More on Rudeness: The Golden Rule and the Internet

[lhynard]

In my last entry, I was pleading with parents to use tact in discussing stories about their children that they may find cute and/or funny but by which others might be disgusted. While I in no way meant to limit this to on-line behavior, it is probably more prevalent of an occurrence on-line these days, with social networking sites becoming the norm

Comments

[lhynard]

I think you are asking two completely separate groups of questions and they have separate answers.

Especially online, when I look at pictures, do I have a right to be offended by someone outside of my sub-culture?

The vast majority of times that people, including myself, are offended, I don't think they should be. Usually, my taking offense at something means I am being wrongly judgmental or overly sensitive and/or selfish about my opinions.

(As an aside, I don't believe in inherent rights period, but that's another topic, and it misses your point.)

But this has no bearing at all on how I should act towards others. It only has a bearing on how I should respond when people act a certain way to me.

This is not the topic of my post; my topic is, how do I act toward others?

[W]hich audience is my post or pictures reaching, and how is it possible for me to know what each person values or doesn't value?

This is a separate question, but a very good one.

I believe that we have a responsibility to be aware of our audiences and potential audiences. To post things without considering this is... inconsiderate.

Of course it isn't possible for us to know exactly what will offend other people.

On the otherhand, I think people often use this as an excuse when they can very well make an educated guess about it. My mom would call this common sense.

[W]here does mercy come into this?

It comes into your first question and not your second. We should have mercy when we feel we have a "right" to be offended.

But not offending others isn't showing mercy, because you have no "right" to offend them in the first place!

The issue with the meat didn't actually have to do with Jews, but yes, you are correct that it says we should not cause others to stumble (which, by the way, is the same word as "offend,") if we can at all help it. Which is my whole point. This relates to your second question.

Yes, there is also freedom, which means some things that offend others may not offend us. This returns to your first question.

But the Golden Rule is all about how we act, not about whether or not we are offended.

Not "thrust[ing] your personal beliefs on others" when it might offend them is essentially the Golden Rule, is it not? Because you yourself would not want to be offended by someone else's personal beliefs -- whether it is a belief that poo is funny or that swearing is sinful in every instance.