courtesy Photo / GVSU DII Men's Hockey Jeremy Christopher chases down a puck during a matchup last season.
GVL / Bo Anderson Students and faculty danced under the spectacular light show in the Devos Place Ballroom
GVL / Robert Mathews Martin L�wenberg, holocaust survivor, speaking at the Genocide Awareness Night presentation in the Grand River Room.
Courtesy / Dean Breest Senior Sam Lockhart finishes her indoor career with two individual national championships in weight throw and shot put at the 2013 National Championships.
Archive / Robert Mathews Giancarlo Brugnoni (40) rounding the bases during a previous game.
GVL/Bo Anderson Seniors Christ Koppenaal, Bill Madsen, and Mitch Weber measure the exterior of the Wesley House as part of an energy audit.
GVL / Robert Mathews Senior Anthony Campanella pitching against Tiffin University during the Lakers double header.
GVL / Eric Coulter Brother Jed Smock, a member of Campus Ministry USA, speaks with fervor to a student. Many students, all with differing views, came to watch the Campus Ministry members speak.
GVL / Sean Mouton A passing walker stops to admire some recently constructed pieces of Art Prize 2012.
GVL Archive Senior Nick Gunthorpe follows through and watches his shot at the Ardenson last year. This weekend the team will be playing in South Haven.
GVL / Bo Anderson GVSU's Katie Martin points to her teammate after safely reaching second base.
GVL / Robert Mathews Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons under construction.
GVL / Archive The Grand Valley Rowing Team during Spring Training in Florida last spring.
GVL / Robert Mathews Judge Glenda Hatchett, keynote guest for Monday's King celebration, speaks in the Grand River Room in Kirkhof.
GVL / Robert Mathews Judge Glenda Hatchett, keynote guest for Monday's King celebration, speaks in the Grand River Room in Kirkhof.
Upcoming Events
All day | The 5th Annual Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Academy
All day | GVSU Men's Golf at NCAA Div II Championship
6:30 pm | Broadway Theatre - Anything Goes
All day | The 5th Annual Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Academy
All day | GVSU Men's Golf at NCAA Div II Championship
6:00 pm | Academic and Student Affairs Faculty and Staff Retirement Celebration
All day | GVSU Men's Golf at NCAA Div II Championship
7:30 am | GVSU Downtown Toastmasters
11:00 am | GVSU Track & Field at NCAA Championships
5:30 pm | MBA Information Meeting: Holland
7:00 pm | Failure Lab
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