Ok, first of all, if you were expecting a treatise on fine tobacco, I refer you to an earlier thread, entitled "Capacity for Abstract Thought?" That may be found in my archives.
I was recently replying to someone and I made a joking reference to purging. After the post, I hesitated, wondering if I should edit that part out.
The fact that I even considered editing disturbed me.
Don't get me wrong, I really want to be sensitive and understanding, seriously. I would never consider any serious discrimination against anyone for anything, or for that matter, would never consider deliberately offending people. But we really, really have to learn to not be so easily offended.
As a large man, I have had to deal with discrimination, jokes, harsh treatment all my life. Some of the comments have stung, yes, but ultimately, you have to determine not to let another person so easily control your emotions. Put simply, my self esteem is bigger than what you or others think; if you have a legitimate beef with me, bring it to me, I'd love to hear it, but as for the petty stuff, water off a duck's back.
We need to stop reading motives into other people's actions when they aren't intended. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, as Sigmund Freud once noted. Look at the general nature and tone of what the person has to say and take it in context. I have seen far too many examples where a respondent makes a flippant remark and it becomes a major issue. Let's stop and think about these things before we make it into a big brouhaha.
I wonder if this is why diplomatic relations degenerate so quickly.
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish