Are We Becoming Oversensitive People?

[SavageTaker]

I've been pondering this for a while and the more I think about it the more I do agree that we are becoming oversensitive people.

I know bullying is a real problem we are facing, but it seems that nowadays anything you do is immediately considered bullying. We can't make jokes about the size of people's noses or the size of their ears because that's bullying according to most people, but to me it's people being oversensitive.

We have all at one point been made fun of whether it was in a joking manner by our peers or by people who would be considered bullies, but the point stands. I understand that it does become a problem when it's a constant thing and it really is people trying to be hurtful, but when it's friends just being friends and messing with each other then I don't see the harm.

Lastly, I think with people becoming oversensitive it's teaching little kids to be *****es. Sorry if it sounds harsh, but it's the truth. How are young people like myself supposed to be expected to make it into the real world if we don't grow some thick skin? Everyone knows that a lot of businesses are pretty cut-throat and if you don't have a spine then you will be left behind. I'd rather endure some harmless teasing than becoming a little pussy who can't make it in life because every little thing someone says about me or does to me is immediately considered bullying.

What do you guys think? Are we really becoming oversensitive or am I just looking way to deep into it?

 

[wrestlingfan]

Agreed people are becoming oversensitive but in reality, that's been like that since the beginning of time and possibly may never change. However there will become a time in life, that when you get to a certain age possibly in puberty that you may not become harmed by things such as teasing and little insults by enemies. (maybe if you're constantly being bullied) Heck there's little kids on my bus who are in 3rd grade that even though are young I try to help get tougher so they don't get hurt,teased for being weak or end up fighting people like I did sometimes in the past, because those little ones can sometimes, end up crying over the most little things.

 

[HBK-aholic]

To an extent. When it comes to children, and their friends making a joking comment, it could be seen as oversensitive to go cry to your mum about bullying - and I don't think most people would. Names won't phsyically hurt someone and I'm not arguing otherwise in my post, but I don't completely agree with how you feel on this.

That being said, for every 'pussy' that is brought up, we see more and more thugs - people who go out of their way to make life difficult for those around them and to intentionally hurt them. And if my child came to me and told me they were being bullied, I would never, ever attempt to say they were being oversensitive and I think to do so would be to say to bullies 'what you're doing is ok' and to tell my child they were at fault for doing exactly what we tell them - be nice, and tell a teacher/parent if someone is upsetting you.

Also, while we as adults may be able to see the difference between 'harmless teasing' and agressive bullying, young children are likely to see differently. My 9 year old recently was told she needed glasses, and we chose some adorable ones, and every member of the family told her she looked great in them. Yet at that age it only takes one person to say "You look stupid" or "You look better without them" for her to completely hate them, and stop using something we know she needs, or feel self-concious every time she does.

I think it would be irresponsible to ever tell a child they were being over-sensitive. While you could argue that would lead to them gaining 'thick skin' I also think it could lead to them bottling up their feelings - something no parent would want their child to do and could lead to many worse outcomes. I mean, when we try to tell a young child to differentiate between teasing and bullying, we draw a line which may be clear to us but not them. If they came to you once and you brushed off a remark, they may choose not to come to you in future with a more serious issue. I'm never going to label those who mock others as correct, which is what seems to happen, albeit inadvertently, when the blame is put on those being called names for not putting up with it or giving the same abuse back.

I do understand the gist of your post, and agree to an extent, but I don't think the alternatives/way to fix 'over-sensitivity' work out in reality.

 

[Pole Smoker]

Yes. Todays world is a disgrace. People get offended with anything and are lazy idiots. Look at kids TV shows nowadays. stupid nick and disney shows that teach kids to be *****es. They make sure not to offend anyone because stupid moan parents will complain. My little cousin watches iCarly and it's just crap. They act like freaks and talk about things not relating to real life all for what? Not to offend anyone? Not to have parents claim children should not be watching stuff like this. Normal shows used to be on.

