Cathi, Syl, and Jenn (three of my local fiction focus critique-mates) and I were catching up during a writers’ meeting when we got on the subject of Jenn’s job—running a client’s Facebook page, and how that wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Coming up with content to interest the masses enough to where they’ll like and share it is tough to do in this fast-paced world. Then Jenn jokingly said something to the effect of, “I know. How about Here Are 9 Uses For Peroxide.”
And I said something to the effect of:
“Eh, maybe not, surely somebody somewhere will be offended by at least one of your 9 uses For peroxide.”
Because nowadays you can’t say anything about anything on social media without someone getting their panties in a wad all crammed up their ass. Y’all know it’s true. You use the wrong tone in mentioning a hangnail and people start clutching their pearls and chewing into you on Twitter or wherever like rabid dingoes.
Oh, the backlash. As if bringing you and your one opinion down will make Utopia spring eternal.
The same people who champion everyone’s right to be different will try to burn you at the stake if your opinion is different from theirs. I’m still trying to figure out how that works exactly.
Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of offensive things and opinions on the Internet, sure. I’m not disputing that. And many of them should be responded to. Yes. BUT. This knee-jerk reaction to the slightest thing is getting to be such a godawful drag. It’s a sad day indeed when you’ve got to be wary of posting about peroxide, for cripes’ sake.
For some reason, being offended has become the new black. Sheesh. [click to Tweet]
READ: Linda G. Hill, One-Liner Wednesday — Author, Author!
Manuscript. Head. Drawer. 
Absolutely true. Yesterday, one of my friends asked what all she could do to help keep her small children well over the winter, and I messaged her in private instead of commenting on the status. I didn’t want anyone to start a fight about how I might possibly be poisoning my children and pets by spraying Lysol on doorknobs, phones, and remotes, and I might die if I read about how leaving cut onions out will absorb all the bad germs! Haha!
Great post 🙂
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Thanks! Glad you liked. I would have handled that woman’s question the same way you did, and it’s a doggone shame. *sigh*
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So true! It’s right up there with people’s sense of entitlement. Great post, Stephe! 🙂
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Thanks so much, Linda! Can you believe that seconds after I posted it, I saw that it had happened again. Poor Michael B. Jordan. I read his whole interview and didn’t see anything bad! What is wrong with folks? LOL And yes, good point about entitlement. I especially love the folks who are horrified by people who have a sense of entitlement, all the while seemingly unaware that they are those people. ROFL *sigh*
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Yep, that’s usually the way it works. 😛
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