The Hyper-Sensitivity of Society (1 Viewer)

I think society could do with a bit more empathy.

In that particular regard, I think we are hypo-sensitive.
No doubt about that. Being sensitive about the needs of others is certainly lacking.
So I suppose I'm referring to people being overly sensitive about their own feelings, opinions, and satisfaction.
A lot of folks have a problem when those things are challenged... either directly or indirectly.
 
I figured I would do that eventually, but I really was wondering if someone else was feeling this same trait among the populace and it makes me wonder what the result will be.
It's not a specific subject nor is it the differences in political ideals. (In fact, if this began to enter into the realm of political discussion, I would simply delete it immediately)

No, but it seems the people in general are offended by anything and everything if it is not the exact way they personally feel about something. No matter how big or small the difference is, someone has to show how offended they are. I can remember when people used to live and let live, laugh things off, laugh at themselves. But it almost never happens that way anymore. Some even act like they are being attack by another even when it's obvious that it's not the case.

Is this attitude an attempt to squeeze others into a new way of thinking? Is it better for people to take offense than to just let someone have their own personal opinion?
It makes me sad when folks act this way and I don't see it as helping to create a more cohesive society. If someone isn't meaning to do someone else any harm, what's the big deal?
I guess I would offer the thought that maybe it's largely always been this way(people exaggerating offense, getting triggered over social faux pas's that irritate their sensibilities, being deeply offended by shifting social and generational norms), with minor ebbs and flows, but many are conditioned to recognize and categorize those outbursts in a different way than they begin to do when the cleavages shift and the way those cleavages are challenged shift. And that we now have a level of interconnectedness and platforms to operate from that collide with one another and allow the expression of those aspects of the human condition to a bigger audience and with a louder microphone.

I'm not tethered to this hypothesis but I do think it has some solid merit.
 
Can we get a little more context, like how are you defining hyper-sensitivity?

What makes someone or something hyper-sensitive?

What are some specifics that you were thinking of when you were inspired to create this thread?

Because I imagine that without some anchor around what is intended to be discussed, people are going to simply project their own personal definitions and biases onto the conversation and everything is going to devolve and derail very quickly. Because I truly doubt what gets evoked in my mind as cultural sensitivity is going to be shared by the poster above or below me and so on. And as another consequence, a lack of foundation setting is going to incentivize people to read between the lines or make assumptions. All of which risk being off the mark and ruining any hope of a discussion.



...Just my 2 cents.

For me it's the generation of society who have raised and are raising children who can't function without some sort of hand held screen device in their faces their every waking moment.

The participation trophy..............the game over generation...............the entitled generation who have been told all their lives how special and great they are. They are the instant gratification tribe.

The "there are no losers" generation who find out the hard way that there ARE losers and they can't deal with it when they do lose at something. They have a very difficult time coming to terms with real life not having a restart button that they can push every time something doesn't go their way.

There is a reason why someone coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" because when it comes down to it the strong will usually win and the weak will usually be weak.

Whether we like it or not we live in a very competitive and cut throat world and all the whining and tantrums will never change that. People strive to send their kids to the best schools and colleges but never face the fact that not every kid is college material.

There is nothing wrong with people having dreams of being a rock star or a professional athlete but the world needs dishwashers and plumbers and people who drive trucks that service port-o-lets at those concerts or sporting events as well.

IMO politically correct is one of the worst things that has ever happened in our society. You can't say or do anything without someone getting offended or getting their feelings hurt anymore!!

Now don't get me wrong..................I am all for equality for everyone but it can and does come at a price and some people are not willing to pay that price and it's usually the hyper sensitive people that the OP was talking about.

Safe spaces, coloring books, and puppies??.....................seriously???

I raised my kids the same way my parents raised me in the "rub some dirt on it" fashion and I am very proud of the adults that they have grown up to be. They have worked hard and continue to do so for their lot in life. When something knocks them down they pick themselves up and keep going without all the whining or dramatics that is festering in our current society.

With all that said...........Am I perfect?...............Not even close. But I don't get offended if someone votes differently than I do or says something that I don't agree with or has different beliefs than I do.

that's just my 2 cents.
 
I guess I would offer the thought that maybe it's largely always been this way(people exaggerating offense, getting triggered over social faux pas's that irritate their sensibilities, being deeply offended by shifting social and generational norms), with minor ebbs and flows, but many are conditioned to recognize and categorize those outbursts in a different way than they begin to do when the cleavages shift and the way those cleavages are challenged shift. And that we now have a level of interconnectedness and platforms to operate from that collide with one another and allow the expression of those aspects of the human condition to a bigger audience and with a louder microphone.