Not to mention parents are too protective of their kids or whatever. It's like if their kid got punched they'd file a lawsuit against them. If people get insulted they should just insult them back instead of getting crying acting all pathetic.

Back about 10 years ago everyone was so chill. Now people get uptight over the slightest thing and who knows why.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Absoluely we are. I see it everyday. More than ever it seems, people are taking minor, and sometimes downright trivial, incidents and turning them into federal cases.

Even though this isn't generally a wrestling section, I want to bring up a couple of incidents that've taken place in the WWE the past few months as an example. A few months back, when John Cena did his initial rap in response to comments made a week earlier by The Rock, Cena referenced a "purple pinwheel" and took one out of his pocket before telling Rock to "blow" him. Now, for some damn reason, this got the GLAAD and other gay rights advocates got all up in arms and I don't really see why. Was it just because the fact that the pinwheel happened to be purple??? Was that why it was construed as some sort of homophobic slur?? Does the gay & lesbian community now have some sort of monopoly over any and all things regarding the color purple??? I just thought it sounded like they simply wanted to bitch about some percieved slander towards them as a whole even though the thought that Cena's comment was some sort of gay slur never even remotely popped up in my mind.

Another incident took place last week on Raw. Raw was being filmed in London, England and R-Truth lit up a cigarette. Because of that, anti-smoking & parents rights advocates came out of the woodwork over the course of last week blasting the WWE for the stunt and I don't know what the frig for. It's not like Truth bent Maryse over and snorted a line of coke off one of her asscheeks. It was a damn cigarette for God's sake. America's youth is bombarded with sexually charged content on some of their favorite shows, they listen to music with such raunchy lyrics that it'd make a ball busting drill sargent blush with shame, they have instant access to any and all matter of pornographic & sexual imagry via the internet and even their own cell phones but God forbid they actually see a man on a television show light up a cigarette.

 

[Zigglerfan227]

I do believe that people get offended way too easily. No one can even say anything about someone without getting blasted.

Then again, why do people enjoy talking about people, bullying people, or cracking jokes on people? People have feelings.

I know that it is fun to make fun of gay people or WWE divas or Justin Bieber, but it does not need to be taken to the height that it is. This goes for anyone. No one should have to put up with being poked at, disrespected, and thrown to the ground constantly. Everybody is looking for happiness and peace of mind, not to be bullied or stepped on.

I just hate people that does not know how to handle anything. We all are going to receive criticism and we must learn to suck it up and take it. There is a difference between criticism and bullying and such.

So perhaps we are a little over sensitive.

 

[klunderbunker]

Yes, period.

In short, people are jerks. Everyone has run into an idiot in their life at some point that is miserable with their own life so they feel the need to run down someone else in order to make themselves feel better. This has gone on since the beginning of time and always will. I put up with bullies as a kid and had people make fun of me and it's something I hated. I got over it though just like everyone else has over the years.

Today, everyone tries to look for some kind of way out of everything without ever having to stand up to anyone. Now, of course I'm not saying that when someone cracks a joke you need to beat them to a bloody pulp. However, there is something to be said about ignoring people that run their mouths and just letting them get bored and move on. Not everything has to be some big epic therapy enducing moment. If kids never have to deal with any kind of adversity, what kind of adults are they going to be when other adults treat them the same way? I can guarantee you idiots that age are going to be just as stupid and will push them even further. Nothing wrong with making sure a kid is ok, but there is something wrong with making them into people that can't take the slightest bit of criticism.

 

[Arkham Noir]

I'm not sure if "becoming" is the right word because people are very much overly-sensitive.The irony of the situation is people will be up in arms over something like the word *** being used by someone in a song like what happened with Eminem when he first started getting popular, but these same people will let their kids watch movies where people are blow up or doing drugs. I mean people do things and are part of things that are so much more detrimental to society and don't see the fact.

