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30 Times People Got Offended And Upset About Things Most Would Never Get Offended By, As Shared Online
Not too long ago people started using the term Generation Snowflake referring to young people who are too sensitive and get offended by anything. The term reflects how fragile people are, often thinking that they are unique and feel entitled to special treatment.
You can’t imagine the things that people get upset over, but you can read about them as a Reddit user started a thread asking “What is the most inoffensive thing you've seen someone get offended by?” Although it must have been frustrating at the moment to interact with these people, now it seems like a moment from an absurd comedy.
More info: Reddit
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#1
>Professor Greg Patton at the University of Southern California (USC) was telling students in a communications lecture last month about filler, or pause words, such as 'err', 'umm' or 'you know' in English.
>
>Footage of his lecture, which has now gone viral, shows Prof Patton saying: "In China, the common pause word is 'that, that, that'. So in China, it might be na-ge, na-ge, na-ge."
>
>Enunciated, na-ge sounds like the N-word, which led several of the professor's students to complain to the university. Responding to the complaint, the dean of the university, Geoffrey Garrett, told students that Prof Patton would no longer be teaching the course.
>
>"It is simply unacceptable for the faculty to use words in class that can marginalize, hurt and harm the psychological safety of our students," he said.
>
>The university says that Prof Patton "volunteered to step away" from his role amid the investigation into complaints made against him.
This is the stupidest thing to get offended over that I've seen in quite a while. And damaging to actual cases of racist terminology being used inappropriately.
Ivana Bašić 2 years ago
My daughter speaks three languages because we live abroad. Some words in the local language sound rude in our country of origin, I wouldn't let you talk to my dog that way, you'd never use that kind of language with your grandparents. So we had to explain to the grandparents why it was normal and don't react. They still flinch when she uses them, it just goes too deep, but have to give them credit, they don't say anything. She was too young to understand and we didn't want to ban normal vocabulary that she used at school every day.
RELATED:
#2
Had someone get offended by me calling my brother "bro". They insisted that I was racist and that white people can't be related to Mexicans.
Like seriously lady. That's not how genetics work. We are 100% related and are a mix of white and Native American. Its not that unheard of for one biological sibling to come out lighter or darker than the other.
And even if we weren't related... Seriously? I'm racist for calling someone close to me my bro despite being different skin tones? Seriously?
Thank you for coming to my rant session. Have a good day.
Well-Dressed Wolf 2 years ago
Also wtf??? White people can’t be related to Mexicans? I’m white af and I’m adopted into a family of Mexicans. Go ahead and try to tell me I’m not related to them. XD they’re my FAMILY.
#3
I am a disabled person. My life sucks because of my disability and no longer being able to do the things I used to love makes me quite depressed sometimes. Some a*****e tried to lecture me about how I was ableist for wishing there was a cure for my disability. F**k me for not enjoying being in constant pain and possibly ending up in a wheelchair in the future I guess.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
As someone who has several chronic health conditions and uses a wheelchair, I will say this: Who the f**k would wish to NOT have a cure for these kinds of illnesses??
#4
This guy at a Halloween party I was at was dressed in a giant bacon costume.
Some girl was *yelling* at him for being so offensive toward Jews and Muslims (she was neither Jewish nor Muslim). One of the Muslim guys at the party asked her what the f**k she was talking about but she didn't back down lol
I have no idea why people feel they need to go out of their way to be (inaccurately) offended on behalf of other cultures/religions
Paulo Freitas 2 years ago
Dude in 2017 Rupert Sanders butchered One of the best science fiction movies ever done " Ghost In The Shell " and they Cast Scarlett Johanson for the part of " Motoko Kusanagui " ( in theory a Japanese character ), white washing scandle insues, só a journalist crue in Japan asked Japanese people what they though about it having Scarlett as Motoko, most of them quite proud that a Hollywood A Lister would portray a Japanese beloved property, American dude in a fórum, " oh, but thats because the Japanese don't understand.... "
#5
People get very offended that I don't like being touched.
#6
At my wedding we marked the vegetarian items as vegetarian. This made the one vegetarian at my wedding (sister in law who hates me) fly into a catatonic rage because we are singling out the vegetarian food as vegetarian and not treating it as normal food. Then how the f**k are they supposed to know its vegetarian?
#7
Sporks.
I once heard someone say, *"The spork is 'the devil's utensil' because it is the amalgamation of the masculine fork and the feminine spoon and is trying to blur gender lines in society."*
#8
_Happy holidays_ successfully triggered an entire demographic. I'm still amazed by it.
#9
One time someone got offended when I put on my seatbelt, thought I was commenting on her ability to drive.
#10
A sandwich. I kid you not. My Ex husband was given a sandwich by our then 13yr old daughter and because she cut the sandwich he went off on a massive strop about how his sandwiches should never be cut etc. The poor kids face, she was crushed. It still winds me up no end every time I think about it.
#11
I still remember in kindergarten when my friend and I were reading all the colors out loud on one of those crayola super packs. I got straight up yelled at and sent to the principal's office for saying "orange pizzazz" because the teacher said I called someone a "p**s a*s" and *would not listen* despite having the crayon as evidence.
After a 30min scolding and waiting for my mom to **leave work** to pick me up ***for my suspension***, she came in all apologetic. When I explained to her the whole situation, not the school's side, Ma went apes**t. I'd heard her say "s**t" once, that's the only swear I ever heard from her, and we had just been rear-ended in traffic.
"How about c**t?! Can he say c**t?! Cuz you're all being c***s right now! This is f*****g ridiculous!" And just went off while I'm sitting there all :o and the principal is just red af.
I got un-suspended on the spot, but she pulled me out of school for the day anyway. We had a lovely day and she explained very well how I shouldn't swear like that unless absolutely necessary and I've exhausted all civility. "When being civil simply isn't working, sometimes you might have to call someone a p**s a*s."
The next day at school, I learned that I now had the stigma of being the kid who got the crayola super pack taken away :(
#12
One of my coworkers was surprised and said “Oh my god”.
A religious coworker overheard her using ‘god’s name in vain’ and reported it to HR. They had to have meetings with HR and the managers about respecting people’s religion. The lady said ‘oh my god’ she didn’t wish for the death of Christianity for f**k’s sake! It was ridiculous.
Phobrek Taz 2 years ago
I would have one-upped HR and accused them of trying to stifle my religious beliefs. "So you're threatening my employment just because I have a god?! Wait til the guvmint and every media outlet hears about this!"
#13
Using a walking stick. I was in a car accident a few years ago and it f****d my leg up. Since then i've been using a walking stick. I was walking to shop (pre-pandemic) and an old bloke gave me the dirtiest look i've ever seen.
"What do you need a cane for? you're only a kid..."
He actually got quite pissy just seeing me using a stick. Like, my dude, i'm just out trying to buy some milk, i don't need your s**t today. (i didn't say that out loud, i just said it to myself after i got home)
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
I once had a GP (doctor) tell me that I was 'too young' to have arthritis. I was about 22 at the time; and nvm the fact that LITERAL CHILDREN can get arthritis.
#14
Ex of mine once flew into a shrieking rage because while he was driving, someone swerved or did something surprising, and i gasped out loud.
Apparently that meant i didn't trust him and our entire relationship was in question.
The amount of rage for the level of infraction was...upsetting.
ETA for those suggesting I was overreacting and the annoying one, he was a terrible, aggressive driver. And we lived IN BOSTON.
EDIT2: I'm reminded of the time he reversed the car out of a spot by turning the wheel sharping and gunning the engine, smashing the entire side of the car into the concrete pillar next to the parking spot. That was my fault too, for not warning him he was going to hit the pillar. I gasped that time too, despite being warned that gasping was a sign of distrust in the relationship.
