Sunday, March 9, 2014

Hypersensitive America?

This week’s blog topic comes from Maya.  She sent me this great article about this major backlash that a mom of three ended up having simply due to a FaceBook post and image that she posted.  CLICK HERE to read the article.  So, I began looking into this whole idea of just how hypersensitive our society has become.

Here’s a simple example.  According to a recent Rasmussen poll, nearly 35% of Americans believe that it’s “offensive to refer to an illegal immigrant as an ‘ILLEGAL immigrant.”  Seriously??

Has America became a society of hypersensitive babies?

Literally EVERYTHING that EVERYONE does in the media - be it in television, film, radio, print or on the web - is scrutinized, held under a microscope and perpetually monitored by a number of advocacy groups. “Watchdogs” who are sitting idly by, ready to bark for the simple sake of hearing themselves “bark.” Truth be told, I probably am going to have  a number of them find this on the internet and come after me for calling them “watchdogs” and using the derogatory word “bark.” (I’ll let you know if that happens!)

Here’s another good example:  Miley Cyrus recently pulled double duty on the Saturday Night Live show, appearing as both the host and musical guest.  Now, giving the Miley her due, most people that saw the program said that she “killed it.”  Now, in my opinion, Miley is far more self-aware than she gets credit for - meaning that she is purposely doing the shock and awe to self-promote herself; which there is nothing wrong with - again in my opinion.  During the show, she poked fun at all she’s currently vilified for - including how she incessantly, and annoyingly, sticks her tongue out.  Miley joked that she wasn’t actually sticking her tongue out at all, but rather, “kept having mini-strokes.”

Guess what??  Her comments infuriated the Stroke Association, who immediately demanded that Miley issue an apology.  SERIOUSLY!!!!  (and of course, she apologized..."sincerely")

Now, before I continue, let me clarify that I’m not a big Miley Cyrus fan (as a matter of fact, I don’t have a single one of her songs on my iPhone…just for the record); nor am I making light of strokes.  To be honest, that would be asinine (great SAT word, by-the-way).  Anyone with a modicum (yep, that would be another great SAT word!!) of intelligence knows that strokes are no laughing matter.  That being said, I also firmly believe that anyone intelligent enough to write a strongly worded complaint letter SHOULD be smart enough to realize a joke for what it is - even if you considered it in poor taste or not.  I’m sorry, but I refuse to believe that even one stroke victim is currently dealing with lasting mental trauma brought on by a Saturday Night Live monologue.

Reality check: Sometimes - nay, actually, ALL the time - people say or do things that you don’t like.  For better or worse, that’s reality.  That’s life.  To be even  clearer, that’s the FIRST AMENDMENT.

One more example: Fez Whatley, co-host of Sirius XM’s popular Ron & Fez Show, recently went on a long, passionate on-air rant about a Chevy commercial that uses the word “crazy” multiple times, claiming that it was “insensitive to the mentally insane.”  Really?  As if “crazy” is a race, gender or nationality.  As if somewhere in the East Village, someone’s currently planning the next Nutjob Pride Parade (ok, that may be a bad analogy - but I think you get the idea).

Now, let me clarify that I DO believe that each one of us have a responsibility within society to be sensitive to others.  In a society it is important that we respect each other and not INTENTIONALLY degrade nor demean others for the pure sake of doing so.  Yet, with that said, it appears that our political correctness and hypersensitivity has gone overboard.  We’ve become too sensitive about things of which are by no ways or means meant to inflict harm on others.  As Maria Kang (the mom in the article that Maya sent) stated: “What you interpret is not MY fault. It’s Yours.  The first step in owning your life, your body and your destiny is to OWN the thoughts that come out of your head.  I didn’t create them.  You created them…”  (yet, she did make an apology..."sincerely")

Blog Question:

Do you feel that Maria Kang’s post was inappropriate? Has America become too hypersensitive?  Do “empty” and “forced” apologies only perpetuate a society of hypersensitivity?

59 comments:

  1. I don’t think Maria Kang’s post was inappropriate at all. I mean she can be seen as showing off to an extent but the extremity of things being said about her are going over the top. What’s wrong with displaying something you are proud of? She definitely worked for her body and should be able to do whatever she wants with it. Before we know it people who have talents are going to be too modest to show them because of the fear of offending others who are not as talented. They even stopped giving out first place at the Huber/Clarendon track meet so kid’s feelings aren’t hurt. I definitely agree that America has become way too hypersensitive. We need to understand that while our rights and freedoms are protected equally and everyone’s self worth is equal, that does not mean that everyone’s talents, abilities, bodies, etc are the same. The only way to come to terms with this fact without being hypersensitive is to accept your own strengths and weaknesses, and be okay with them. This goes the same for jokes that may be done in bad taste. They are jokes not attacks toward any organization or such. But I do see that if a celebrity does not offer an apology to the public, they can potentially hurt their reputation since America is so hypersensitive.

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    1. I couldn't even read the rest of your post after you mention the Huber/Clarendon track meet. I completely agree. If a child loses at anything, it's that experience and and those feelings disappointment and defeat that shape who people are. Those things prepare kids for the future. Kids will never know their strengths and weaknesses if they are rewarded when they win and lose.

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    2. I feel offended by your post. We are doing these kids a great favor by not putting a placement in the track meet. Imagine you are one of those kids and you have been training real hard for the match, and then you are told that you LOST. You know what that means, you are a LOSER. Do you like being called a loser? I didn't think so. We are saving these kids' self esteem. Everyone is a winner. Everyone is talented. Everyone is equal.

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    3. WAIT A MINUTE!! They no longer have a winner in the track meet anymore? That is ridiculous, I probably would no longer want to compete in it. I mean don't people want the satisfaction of being called a winner and yes I understand that who ever wins the other school lose, isn't that part of life? In life you have a winner and loser, this just means if you lost you need to work harder.

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    4. Kush, they got rid of the "official" winning title when we were in 6th grade. Now they just alternate each year for which school gets the trophy.

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    5. I am aware that we all breathe the same air and are equals but society needs to be willing to accept and embrace the variety of talents others' display in opposition to theirs .Kids need to learn at an early age that their parents will not always be around to call the school if a certain grade or team position isn't met. It is important to be able to handle both wins and losses, and be driven by competition!

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  2. America has become so oh my god hypersensitive. I have no idea what to call anyone anymore. Do I call someone with dark skin whose ancestry is African= African American, Black? Life has become so complicated due to people's own issues with themselves and with society. Everything offends everyone. Real life example: I'm the whitest person I know, I am the stereotypical white person, and I embrace that. I do have a friend, however, who is pretty much the same way I am and is technically classified as white, but hates it with a passion.
    I do respect people's wishes when they do not want to hear swearing or anything derogatory or obviously hurtful. To be honest, if I struggled with my weight, I would probably react the same way those did to the picture of Maria Kang only because I would have a problem with my own self. The ways people view pictures, words, anything, are too diverse. Since I do not struggle with my weight and I am comfortable with myself, I saw the picture and thought "Wow she looks great, good for her."
    When people apologize, it soooo makes things worse. It reinforces those offended to keep being offended. Apologizing justifies people's reactions. Those people just want to hear celebrities SAY sorry to appease themselves; the person does not have to be sincere.
    So I really think people have become so extremely super sensitive to everything. I will never know what is and isn't appropriate social conduct. What is acceptable will always change. People who react negatively to Kang and anything else that is "offensive" have problems with only one person: themselves.
    And even if she was bragging about her body, she has every right to; anyone does. I don't care if an obese man tries to say he is hotter than Channing Tatum, he has every right to do so (even though he'd be wrong in my opinion).

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    1. I am so offended by your post. How dare you say "God" in your post. That is not appropriate on this blog post. You are offending those who do not believe in God. in addition, celebrities deserve to apologize if they hurt someone else's feelings. How would you like it if I made a joke about something that you really cared about??? I know I would not like it, and I would demand an apology. Just because they are famous does not give them the excuse to insult other peoples ideologies and principles.

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    2. I agree with what you said on why you'd react, and it is the truth, those who react probably know that the picture is true and don't want to accept it. Everyone in today's society is was to caught feeling like "the victim." People pretend like everyone is always out to get them to protect their insecurities and its because of all the hypersensitivity involved in society. The track meet though.... o m g. Like winning for pride is cool and all but unfortunately winning for a tangible object, a title, means the whole difference! Lebron James recently said thank you to the Dallas Mavericks for beating him in the NBA Fianls 3 years ago. Why? He said "It made me who i am today." Thats a two time NBA champion.