It's really quite absurd what people make a big deal over. It seems that everyone it so obsessed with everyone being treated fairly or making sure nobody gets their feelings hurt. Well you know what, this is real life and to try and give people the illusion that everything can be perfect and will play nice is ridiculous. Fuck, I don't think it is too far off before we are going to end up in some Brave New World. Take the drugs and everything will be alright. People need to go through shit to become strong, and besides, there are places in the world where the worst thing in your life being called a fucking loser would be heaven compared to what they go through.

 

[Burnout]

Yes, I do think we are becoming oversensitive. People are taking everything to heart in this day and age, even if you clearly don't mean whatever you may have said. In my case, from a teenage perspective, what used to be joking around with your friends and other people has turned into something completely different. Teens are being accused of bullying left right and centre over tiny things which are being blown out of proportion and being made into serious matters with repercussions. People have been poking fun at each other with no intention to hurt for years and years, without others on the receiving end of jokes or comments taking any of them seriously. The only time you took something to heart was when someone else you weren’t associated said hurtful things with intent. Yet now, were getting worked up about minor things, poking comments with no intent whatsoever to hurt people. They’re getting stressed over nothing.

Bullying and joking about used to be completely separate things, but now, for some people, they have become the same. People need to get some more confidence, and if there not happy with something, say it to the person/ people to stop prying and what not, it’s not like they want to hurt you. Of course if you’re being properly bullied, then you have every right to be over sensitive and to report it, but only if you really can't control the situation, but if you’re getting frustrated over little things with friends and family, lighten up and don't think so much of it.

Jack Hammer already brought up the very good point about GLAAD, so I won’t pry to deep into it but I will leave a brief comment on TV. Nowadays, in Ireland, and it’s probably no different around the world, were forever hearing about people complaining about shows that are being hard on certain groups of people. If people are going to be offended by TV, read a book and don’t complain about every storyline you see on a show, it’s one of the big things showing the world fade into over sensitivity.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Yes, we are becoming too oversensitive. Society is getting too strict on what's considered "bullying" when it reaches the point where simple sarcastic remarks about the size of someone's nose gets considered "bullying". It sucks if you get your feelings hurt, but the world is full of rude people. Just do yourself a favor and do not associate with that person anymore. People should not be oversensitive and get their feelings hurt so easily. They need to teach people that it's ok to stand up for yourself as long as you aren't doing anything violent or illegal in your defense. If someone insults you, just insult them back rather than posting an emo status on facebook about it because first of all no one wants to see the emo post clogging up their newsfeed in facebook, and secondly it makes you look stronger if you insult them back.

 

[JWGunslinger]

Yes.It really bothers me what we've become in this country, honestly the way things are right now it does not feel like the land of the free. It's to the point where if you make a joke about any stupid little thing, someone is going to get offended. Not only that but when they do they want to take legal action or go runnning to a higher authority, someone makes any kind of joke with a gay reference and theyre getting sued or losing their job over it. Now i'm not saying that's right but is that really something you need to send someone to court over? Can nobody deal with their problems without running to higher power? It could be anything from a kid getting in a fight on the playground or a joke at the office, people in general simply do not handle things on their own anymore. For example at a California high school(i specify because I dont know if this is everywhere) one kid started beating up another and the attacked boy tried to tell him to stop but then rightfully defended himself. After it was over both boys got in trouble, when the boy who didnt start it asked why he was getting in trouble he was told that he wasnt supposed to fight back because against school rules to fight and by defending himself he was participating.......if there is a better example of society teaching the next generation to be weak and not stand up for themselves i'd love to hear it. I really do fear for the generation my children will be apart of because if this keeps up i'd consider homeschooling my kids and definetly teaching them to stand up for themselves.

Things truely were better 30 years ago (atleast pertaining to this) when kids would have a problem, they'd fight about it and then it would be resolved. It really disgusts me and I wish more than anything that I could figure out a way to fix it, but it has taken such a hold on society that I dont know how we could fix it. The best advice I can think of is dont become one of those people and don't let your children get caught up in it if possible.