I'm not tethered to this hypothesis but I do think it has some solid merit.
So if this hypothesis is correct, will it improve the way people relate to one another, or will it be a detriment?
 
So if this hypothesis is correct, will it improve the way people relate to one another, or will it be a detriment?
I think thats yet to be seen.

I think, though perhaps just hope(with some healthy skepticism), that like generations before we will look back on this as the messy process on the road to positive social changes and ultimately beneficial adaptations to these technological disruptions that ultimately led our society and culture to a better resting place and as Oye articulated, hopefully a greater level of empathy.....Though as I say that I recognize there are a lot of examples where this didn't happen.


So TLDR, :idunno:
 
I think the answer is yes: (Videos are Not Safe for Work Due to Language)



 
For me it's the generation of society who have raised and are raising children who can't function without some sort of hand held screen device in their faces their every waking moment.

The participation trophy..............the game over generation...............the entitled generation who have been told all their lives how special and great they are. They are the instant gratification tribe.

The "there are no losers" generation who find out the hard way that there ARE losers and they can't deal with it when they do lose at something. They have a very difficult time coming to terms with real life not having a restart button that they can push every time something doesn't go their way.

There is a reason why someone coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" because when it comes down to it the strong will usually win and the weak will usually be weak.

Whether we like it or not we live in a very competitive and cut throat world and all the whining and tantrums will never change that. People strive to send their kids to the best schools and colleges but never face the fact that not every kid is college material.

There is nothing wrong with people having dreams of being a rock star or a professional athlete but the world needs dishwashers and plumbers and people who drive trucks that service port-o-lets at those concerts or sporting events as well.

IMO politically correct is one of the worst things that has ever happened in our society. You can't say or do anything without someone getting offended or getting their feelings hurt anymore!!

Now don't get me wrong..................I am all for equality for everyone but it can and does come at a price and some people are not willing to pay that price and it's usually the hyper sensitive people that the OP was talking about.

Safe spaces, coloring books, and puppies??.....................seriously???

I raised my kids the same way my parents raised me in the "rub some dirt on it" fashion and I am very proud of the adults that they have grown up to be. They have worked hard and continue to do so for their lot in life. When something knocks them down they pick themselves up and keep going without all the whining or dramatics that is festering in our current society.

With all that said...........Am I perfect?...............Not even close. But I don't get offended if someone votes differently than I do or says something that I don't agree with or has different beliefs than I do.

that's just my 2 cents.
Where do grown men of that same older generation losing their collective minds over younger men peacefully protesting by taking a knee to bring attention to perceived social injustices fall into your generational critique?

Or those same reactions when cities democratically decide they no longer wish to romanticize and showcase monuments to separatists that fought to maintain slavery at the cost of a nation?

Or again when cities democratically deciding that people that identify as another sex than the body they were born into should have the right to use the bathroom of their choosing without being accused of pedophilia?

How about that same generation trying to ban Coolio and Tupac because of some dirty words?

Blaming Marilyn Manson and FPS's for Columbine?

Screaming about conflating gay marriage to beastiality?

Or how about whining incessantly because the younglings don't adhere perfectly to the norms and priorities you want them to?





Point being, as I was articulating earlier, trying to keep this anchored around the parameters the OP wanted(until he liked this post which to me signals going into these waters is okay) it seems to me what is seen as hyper-sensitivity to some is viewed as justifiable outrage by another.

Endlessly whining about millennials is somehow viewed not as hyper-sensitivity(as evidenced by your framing of your post) but justifiable outrage. A person losing their mind over a video game is hyper-sensitivity run amok while a grown man taking to the streets and advocating the president pressure a private business to ban players they don't approve of because they chose to peacefully try and bring attention to a perceived social injustice is not.
 
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I think thats yet to be seen.

I think, though perhaps just hope(with some healthy skepticism), that like generations before we will look back on this as the messy process on the road to positive social changes and ultimately beneficial adaptations to these technological disruptions that ultimately led our society and culture to a better resting place and as Oye articulated, hopefully a greater level of empathy.....Though as I say that I recognize there are a lot of examples where this didn't happen.


So TLDR, :idunno:

That is one long sentence.
 