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    3. Jamie I completely agree when you say that empty apologies make the hypersensitivity worse. Exactly as you said, it justifies these absurd reactions. If the the person who dealt the joke immediately takes it back, then it looks like there is a reason for them to regret saying the joke. It's like a perpetuating cycle that keeps getting worse and worse. Also, something to think about is that nowadays there are so many organizations that represent different races, illnesses, etc. that you can't make an edgy joke in public without offending at least one of those organizations. For example, Mr. Gehm would have to apologize for like 80 percent of his comedic material. This ties into the perpetual cycle because the more organizations that spring up, the less topics people can discuss or poke fun at in a light hearted manner.

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    4. The example you provided with the Africans is right on point. People get offended when you call them what they technically are. There is just no way to satisfy everyone… especially hypersensitive people.

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    5. James, you bring up a great point about America being hypersensitivity. If we call people by their race, they get offended because it hurts their feels. How can you be offended by something that you are? It isn't like you are calling them a derogatory name but you are calling them what they really are. People nowadays just take things to heart way to easily and need to learn how to stop taking things to heart.

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    6. It's ridiculous. There's a certain word I can not repeat on here that many African Americans like to call each other. They think it's okay to say it. However, when somebody who's white says it amongst their friends, it makes them a social pariah.

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    7. You have a valid point. Apologizing does make the situation worse because if someone were to do so then the other person would take it as if that’s what he or she were really doing. There is just not winning in this society anymore, it is a very childish way to live.

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  3. Maria Kang’s post was completely appropriate. She wanted to do to things with her post: 1. She wanted to let the world know her success on being fit and 2. She wanted to give hope and encouragement to people so they can exercise. What is so wrong with that? If I was fit I would want to show it off too. I think in today's day and age, people disagree just to disagree. This country has definitely become too hypersensitive. No matter what you say, you will always offend someone. Lets take a look at the holiday season. We can't say "Merry Christmas" anymore because people then argue that not everyone celebrates Christmas. So instead we say 'Happy Holidays" and then people get offended because that greeting is not specific enough. So then we just say "Happy" and then people get offended because maybe not everyone in this world wants to be happy. See my drift here? You will never please anyone. I bet I'm offending a lot of people with this post right now.
    As for the empty apologies, I do not see how they perpetuate hypersensitivity. Actually, if someone does not give an apology it would perpetuate hypersensitivity. Imagine I offended you by looking you in the eyes, and you demanded an apology, and I refused to give you one. This would cause CNN, Eye Witness News, New York Times, Cartoon Network to publicize this event of someone getting offended and the other person not apologizing. It would go global. Now if I just apologized the beggining, the whole issue would be resolved and it would not go viral

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    1. I wrote this on my phone so I know it doesn't make sense

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    2. I am offending by this post. First off do you have to advertise that you posted this on your phone? What about those who are not fortunate enough to have phones? How are you making them feel? Be more sensitive before you write stuff man. Second, you offended me by saying you offended me. How can you just assume that you offended me without knowing who I am? You can't just judge others and classify everyone on equal levels.

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    3. Wow Bishoy. I am in awe. I completely agree with your post and really enjoyed the radical examples you provided. People are bound to get offended. They argue just to argue. People like attention and are willing to do whatever to attain it.

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    4. Honestly though B i think you give a valid point. I mean everyone in this blog gives a valid point since everyone wins anyway (: . I guess we all get five's on the AP exam too! no? Okay anyway yeah hypersensitivity would probably perpetuate form the lack of apology. If someone refused to apologize for a joke or statement they would probably be regarded as nonsensitive and be like a public enemy. That is why so many people are apologizing to protect their reputations.

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    5. Bishoy you bugged me out so much by reading all of this. Seriously, how much time do you have on your hands lol??
      But anyway, I wanted to address how you said that empty apologies do not perpetuate hypersensitivity. I don't know if you were being sarcastic, but if not I am going to refute your argument. As Jamie stated and as I stated in a comment to her post, the apology justifies the reaction. For example, if I bumped into someone and then the person became extremely upset over this incident, and then I gave a three minute long apology, both I and the person I bumped into would be acting ridiculous. My florid apology is just as stupid as freaking out over getting tapped on the shoulder. But if this incident happened again and instead I kept walking after the person started freaking out, that person would see I don't care and would stop reacting like that. In real life however, since the hypersensitive people do get quite an apology from the jokesters or insensitive scoundrels it allows them to keep getting offended. Thus, the situation perpetuates.

