3.22.2013

being offensive or being offended?

       I don't know if y'all have noticed, but I find myself blogging less and less. I also find myself reverting posts to drafts, writing things out and then never posting them, deleting old ideas. Not because I don't want to share those ideas, and not because I don't like those posts, but because I'm suddenly afraid of offending people. Nothing I write is EVER intended to offend anyone or make anyone feel bad. But I do like to express my ideas and opinions and I hate thinking that I might offend a reader because they have a different opinion or do things that I do not like to do. You know what I mean?

     For example, that post I wrote on swearing? The only thing I was thinking about when posting it was "what if someone who swears doesn't like this? What if they get offended?" But in reality, I don't mind one bit if you swear! Swear all you like! Swear up and down! Swear at me! Swear the dirtiest swears in the world. I just don't want to curse anymore. That's all. And I wanted to share that with you, so that I could get my idea out there and also to keep myself motivated. :) What I'm getting at is that I wish I wasn't so concerned about accidentally offending someone. After all, if it's an accident then I'm not really doing anything wrong, right? And if I focus every post on making everyone happy and not offending anyone, then my blog would be really surface level and ultimately boring.

Like Franklin said,

If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed. 

 Or this quote from my favorite playwright...a little more direct and altogether debatable.
The secret to success is to offend the greatest number of people.

But in the end, I just need to remind myself that we all choose whether to be offended or let things roll of our back. We choose to be upset at someone or something. We pretend that we don't have a choice and waste so much time being prideful and hurt. I don't want to offend anyone either on purpose or on accident, and if I do, I apologize. But I don't want to stop blogging about things I think or realize. I don't want to stop posting about my opinions and beliefs.

Just because someone is getting offended doesn't mean someone else is being offensive.


 

5 comments:

  1. It's YOUR blog - do what you want ;) There will always be people that hate on stuff, it's dumb.

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  2. I think the point of blogging is to say whats on your mind .As kevin hart would say "say it with your chest". lol Im with Ali its your blog say what you want. PS I swear all the time and I still liked your post on swearing. JUS SAYIN :)

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  3. I am so with you. I am always so careful with my words. It's because there are people that I know read my blog that do not like me (yes, they publicly follow, but they don't like me...why? I don't know. I don't get it.) And so sometimes when I'm writing a post I remember them. Also a supposed friend of mine reads my blog and rarely comments. There are two comments she's left on my blog that are probably the rudest comments I've ever gotten (my blog is little and growing, so I haven't had any downright mean comments yet) but it always takes me by surprise and I always wonder if she's going to be mean because I don't know how to respond to that. On the flipside, I'm going to have to get more comfortable with it because as you said, It's a choice to be offended. I've read things on other blogs that bother me, but I never write a rude comment. Everyone is entitled to write what they want. Some of my favorite blogs are the ones where they don't hold anything back!

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  4. I LOVE your blog and how honest you are. That's what I love about you. But seriously, I think what's so so so important to remember is that you CHOOSE to get offended. I wish everybody could see that so that nothing anybody does could effect them negatively! Thanks for sharing!

    we&serendipity

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  5. Love that quote!!! I read this post earlier and shared it on twitter :) haha At the end of the day you just have to be yourself and not worry so much about others. Someone will ALWAYS find some way to take something the wrong way, or get offended etc. Just be you, you know your intentions!!

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