When Did We Become So Fragile?

A Culture of Selective Outrage

When did we become so fragile? There just has to be a happy medium somewhere between nobody ever needing any professional assistance to successfully cope with the struggles in one’s life, and people being so sensitive that the mere uttering of certain words is cause for particular populations to go into performative hurt and outrage. It is worth noting that the legitimacy assigned to the outrage is entirely dependent on the populations involved.

In some instances, being the recipient of repeated insults, even violence, is a price to be paid for past injustices. In other cases, saying the “wrong” thing to or about a particular group can (and has been) a firing offense. Only certain folks are entitled to being triggered in our world today.

The World Cup Chant Controversy

Just this week, during the World Cup Soccer competition, Mexican fans have been accused of yelling an anti-gay chant at goalkeepers when Mexico scores. Multiple news platforms have reported on this. None I have read has seen fit to reveal the actual supposed slur. Cover your ears, I am about to do it. The word uttered is “puto.” ChatGPT says it “is a Spanish insult with meanings that vary by country and context.”

They go on to describe it as being something in Mexico that “is often used as a derogatory slur implying someone is weak, cowardly, or contemptible.” In other words, its use is far from limited to addressing anyone’s sexuality. It is true that the expression has been used to insult effeminate gay men. It is also true that the LGBTQ+ community has taken offense and been successful in having various sporting authorities, including the sponsors of the World Cup (FIFA) punish teams whose crowds dare to yell “puto.”

Words, History, and Consequences

Teachers have been removed from their jobs for having the courage to address the use of the “N Word” in American history. I dare not type the word out. To do so would guarantee my being treated as a persona non grata. Is it not possible to decry the word, its use throughout history, and the impropriety of using it today, without being unable to even say the word out loud?

The Double Standard

All of this happens at the same time, there are multiple articles on “toxic masculinity” (often decrying what men have done for centuries), “white fascists, (a particular favorite of progressives used for everyone else), and “MAGA scum” (anyone who dared vote for President Trump).

Political class warfare is as high as it has ever been in my soon-to-be 76 years here on earth. Screams of “no kings” and “end the oligarchy” are not in short supply. Never mind that, by order of magnitude, those in upper-income groups, including billionaires, more often support Democrats and progressives than they do Republicans and conservatives. Forget the coup that removed Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for President and replaced him with Kamala Harris without her ever having received a vote for that honor. None of this does anything to slow the personal insults aimed at the Elon Musks of the world. Apparently, it is of no consequence when the Jay Pritzkers and Tom Steyers of the world seek actual public office.

Have the poor taste to insult the personal appearance of Michelle Obama, and you are an outcast. Do the same thing to President Trump or any of his team (see Steven Miller), and it is a badge of courage to oppose the bad guys. In a world of sanity, both would be considered off limits.

Free Speech and Consistent Standards

We need to tell the language police that freedom of speech means exactly that. Individuals are free to utter terrible words and insults aimed at others. At the same time, as a society, we ought to use something resembling a consistent standard to determine what will be acceptable and unacceptable after something is said. A class on how the N Word has been used throughout history and is a bad thing should be okay. Screaming it as an insult should not be okay. Why is this so tough?

The reason for torturing logic, fact, and reason to allow some groups to be insulted while making it a high crime and misdemeanor to look sideways at other groups has nothing to do with good versus evil. Instead, it has everything to do with power and narrative. Enough should be enough.

Remember This

Remember this: Saying things that insult others is either allowed or not allowed. The evaluation should not depend on who it is that is insulted. After one has exercised their free speech, we can decide how best to respond. One thing is for sure. Censorship should not be the answer.