Slow creep. Slow creep of s****y behaviour until the frogs boil to death not realising how hot it was. Fortunately, i woke up before i boiled to death.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
I am SO glad that OP woke up before they were boiled to death. As for people saying OP 'overreacted' because they made an INVOLUNTARY noise in response to something that SCARED them... please get your heads out of your butts.
#15
Maybe 22 years ago, I had a phone interview with a baking company. I didn’t care to have my peers know what I was up to so I took the call on my cell phone in my car. The call was crystal clear and no technical issues.
At one point, they had mentioned the weather and asked how it was where I was. I told him that I was sitting in my car and I could see that it was actively snowing and what not. The interviewer asked me, “are you taking this call on a cell phone?”
I told him I was. Then he asked me if I thought that was appropriate. I asked him what he meant by that. He said he thought it was kind of rude to take a formal call on a cell phone. I told him I would be more than happy to conclude the interview if talking on a cell phone was an issue. If he was interested, I’d be happy to continue it the next day when I’d be at a desk. He again repeated how rude he thought it was that I had called from a cell phone and that there was no need to continue the interview process. I disagreed with the first point but did agree with the second.
To this day, I wonder what the hell he was talking about and where he was coming from.
#16
I was at the vet with my cat and he sneezed. This was apperently very offensive to an elder woman (she was there with a corgi) and she started screaming at me for about 30 minutes about pet hygiene.
#17
I told my my sister in a PM that it’s “1st” not “1rst” after she posted something on Facebook with the spelling error. She flipped out saying how I’m a “bully” and I need to “appreciate that her spelling is more unique”.
Edit: She’s 27
Paulo Freitas 2 years ago
No She just can't write lol, and i know that because i Also suck at it.....( But i don't get offended when someone corrects me )
#18
I managed a small, new team that had no procedures or policies, so I set about instituting some. "I mean, you never know, I could get hit by a bus tomorrow and then no one would know how to process these requests," I told them, when asking for their feedback and for them to write up how they did their tasks. Then we would come back together and decide best practices in a meeting.
Little man filed a complaint to the manager for my use of "violent imagery" and said that he felt threatened. It was a whole thing. Ultimately, he got fired. F**k him, byeeeeeeeee.
Edit: Well, this blew up, lol. For clarity, he didn't get fired for this one incident. He was a horrible employee with real issues having a woman in charge.
#19
Straight male here, married with three children. I have a gay brother in law and a gay niece. I have attended gay pride rallies, I have two gay pride shirts.
I have been called out several times for being a “poser” - a straight man wearing a gay pride shirt. Almost got in several fights so I stopped wearing them. :/
Froynlaven 2 years ago
You shouldn't allow bullies to stop you from showing support for your loved ones
#20
It's specific to France. In french we have a way to address for a man (Monsieur), a married woman (Madame), an unmarried woman (Mademoiselle) and we use to have one for an unmarried man (Mondamoiseau) wich disappeard from official paperworks since i don't even know when.
In the name of gender equality, "mademoiselle" was also removed a few years ago from official paperwork. Also in the name of gender equality some employee were told to not call young women "Mademoiselle" anymore and to go with "Madame".
So the trick is, some women will get offended when called "Madame" because it makes them feel old and some women will get offended when called "Mademoiselle" because it's sexist. Clerks a doomed.
EDIT : apparently it's not specific to the french language
#21
We used an app at work called Bonfyre. One person refused to use it because bonfires are for witchcraft and pagans.
RainWingRoyal 2 years ago
Wow, that person must hate camping. If s'mores come from witchcraft now, dump me in a lake to see if I float.
#22
I had a coworker who got mad at me because I asked her not to tickle me.
(a) That's inappropriate at work; (b) we're not children, we're not in a relationship, we're not family; (c) I DON'T LIKE BEING TICKLED.
She flipped out and said everyone likes being tickled and I was being mean to her. Happily my boss had my back.
Edit: this happened over a decade ago, I don't work with that woman or for that company. In fact, even the company doesn't exist anymore.
I am also a woman.