'hyper' almost always denotes a negative, hyper-flexible being one of the few exceptions and even that has to be managed

Ok, I’ll bite.

“Hyper” denotes something negative the same way that “progressive” denotes something positive (progress). That said, Ive seen people get called hyper sensitive while having a legit gripe, while also seeing people call something “progressive” that is very debatably so, and sometimes its obvious what they call progress is not that — at all. It goes both ways.
 
For me it's the generation of society who have raised and are raising children who can't function without some sort of hand held screen device in their faces their every waking moment.

The participation trophy..............the game over generation...............the entitled generation who have been told all their lives how special and great they are. They are the instant gratification tribe.

The "there are no losers" generation who find out the hard way that there ARE losers and they can't deal with it when they do lose at something. They have a very difficult time coming to terms with real life not having a restart button that they can push every time something doesn't go their way.

There is a reason why someone coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" because when it comes down to it the strong will usually win and the weak will usually be weak.

Whether we like it or not we live in a very competitive and cut throat world and all the whining and tantrums will never change that. People strive to send their kids to the best schools and colleges but never face the fact that not every kid is college material.

There is nothing wrong with people having dreams of being a rock star or a professional athlete but the world needs dishwashers and plumbers and people who drive trucks that service port-o-lets at those concerts or sporting events as well.

IMO politically correct is one of the worst things that has ever happened in our society. You can't say or do anything without someone getting offended or getting their feelings hurt anymore!!

Now don't get me wrong..................I am all for equality for everyone but it can and does come at a price and some people are not willing to pay that price and it's usually the hyper sensitive people that the OP was talking about.

Safe spaces, coloring books, and puppies??.....................seriously???

I raised my kids the same way my parents raised me in the "rub some dirt on it" fashion and I am very proud of the adults that they have grown up to be. They have worked hard and continue to do so for their lot in life. When something knocks them down they pick themselves up and keep going without all the whining or dramatics that is festering in our current society.

With all that said...........Am I perfect?...............Not even close. But I don't get offended if someone votes differently than I do or says something that I don't agree with or has different beliefs than I do.

that's just my 2 cents.

I don’t agree with you on everything you listed, as some of it pertains to adults and millennials alike. However, there is a lot of truth in this post.
 
Where do grown men of that same older generation losing their collective minds over younger men peacefully protesting by taking a knee to bring attention to perceived social injustices fall into your generational critique?

Or those same reactions when cities democratically decide they no longer wish to romanticize and showcase monuments to separatists that fought to maintain slavery at the cost of a nation?

Or again when cities democratically deciding that people that identify as another sex than the body they were born into should have the right to use the bathroom of their choosing without being accused of pedophilia?

How about that same generation trying to ban Coolio and Tupac because of some dirty words?

Blaming Marilyn Manson and FPS's for Columbine?

Screaming about conflating gay marriage to beastiality?

Or how about whining incessantly because the younglings don't adhere perfectly to the norms and priorities you want them to?





Point being, as I was articulating earlier, trying to keep this anchored around the parameters the OP wanted(until he liked this post) it seems to me what is seen as hyper-sensitivity to some is viewed as justifiable outrage by another.

Endlessly whining about millennials is somehow viewed not as hyper-sensitivity(as evidenced by your framing of your post) but justifiable outrage. A guy losing their mind over a video game is hyper-sensitivity run amok while a grown man taking to the streets and advocating the president pressure a private business to ban players they don't approve of because they chose to peacefully try and bring attention to a perceived social injustice is not.


I understand the point you are making and it is a very valid point. I truly respect that but I'm not whining about anything.

I don't care about millenials one way or the other and I have very little empathy for them because in truth they're about as worrisome to me as a cloudy day. They don't affect me in the least but they are the ones that have displayed a very exaggerated amount of the hyper sensitivity that is the topic of conversation here.

I own the company that I work for and I've been sued twice over what was called wrongful termination because a couple of guys couldn't go 5 minutes without checking their text messages or what someone posted on Facebook or Twitter whatever other social venue they happened to be tuned into at the time.

Everyone is offended by something and I get that but some of it borders ridiculous but that is just my opinion on things.

I'm the guy who would rather stand back and watch the train wreck than be involved in it.

The kids that are coming up these days are in for a hard life lesson if they don't grow a sack and thicker skin.

The fact is that they won't only face opposition from my generation but from their own as well.
 
Jonathan Haidt has an interesting perspective on how we arrived here:

 

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