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Comment by jessedhillon | Hacker News Reader

Hear hear.

For example, I always drop the n-word when I'm walking around. People should be more like me, I don't get offended by that kind of language, why should anyone else? Sometimes people do, and I'm like, "What? Why're you getting so offended? I'm not offended, why are you?"

I'm kidding. I don't ask "why are you?" -- that doesn't matter LOL 8-)

For some reason, black people get especially offended at this kind of stuff. No clue why. I mean, I don't get offended and that's literally the only thing that matters when considering whether something should or shouldn't be said. Not the audience, the venue or the event.

Literally, only my own sensibilities matter. Everyone else should loosen up. Like me.

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Your reply would be entire spot on if the word "tit" and the n-word were equivalent. One is a body part that both men and women share. The other is a racially charged word that has more than a century of really bad history behind it. And, see how both you and I couldn't say the n-word? That's a tip off that it's not the same. I have tits. Yes, they are man-tits but they are tits nonetheless. The n-word, however, isn't something I'll be caught saying except in very specific company (explaining the history to my 12 yr old, for example).

I can't say I agree with the GP post, since I didn't see the presentations being discussed, but I know your comment is off base.

The point is not "N-word == Tits"

The point is that, you, the reader, obviously understand that a word, concept or type of behavior can offend others and would therefore abstain from employing it. Or at least exercise judgment in doing so, because you understand that you have a measure of responsibility when speaking publicly.

The inanity of GP's comments is staggering. He is literally saying that because he, himself, is not offended by such humor that everyone else should similarly relax their sensibilities.

If you understand that some language and behavior can offend others, even if you personally are not offended by it, then you already get the point of my argument. If you fixate on disproving the (not-claimed) equivalency between racial slurs and an app about breast obsession -- then you have missed the point.

The point is that, you, the reader, obviously understand that a word, concept or type of behavior can offend others and would therefore abstain from employing it.

What this really means is that it's not you who should take responsibility for your emotions, it's everyone else that should watch out for you.

What exactly did you get offended by? If you claim that prank was sexist in any way, you clearly lack the ability to judge a situation and its context.

Totally agree dude. That's my stand when I drop racial slurs ("slurs" am I right?)

It's not my job to know which words are going to upset another person's emotional state! I'm not a mind reader! My responsibility is only to say what I want.

Seriously though -- it's absolutely-fucking-hilarious that you think I'm the one lacking situational awareness. The guys who got up and made boob jokes? Total awareness, perhaps even masters of humor.

People who are offended, or can see why it would be particularly offensive to some women -- no awareness. Amazing.

Get to the point and state exactly why you got offended.

I never said I was offended, and that doesn't matter. You said that people should not be offended, and the only reasoning you offered for this was that you thought it was funny. My point is that your singular perspective of the humor is not alone sufficient in determining whether or not it's appropriate for the audience, or whether other people are appropriately offended.

You appear to be saying that simply because you are not offended, nobody else should be -- which is an incredibly stupid position to hold. I don't care to explain to you why breast obsession apps and mock-stroking in front of and all over an audience are offensive to others. I doubt you would get it anyway.

Yes because tit is exactly like saying "nigger".

I'd love to hear what you think are the salient differences between getting up and presenting Titstare, and showing something fictitious like "N-watcher"

Evidently your reaction if someone got up to present the latter would not be "LOL guys loosen up!" -- even though you are not someone at whom the humor/offense is targeted. Why the difference in attitude?

The problem with that comparison is that I can easily imagine some spoof "Racial Profiler!" app being showcased as a joke. Perhaps an app that allows Atherton residents to report "suspicious" behavior.

But I guess the larger lesson here is: do not try these things unless you're The Onion, SNL, or Key and Peele.

I mean, this http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/the-re... was not comedy and it happend all of a few days ago.

Not going to bother continuing a conversation with someone who gets as offended by tits as they do the word "nigger".

Such a noble stand!

You're not stupid, you get the point no matter how obtuse you're pretending to be. You know that I'm not saying that "tits == N-word" and you know that such an equivalency is not central to or required for my example.

You simply don't want to admit that the only explanation of your position is to say "well black people have a right to get offended by the N-word, but women aren't allowed to object to breasts being objectified."

The prank wasn't brought to light with the intention of offending women. It's a play on an activity with men, we look at boobs. Not everything involving sex is made with the objective of targeting someone, it's just a joke. If you fail to see it as such, that's your problem.

Right on. I have some white friends who, when there aren't any black people around, call each other the n-word. They're not targeting any particular black person, so obviously the behavior is completely acceptable. It's a joke, you know, a play on actual racist behavior.

If you fail to see it as such, that's your problem.

The good thing about this position is that you lack such self-awareness that you would never know the extent to which your limited perceptual abilities cripple you. The bad thing is that you likely do understand the objections here, and are therefore a keyboard jockey. Accordingly, you would never have the courage to make such a ludicrous stand in a public, mixed audience, thereby giving others a fair, advance bozo alert.

Hahaha wow whatever you need to tell yourself to feel better.

I bet you go from 0 to Hitler in under 6 seconds.

Central to your comment is that you are comparing my post to a Hitler/holocaust argument. Ironically then, you have invoked Godwin's Law.

no, I'm saying you are the sort of person who thoroughly enjoys self-righteousness and making baseless accusations about (your perception of) the beliefs of others.

Well, aren't we edgy.

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