The coworker was very young and immature. This was her first job, her first time in a professional environment, and she really had no clue about professional workplace behavior. I wasn't upset because she truly thought she was being friendly.
But I still don't like being tickled.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
Some people just don't seem to understand personal space or consent. PLEASE teach your kids about consent, parents/ guardians.... It'll be one of the best things you do.
#23
I got in trouble in kindergarten for saying the word dead. Apparently it was too violent.
Pedantic Panda 2 years ago (edited)
Completely depends on the context. "I won't be happy till every kid in here is dead" would definitely be unacceptable, especially if you're a staff member.
#24
When I was a child, my mum paid for something with a cheque. The cashier remarked that my mum had nice hand writing
My mum flew off the handle, and we had to storm out of the shop in outrage.
To this day, I have no idea what happened.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
Wow, mum has issues of some kind. Maybe she thought the cashier was being sarcastic or something, but mum needs help.
#25
My dad loves to tell the story of how, shortly after they were married, he and mom went to get some fast food. As they pulled up to the drive through window, my very conservative mom saw a sign that said "Condiments available upon request" and said "OMG, that's disgusting! WHY would a restaurant feel the need to give those out!?" She had misread it and thought they were giving out condoms upon request. 😂
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
I wasn't expecting a funny and wholesome story in this list :D
#26
wearing a mask in public
#27
A f*****g picture of an eye. We have an organization-wide theme every year and all the PC's on our network have the same background and theme which can't be changed. So this year's theme is "Vision is 2020" and the background was a zoomed-in picture of an eye in really awesome colours. Two women on staff wrote letters to complain that the picture was "heathen" as it drew from "Illuminati" imagery and paid tribute to the "all-seeing eye of Eqyptian deities". They wined and complained to such an extent that the picture was eventually changed to shut them up and let the normal folks get back to our actual work.
#28
I once listened to my boss try to lecture the Fire Marshall because he was talking about something being flame retardant (her reasoning was you should just call it fireproof because retardant was an awful word.). It was one of those times where I really should have tried to stop her but instead I just stood off to the side probably making a surprised pikachu face.
Well-Dressed Wolf 2 years ago
But… retardant is an actual word, not an insult (they’re not even spelled or pronounced the same…) And calling it fireproof would actually be a dangerous lie, because “flame retardant” does NOT equal firePROOF XD
#29
The guy who got offended in a council meeting because someone used the term "black hole".
#30
I worked at a restaurant and we put up some Halloween decorations. We had to take them all down when someone found the glittery skull decoration offensive.
What do you think ?
Nathaniel 2 years ago
People go out of their way to be offended. Sorry if I have offended anyone reading this.
General Anaesthesia 2 years ago (edited)
It feels like the whole world is going to he#$ in a handbasket in a hundred languages because you can't say or do anything without offending at least one oversensitive person within a thousand banana radius. For example, they could downvote this because there are more than 100 languages in the world. My apologies for that insensitivity. Anyway, Merry Holidays everyone!
Load More Replies...
Randy Sanders 2 years ago
After a while, the sheer volume of people getting offended has the effect of a person simply not caring about what others think. I don't have to play along with your delusions or mental problems. Absolutely liberating!
Dip thong 2 years ago
I keep my seat belt on. During turbulence, the plane might drop suddenly, and if it does your head will hit the overhead rack and possibly breaking your neck.
Load More Replies...
🇺🇦 PrincessPatton 🇺🇦 2 years ago
A friend once said she hadn't seen her boyfriend in "light years." I just noted that a light-year is a unit of distance, not time. She got really mad at me, got offended, and hasn't spoken to me since. It's been seven years.
Sami-Jo Ross 2 years ago
My dad gave me the silent treatment because he swears up and down that wasabi is extinct, and I pulled up multiple pages that proved him wrong. Oh, and he still says it's extinct and "don't believe what you see on the internet" but he's the kind of guy who would believe articles from the Onion.
Seabeast 2 years ago
Tell him that onions have gone extinct. That will blow his mind.
