Is there a word you find offensive? If so, is it the word’s problem or your own inner landscape? Would it work if we started infiltrating society with repeated and printing these words over and over to desensitize members of society, or would that create more problems?
© 2026 – SoulSequel
23 responses to “What word do you find offensive?”
It is a word that I find so offensive that I can’t write it, say it or read it, so my apologies I can’t share it, but because I respect your right to ask the question; I will answer the question’s collateral inference anyways.
Repetition and print production only serves to provide the word with equity. Not interested in providing that. I think desensitizing it only serves to contribute value so I won’t. I find this word in the realm of the word fuck which has accomplished the objective of becoming common vernacular and if I didn’t like George Carlin so damn much I wouldn’t use the fuckin’ word with the mental regularity I do. Shit, Ass and fuck are now just words in my world, but this other word…nope…will not give it the prestige of regular use…ever…even though I i have laughed when I heard a five year old Scottish girl use it to describe your asshole of a president.
@spitfire3dc I’ve always wondered about this. You think about the word, you say it in your head, you hear others use it, what’s the big deal? Is it what it represents? And what does it really represent?
@Fletch It might be what it represent but not literally. I just find it to be a demeaning and vulgar description of something that I see as something worthy of a more poetically mellifluous timbre.
let’s see…..
start printing and repeating “nigger” and see what happens. Desensitization? