Freedom of Speech and it's Impact on Us...

On the topic of Freedom of speech, a problem that often occurs is ones ability to receive insults. This happens more often than one may think, one man's trash is another man's treasure. But what is to be done about this? And how can we avoid it? Should we avoid it? In order to progress with freedom of speech, do we all need to kind of... Toughen up a bit? Or should we continue down a path paved in eggshells and peoples feelings? (Future Allan here, just to let you know if you don't read this, I will be incredibly upset. It's really insulting.)

Black guy joke.

 First we must define insult to properly gauge what is quite going on. Dictionary.com states that insult is;

'To treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; Affront.'

 Which means calling someone a name, and meaning it. The key word in this definition would be insolently (boldly rude or disrespectful), or contemptuous (showing or expressing contempt, or disdain). This is to mean that if someone is making it their mission to hurt your feelings, they are being insulting. Saying rude words is not insulting, unless you are of a particularly weak disposition, or have an inability to register the complexities of human interaction. This is where we run to soft ground.

 There has been, probably all through every one of our lives (though I'm not one to make assumptions of generalisations, that's for another blog) been a time when someone has said something which hurt our feelings, rightly or wrongly, or perhaps even pushed us to the brink of shaving our heads and joining a monastery. and then they deliver the line to the teacher, or boss, or my mother, the magic 'I didn't mean it!' they may not have meant it, but those words still stung. Does that mean I can say 'you're no longer allowed to say that in case it upsets me.' Or should I just learn to deal with this issue? What if it's a serious issue, like the loss of a parent, or my sexual feelings? Or even my race!

White joke... White people are the joke.

 Racism falls into this topic quite well. There is always a race card floating about, there is always an insulted member claiming vendetta against your violent disregard for their culture (I only asked if they were paying too much for their gas!) but as we established earlier, contempt must be felt for it to be an insult. Is it perhaps that the hatred they feel towards us can trigger an insult in them? Can we be insulted for being insulted? only an individual can answer that problem, and unfortunately, wikipedia does not have an answer, which means one, at least at the moment, does not exist in solid format. So for now, we'll use our imaginations (no, I'm not trying to be insulting) and say yes, it's more than definitely positive.

 So, does that mean that taking offence is a personal choice? We can't entirely rule out the fact that they didn't mean it, (other than the fact there is no such thing as fact, which actually makes this fact not a fact... another days work...) So that means that this should be ruled out as a variable. Does that place the entirety of whether or not what you just said about my mum was meant offensively all in how I receive it? How else can we take offence? Is there another way to gauge whether someone is offending me? What about if they are consistently saying the same thing?

 The legal definition;

 (The Crown Prosecution Service. (2012). Stalking and Harassment: Legal Guidance: Crown Prosecution Service . Available: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/stalking_and_harassment/#a01. Last accessed 12 Jan 2012.) 'Although harassment is not specifically defined it can include repeated attempts to impose unwanted communications and contacts upon a victim in a manner that could be expected to cause distress or fear in any reasonable person.'

 This says that if someone is persistent in their insulting, you're being harassed. Which still leaves a lot of gaps for someone to BE insulted, but makes clearer justification for how someone may feel if insulted, though this goes slightly out of the way of insult into threatening behaviour, which tends to violate the freedom of speech of a person anyway. We should perhaps draw a line under harassment, but let's not forget it's intention! If someone is continuing to insult us, this violates our freedom of speech, and is therefore unwanted, and should not be tolerated.

Gay Joke

 So far, unless someone is deliberately continuing to say things which they know are offensive towards you, we cannot define what an insult is. It is still just something which we ourselves define as insulting. If this is the case, why on earth would anyone want to be insulted? Perhaps we should redefine what insults are, and instead, call them 'flashes of ignorance.' After all, how can we despise someone who does not know better, and there can be no insult if the person does not understand the topic!