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  4. Not at all. If anything the picture should be a source of inspiration to show that anything is possible. Maria Kang obviously worked, and worked hard, to get to where she is. The photo may depict her pride, but what’s wrong with self-expression. Nothing about the picture is disgraceful or disrespectful to anyone. In all honesty, the people that are getting mad about it are probably people that know it’s true. No one wants to hear that they need to work out, but if they pretend to act like a victim all their lives and make up excuses we will end up with a species of hypersensitive infants.
    Now I really REALLY like this question for a certain reason. I hate, actually completely resent, this generations idea that Everyone is a winner. (I always talk about this with my siblings). But these ideas that win or lose you get a trophy or medal or blah. NO. That is not what completion is about at all. So what if a kid loses it is a part of life. Ever heard of “You win some you lose some.” I guess that doesn’t exist anymore. How about “You have to lose before you learn to win.” Honestly, losing is a huge part of sports and competitions all together. If we make everyone a winner we are only going to raise kids thinking they will only get what they want and have a bunch of narcissistic kids going into the real world and getting smacked by reality. When you lose it sucks, but it makes you mad so you work harder. Losing fuels dedication and comebacks. Nothing to comeback from if you win all the time. Losing is one of the greatest lessons in life and it benefits you as a person in the long run. One last quote “It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure” -Bill Gates
    I would say that these apologies are perpetuated the hypersensitivity in society but rather allowing it to happen. The hypersensitivity is those who demands the apologies but the ones who give them, as Maya said, risk reputation if they don’t. We are already a society full of babies and many people need to start facing reality.

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    1. Kids can not handle losing now a days though. It crushes there self esteem and has harmful psychological effects. No one likes to feel sad because they lost something. It is a negative feeling. We should shelter children from negative feelings. We should promote that everyone is a winner so that children could build up confidence and have good self esteem. Everyone is a winner. Everyone is talented. Everyone is equal.

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    2. Bishoy your sarcasm is starting to have harmful psychological effects on me. And honestly sheltering kids from losing and "negative feelings" which is exactly what we are doing is hurting them in the future. It's like raising a lion and not teaching it how to hunt. When he gets to be a big lion and can't catch a gazelle... he is going to be a sad lion... and no one likes a sad lion. #animalcruelty
      Everyone is a Lion. Lions are talented. Lions are equal.

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    3. I apologize for hurting you. But now I will be mad at you because you just offended vegetarians. No one wants to see a gazelle die. Why can't all animals just get along? Why does there need to be death and genocide among the animal population? #gazelleshaverightstoo #savethegazelles
      Please donate to the Save the Gazelle foundation or you are an animal hater and offends all those who love animals.

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    5. I love the point that you bring up that everyone can't be a winner. It is not possible. Someone has to lose and this loss has to be accepted. Losing is a part of life. It cannot be avoided in total as many of the hypersensitive babies try to do in America.

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    6. I apologize for raising anger about gazelles and completely overlooked that they are part of the animal bill of rights also. Sorry sincerely sorry. But now i will be mad at you because you just offended the plants. By saving all of these gazelles you are raising the number of predators that grass must deal with. Grass has feeling too it is a living organism. Why can't plants and animals just get along? Why are you plotting to raise a massive gazelle army against grass? #grasshadrightstoo #savethegrass
      Please donate to the Save the Grass foundation and half of the proceeds will go to the insensitive Bishoy foundation as well.

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    7. I accept your apology good sir. And I apologize for hurting your view on grass. I will donate to your save the grass foundation

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    8. I agree on your point about how losing can be a beneficial aspect. Losing is part of human nature because before you can learn how to be a consistent winner you need to experience defeat. The idea of everyone is a winner gives of the persona that you don't need to work hard for what you want because it will be handed to you since EVERYONE is a winner.