Load More Replies... 
Kirsten Kerkhof 2 years ago
A parent once got angry because her son (student of mine) was dyslexic and I marked down his spelling mistakes. In an English writing exam. He scored a very respectable 78% because he did his very best, but she insisted I should ignore each and every spelling error because “You know what he means!” Yes, I know, and no, I won’t.
Nikki Angulo 2 years ago
To be fair (not sure how long ago this was, or where) but nowadays and where I work, if a student is dyslexic they should have an EIP, and it likely would either give the student access to technology to write exams, or it would have instructions on how to take into consideration their dyslexia (like maybe only deduct half what you normally would for spelling mistakes, for example) if you were following an EIP, which the parents get at the beginning of the year/term and SIGN, then she wouldn't be able to complain since she signed it and therefore agreed with it.
Load More Replies... DrLivingstonipresume 2 years ago
What personality disorder is it that causes people to spend this kind of energy CHOOSING to be offended by every thing? I'm too young to have met as many people like this as I I have...
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
Oh, it's always been this way. I'm over 50. Nowadays, people simply have the internet to show it.
Load More Replies...
Annie Persson 2 years ago
I am all for not using slurs! However, I once talked about a nice, black family that lives nearby, and was flabberghasted when I was severely told off, not to call people black! The correct term is afro-american! Weeeell, actually no. We in Norway, and this lovely family was refugees from Somalia, and had never in their lives been anywhere near the Americas! The correct formal term is norsksomalier.
Mrs.Pugh 2 years ago (edited)
Im in America and afro-American is rarely used. I, as a black person, have no problem with people, of any race, calling me black. I think I prefer that over African American because that sound too formal.
Load More Replies...
Aiden Brough 2 years ago
The classic one I face every day is when I speak to a female customer and there is no salutation. Do I email 'Mrs', 'Ms', 'Miss' or use their first name? I'm old fashion and prefer to use surnames BUT... I have failed when I've been told I am being unprofessional for using a forename (I kid you not!!!) and when I've use the obviously wrong title. A classic was being called 'inefficient' for not sending a customer an invoice BEFORE we'd undertaken any work at their home (and she was Nora Batty-ingly serious!!!) I put it down to the water...
Deborah Rubin 1 year ago
My reaction to this went from "are there really people like this?" To sadly, there are people like this.
Alan Stevenson 1 year ago
Anyone who takes offence when offence was NOT intended, is a fool. And anyone who takes offence when offence WAS intended, is a bigger fool.
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
I'm afraid I'd be SHRIEKING at the sheer stupidity of every one of these if I came across any of them irl. Honestly! People are just too....too, that's all. I got written up by a temporary manager once because a visitor had asked me how I liked the chocolates that were on our nursing station desk (it was a box of the nastiest chocolates made here in the States, well known for being terrible candy). I said I only ate one, but didn't care for them. He was the one who supplied them as a "treat" to all the staff, and was offended that I didn't like them, so my then-boss wrote me up. Idiots, both of them. I chose to never eat what visitors supplied again.
Kevin Hickey 2 years ago
I'm offended by people using anecdotal evidence to "prove" that "everyone is offended by everything these days".
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 years ago
This whole thing angers me and is the reason snowflake is such a common insult.
Nathaniel 2 years ago
People go out of their way to be offended. Sorry if I have offended anyone reading this.
General Anaesthesia 2 years ago (edited)
It feels like the whole world is going to he#$ in a handbasket in a hundred languages because you can't say or do anything without offending at least one oversensitive person within a thousand banana radius. For example, they could downvote this because there are more than 100 languages in the world. My apologies for that insensitivity. Anyway, Merry Holidays everyone!
Load More Replies... Randy Sanders 2 years ago
After a while, the sheer volume of people getting offended has the effect of a person simply not caring about what others think. I don't have to play along with your delusions or mental problems. Absolutely liberating!
