Sunday, December 28, 2008

To Insult

I realize that a sense of humor is individual. However, read this Wordcraft thread and decide whether you think that last post is an insult. I do, but then I am prejudiced. I am also a bit too sensitive for my own good.

So, I looked up the word insult. Of course, I already know what it means, but I find reading definitions of common words to be quite enlightening. Sometimes there are nuances about words that I hadn't known or at least hadn't remembered.

The AHD says that insult means "To treat with gross insensitivity, insolence, or contemptuous rudeness. See synonyms at offend. b. To affront or demean: an absurd speech that insulted the intelligence of the audience."

Well, perhaps that last post didn't go so far as to be contemptuous. Yet, it surely shows "gross insensitivity." When 2 others find something funny, you don't post that you find a "pointless discussion about pointless things boring" or that "I found nothing at all to smile about." What is the point in writing that? Okay, perhaps that's the way the poster felt, but why write it for public consumption? What on earth could be gained, except that he feels a bit "superior" when doing so.

Was he just "grossly insensitive?" Or did he know exactly what he was doing?

There must be a word for how I am feeling right now, but I can't come up with it. I am angry, hurt, and feeling like I want to get back at that old meany!

Thankfully, tomorrow is another day. This too shall pass...

3 comments:

Unknown said...

it is not an insult. Rather a very revealing attempt (as you pointed out)at looking superior without having the guts to have a real opinion. I'd be tempted to advise him to "get a life", but it is probably pointless anyway...

zmjezhd said...

I have seen him be rude, insensitive, and insulting. Perhaps his response in this thread does not seem on the surface to be insulting, but when backed up by all his other responses to threads in the past, I believe it was meant to be insulting. Oh, and not to be normative, but he should learn how to use a spellchecker after he gets his life back from drinking all that beer.

Kalleh said...

Oh, yes, I did note, with glee, his glaring spelling error. Ha! Ha! Were I to respond (I am contemplating doing so), I'd surely point that out.