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    9. iIcompeletly agree with your point on how everyone can't be a winner. i think that god has made everyone differnetly to fit their individual charcateristics, and that everyone will have their moment to shine at some point. I just think that how maya, brought up the example of refusing to give 1st place on teh track team at Clarendon/ Huber is totally ridculous. It is a part of life, you get over it. Like you said, "you got to lose before you learn to win." One needs to put the strengths and weakness to a test inorder to acknowledge them. ( Deal with the hypersensitivty)

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    10. I really really like your statement "You have to lose before you learn to win" People with hypersensitive nature need to learn this. You don't always get what you want in life because where's the fun it. It's like people nowadays just want to have all the good stuff, but if we just have that good stuff handed to us, the chapters of our books that creates the beauty of the story wouldn't even be there. We will never be the person we were supposed to be if, we just keep getting offended by stuff

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    11. Yes! If competition is on a decline,so is society. Competition drives the economy, occupational success, and sense of character. For example, there are always parents complaining about their "perfect" kid's playing time on a sport's team or their inability to make the team for that matter. You win some, you lose some! Competition is necessary and so is acceptance of others' abilities to thrive in certain activities.

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  5. This post by Maria Kang was in no shape way or form inappropriate. If anything it is motivational. Mothers should look at this and use it as inspiration to work out. I myself follow various Instagram accounts that feature similar pictures. They are there to motivate and nothing else. This picture is not offensive nor does it cause anyone else harm. If someone took offense to this they are sensitive babies and need to grow up. This woman did nothing wrong and is actually helping to fight obesity by inspiring others. I think America has become slightly hypersensitive and some subjects. Things are often interpreted the wrong way and we sometimes look to deep into things. The issue with Maria Kang illustrates how some Americans have become sensitive 12 year olds. I am still in awe in how someone could take offense to the picture. Empty and forced apologies can perpetuate the hypersensitivity because they only augment the dilemma. The people who were offended would only get more offended with a fake sorry and the people saying sorry would be mad as well.

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    1. Abu while I do agree with you, I am going to play the devil's advocate here. You have such an aggressive tone and state that you don't see at all how this picture can be interpreted as inappropriate, but although I do not think it is I do see how it can be. The title "what's your excuse?" is very pompous. Also, some mother's may be too busy to work out or may have a health issue that restrict them from losing weight. Maybe a mom can respond with saying that taking care of her kids is more important than being fit, and take umbrage to Kang's implication that being in shape should be the top priority of a woman. Anyway, I do agree with you but I just wanted to bring the other side of the argument to light since it seemed to me like you could not see it at all.

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    2. I agree with majority of your post. Mothers and other women in general should look at her post as motivation and try to achieve what she has. It is in no way meant to be offensive, she is just trying to get her achievements out into the world and show what she herself is proud of.

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    3. I agree Jen, I think posting this is equivalent to posting a picture of a sports trophy or college acceptance letter. It is purely an achievement. Although there may not be a phrase on top of the picture, a sports photo or academic achievement is just as "pompous" if put that way so I don't see this as a problem

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    4. Absolutely right. This, if anything, should be viewed in a good light, not a bad one. It seriously causes NO ONE any harm, and is purely good-hearted in intention.

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  6. I have a problem with this blog website. This blog site is narrow minded and racist. My main problem is when you enter a comment into the site, it asks you to prove you are not a robot by asking you to retype in some numbers. First off, what do we have against robots? Why do we have to discriminate against robots? Second, why do we assume that a robot is so stupid that it would not be able to type in a few simple numbers and letters into a box? And actually, I have trouble identifying what is in the box sometimes too. Does that make me a stupid robot? Stop robot discrimination #equalityforbots

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    1. #RobotRevolution #IHaveTroubleReadingTheNumbersToo

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    2. Bishoy your marbles are tumbling out of your head one by one by one...

      and i love it of course.

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    3. #I'mWithYouOnReadingTheNumbers

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    4. Not gonna lie, it is very discouraging having to refresh the number boxes or redo them :/ Retweet Bish!

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  7. YOU MUST BE KIDDING, RIGHT? Maria Kang’s post was completely appropriate. By publishing this story of herself, she was trying to inspire others to get fit and live a healthier lifestyle. All this article should provide people the inspiration and motivation they need to work and exercise. Kang was just showing of her talent on being physical fit after having three kids and she was exerting her basic right of freedom of speech. As for America becoming too hypersensitive, this most definitely is true. America now lives in the world that everyone is a winner because losing hurts and damages feels. That honestly is total BS. (sorry Bish..had to use your initials) Losing teaches you life long lessons that shape you into a better person. Obviously, if you lose a game you will work harder to achieve the results you want next time. Losing allows to look at your weakness and work to make them your strengths. If you consider everyone a winner, there will be no drive to work hard and increase competition. Competition only breeds you to become better. "Forced” apologies only perpetuate a society of hypersensitivity. Why should you apologize for something you truly meant? Stay true to your words and do not say sorry out of guilt because it may make you look like a terrible person. Honestly aren't we taught at a young age, if you don't sincerely mean your apology isn't it better not to say anything then. Don't force apologies because they only bolster hypersensitivity.

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    1. I really like your statement "Losing teaches you life long lessons that shape you into a better person." And as people would say, failure is a part of life and event the best fall down sometimes. I feel like people, are blind to the fact, in life's journey, the roads will not always be smooth, there'll be rough and tough roads to take, which would eventually lead you to your destination. People got babied too much, and I feel like a fairytale-like life is what everybody wants, but too bad, we don not live in a once- upon a time kind of world...So yeah, people need to stop being hypersensitive because quite honestly it will get them nowhere

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    2. I too like you statement, "Losing teaches you life long lessons that shape you into a better person." I think that failure is part of life, but when we fail at such moments, it helps us prevent us from repeating the same mistake. It allows us to reawaken and give life a second shot. Like justin said, you have to lose first, inoder to learn to win.

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    3. it was interesting when you wrote said "why would we apologize for something you truly meant?.. after all is it not freedom of speech that our country is built upon? we do have the right to say anything we want, offensive or not. But in this case, something was meant to be a positive thing was made negative, probably only because people are jealous of what she has achieved and the obstacles she has overcome.

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  8. Ms. Maria Kang's post was not at all inappropriate. Just like Justin said, it should be a source of inspiration and perhaps hope too. Her post should trigger inspiration to anyone who will see it, basically she's showing that no matter how busy you are, how impossible it is for you to work hard, your excuses are just reasons that depicts your lack of hard work. Ms. Kang, as delineated in the post, has three children yet she has an athletic body that resembles that of a 20 year-old, that alone should make the readers of the post reflect on their own lifestyles and if needed, make necessary adjustments. I feel like people who get offended by such posts, are those people who are uncomfortable with their own bodies or those who have poor body-images. I mean why would you get offended by such post if the shoe doesn't fit right? So yeah, I feel like people had become so hypersensitive. Like, the little things nowadays could deeply offend someone. I feel like we have to be gentle with society nowadays because it's a fragile glass that easily shatters, and it is sad to know that we have come to this point. For example, that Coke advertisement where people are singing "America the Beautiful" in different languages. People got so offended that the song is being sung in foreign tongues. I mean, can't they just appreciate the beauty behind the advertisement. And another example; the dodgers tweeted " It's a perfect day for hockey." said- no one in Los Angeles ever. I am a hockey fan myself, but come on, no one really says that in L.A. so why get offended when it's true. People just need to accept the truth, it's part of life. the truth may hurt a bit or a lot, but at least you are honest to yourself. And as for apologizing, I do believe that due to people's hypersensitive nature nowadays, Sorry means nothing, it's merely just a word used to appease or to save face.

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    1. I really like how you compared society to a fragile glass regarding sensitivity. Good thinking Kesh

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    2. I agree with you that sorry is just merly an overused word used to just save oneself, or to appease. Nowdays who really means it. Apologies are no longer sincere. Forced apologies only call for hypersentsitivity. As I said in my post those who are already offended, would only get more offended with a fake sorry.

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  9. Maria Kang’s post is most definitely not inappropriate. In fact she is inspirational, and should be looked upon by others. She promotes the model of motivation. Maria has worked for that body, and should be feel free to do with it as she wishes. She is not displaying anything wrong, just simply showing others that it is possible to be like her with some time and effort. America has become excessively hypersensitive because of the fact that they feel as if everyone should be equal. If one’s talents or abilities are stronger than other, then one should be able to display and be recognized for those skills (not everyone strengths and weakness are the same). God has made everyone different to fit their individual characteristics. And as far as the apologies go, I think that those who demand the apologies are extremely hypersensitive. And that people who are already offended would be even more offended with a fake sorry, and those who are saying sorry would probably be mad.