 So, to summarise, (FINALLY! trust me, you think this was hard to read? I had to write it. And proof read! And no one ever forced you to read this... Unless the future Allan added in a bit right at the beginning that said you have to read it otherwise you've insulted me... He's a crafty bastard like that.) if we can feel insulted just because we don't like someone (we won't go into the reasons for not liking someone, they can be serious and true, like they killed your father, or they can just be because they insulted you previously! perhaps you don't like their ugly shoes... ) or by feeling harassed (the continued insults that leave you fearful of leaving your house, or using the bus) or even by stupid comments made by people who can barely walk and breath at the same time... then are we to blame? Is it your fault you don't like someone so took their harmless comment as an insult? Perhaps it is important to kind in mind the circumstances, but in general, my personal opinion is yes. And here is where i get into the philosophy behind this long and tiresome blog (well done you, for reading this far! have a gold star. Unless gold stars are insulting to your mental ability, sexuality, gender, race, culture, religion or astrological inclination... )

 The only clear definition that can be made of an insult (short of it's your own stupid fault you lily-livered chicken-noodle.) is that a stupid person has said it. Therefore, since stupidity is the bane upon mankind and itself, it cannot possibly be insulting. You may have been insulted by someone with the IQ of a brain damaged gnat (it's brain damage was caused by the abuse he would receive from his alcoholic father beating him mercilessly with his tiny little shoes - Oh, and if you're insulted by this, imagine how the gnat felt! He only lives a day... ) but you were insulted by a person with the IQ of a gnat! (he's alright now! He's up in fly heaven, flying with Fly God. What? There is no fly god? Racism... ) you couldn't possibly be any worse than they are. There is a wise Facebook quote which states 'If people are trying to bring you down, it just means that you are above them.' Hold this always, hold this dear. And remember, no one has any write to comment on the way you walk, because they haven't walked as far as you have.

 But what about swear words? And hurtful gesticulations? I know I touched on this briefly, but I kind of sauntered past it like a blind elephant. Did you know the OK sign that all Americans with their wrong way facing baseballs caps flaunt like it's their own creation or something, is an offensive symbol in Greece? Basically, what I mean by this, is every word means something to someone, somewhere... Somehow. Sometimes, we just need to face the fact that words can be interpreted as offensive. FOR EXAMPLE! The word gay. It's a word generally believed to mean homosexual, which originated as a word to mean happiness, or glee, joy, if you will. The reason the definition was adapted to homosexuals, is due to it's meaning of campness. Some people find this word offensive, especially when it is used in a derogatory way (Man, I watched a film last night, it was totally gay... Brokeback mountain is not worth the hype.) how should one feel about this? This is one of those times when contempt comes into play. If it's being used in a playful way, why should it be offensive? Language is a beautiful thing, it's words can be used over and over again to mean many different things! If you ever commit one word to mean one thing, you are condemning language to become obsolete.

Dead baby joke.

 Turns out I'm not quite finished yet... You see, another topic which comes up when we talk about insults, is the other side of the coin. You insulting other people. What if you insult other people with your views? Perhaps you taking offence to a word they said offends them! Then it becomes a matter of arrogance, of pride, of 'I'm more important than your feelings, so you should just stop speaking.' Equality must be equal if it will ever work. You must be able to take a few punches before you throw a few. You must be willing to work if you want a holiday. You must be willing to scratch a few backs... I think you understand by now. there's no need to belittle, that's insulting, and arrogant! Should I continue it... It would become harassment! So, in conclusion, (Yes, folks, this is the end... ) In order for us to claim to have been insulted by someone who is exercising their freedom of speech, you must feel yourself to be above them. And if you to feel that you are above them, you are most certainly be bellow them, because each man, woman, and all that comes in between, is made equal, no matter of status, money, car or racial orientation. The only thing that makes someone's place, is their attitude... So never feel insulted just because someone made a bad joke. Just get even instead! Make a joke about their nose.

 With this in mind, fuck you all for reading this!