Dip thong 2 years ago
I keep my seat belt on. During turbulence, the plane might drop suddenly, and if it does your head will hit the overhead rack and possibly breaking your neck.
Load More Replies... 🇺🇦 PrincessPatton 🇺🇦 2 years ago
A friend once said she hadn't seen her boyfriend in "light years." I just noted that a light-year is a unit of distance, not time. She got really mad at me, got offended, and hasn't spoken to me since. It's been seven years.
Sami-Jo Ross 2 years ago
My dad gave me the silent treatment because he swears up and down that wasabi is extinct, and I pulled up multiple pages that proved him wrong. Oh, and he still says it's extinct and "don't believe what you see on the internet" but he's the kind of guy who would believe articles from the Onion.
Seabeast 2 years ago
Tell him that onions have gone extinct. That will blow his mind.
Load More Replies... Kirsten Kerkhof 2 years ago
A parent once got angry because her son (student of mine) was dyslexic and I marked down his spelling mistakes. In an English writing exam. He scored a very respectable 78% because he did his very best, but she insisted I should ignore each and every spelling error because “You know what he means!” Yes, I know, and no, I won’t.
Nikki Angulo 2 years ago
To be fair (not sure how long ago this was, or where) but nowadays and where I work, if a student is dyslexic they should have an EIP, and it likely would either give the student access to technology to write exams, or it would have instructions on how to take into consideration their dyslexia (like maybe only deduct half what you normally would for spelling mistakes, for example) if you were following an EIP, which the parents get at the beginning of the year/term and SIGN, then she wouldn't be able to complain since she signed it and therefore agreed with it.
Load More Replies... DrLivingstonipresume 2 years ago
What personality disorder is it that causes people to spend this kind of energy CHOOSING to be offended by every thing? I'm too young to have met as many people like this as I I have...
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
Oh, it's always been this way. I'm over 50. Nowadays, people simply have the internet to show it.
Load More Replies... Annie Persson 2 years ago
I am all for not using slurs! However, I once talked about a nice, black family that lives nearby, and was flabberghasted when I was severely told off, not to call people black! The correct term is afro-american! Weeeell, actually no. We in Norway, and this lovely family was refugees from Somalia, and had never in their lives been anywhere near the Americas! The correct formal term is norsksomalier.
Mrs.Pugh 2 years ago (edited)
Im in America and afro-American is rarely used. I, as a black person, have no problem with people, of any race, calling me black. I think I prefer that over African American because that sound too formal.
Load More Replies... Aiden Brough 2 years ago
The classic one I face every day is when I speak to a female customer and there is no salutation. Do I email 'Mrs', 'Ms', 'Miss' or use their first name? I'm old fashion and prefer to use surnames BUT... I have failed when I've been told I am being unprofessional for using a forename (I kid you not!!!) and when I've use the obviously wrong title. A classic was being called 'inefficient' for not sending a customer an invoice BEFORE we'd undertaken any work at their home (and she was Nora Batty-ingly serious!!!) I put it down to the water...
Deborah Rubin 1 year ago
My reaction to this went from "are there really people like this?" To sadly, there are people like this.
Alan Stevenson 1 year ago
Anyone who takes offence when offence was NOT intended, is a fool. And anyone who takes offence when offence WAS intended, is a bigger fool.
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
I'm afraid I'd be SHRIEKING at the sheer stupidity of every one of these if I came across any of them irl. Honestly! People are just too....too, that's all. I got written up by a temporary manager once because a visitor had asked me how I liked the chocolates that were on our nursing station desk (it was a box of the nastiest chocolates made here in the States, well known for being terrible candy). I said I only ate one, but didn't care for them. He was the one who supplied them as a "treat" to all the staff, and was offended that I didn't like them, so my then-boss wrote me up. Idiots, both of them. I chose to never eat what visitors supplied again.
Kevin Hickey 2 years ago
I'm offended by people using anecdotal evidence to "prove" that "everyone is offended by everything these days".
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 years ago
This whole thing angers me and is the reason snowflake is such a common insult.
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