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    1. I do not think that people who are already offended would be even more offended with a fake sorry. I feel like these people, only wants to hear you apologize to them because it justifies that they were right and you were wrong. Let's take for example. Ms. Kang's post. Those who got offended were probably the people who make excuses to get out of something or to avoid doing something. And if Ms. Kang apologizes to those who got offended by her post, then she is giving them what they want. A justification for their excuse. Like yeah, she apologize because she knows she's wrong and that I'm right for not running today because It's too hot outside...

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  10. Maria Kang's post was not inappropriate in any way. She was simply trying to show others her success despite having three kids, and also to try and motivate others to get in shape by making them question what really is stopping them, what their excuses are. Sure, it could be interpreted that she's showing off, but there's no harm in being proud of something you accomplished, especially after putting in hours of hard work and dedication, which she clearly did.
    America is definitely WAAAAAT too hypersensitive. Seriously? We are all endowed with free speech, so why should some people try and take things to the other end of the spectrum by nitpicking what everyone says, and tryin to police anything that can be viewed as even slightly offensive? People need to understand that life isn't peaches and cream, and that some things need to be said as they are. Not everyone will see eye to eye, so disagreements are bound to happen. But taking it to extremes over something as small as a photo of a fit mom, or a comment about pop singers having mini stokes, it's just plain insane/crazy (yes, I'm using those words on purpose :P)
    Honestly, I feel like apologies are useless when they don't come from the heart. People can see through fake apologies, read between the lines. Sure, it might calm down some, but others might become even more offended, thinking that an insincere apology might be mocking them

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    1. I agree with you especially with that freedom of speech. We have this right and it is just right for us to use it. It's better to be honest than to butter up statements to avoid offending people. Life is like a hockey game, we are the players, we aim to goal, but before we goal, its either we get booed, or get in a fight and sit in the box. We need to get ourselves tougher because how can we let out a sweet slap-shot or a nasty 5-hole if we get offended by the boo's of the crowd.

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  11. Jen Gomez: Maria King’s post was most definitely not inappropriate. It is outrageous the entire citizen she is receiving from her post because they are making something out of nothing. She is proud of what she accomplished and she just wants to share it. Has America become that hypersensitive that someone cannot gloat about something they have accomplished… isn’t that going against their right anyway? And isn’t that what our country is build upon? Sooner or later, people are going to get offended over many more minute occurrences. Like winning and losing. Can no one lose anymore? Or must everyone be identically equal and have the same opinions because that is the vibe I’m receiving from the things being said. Although equality is something that is preached, not everyone is good at the same exact things. For example, I cannot sing at all but that doesn’t mean I get offended when Maya sings because I know she is much more talented in that area then I am. That is the basis of this blog. People compare themselves too much and expect to be exactly the same. Being hypersensitive is something that America is most deficiently struggling with right now and they show it by being highly critical with something that was not meant to be offensive, but a positive and motivational message.

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  12. I personally don't find Maria King's post offensive in any way. I definitely believe America has become entirely too hypersensitive. For instance, students could've gotten into a lot of trouble by mentioning the word "bully" in any context in school as soon as the new platform began to be pushed. King is actually a good example since she obviously takes appropriate measures to maintain her health and gave birth to 3 children. Perhaps the people who are judging her should ask for her diet & work out regime. Certain things are taken way too seriously in society that almost inhibit freedom of expression. King isn't harming anybody by posting that or inciting a vicious riot. America; Home of the Free, Land of the hypersensitive!

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  14. This post is not inappropriate at all. Like the good gehm said, first amendment rights. She is allowed to do whatever she wants. We most definitely have become hyper-sensitive in general. If in a statement, nothing harmful or malicious was intended, and it mistakingly was taken offensively, what was said should not be viewed as reprehensible. It should be viewed as a statement that could have been phrased better or left out, and that's it. By pushing it further, we help to re-ignite age old tensions and issues, all over a bad wording of a joke or statement.

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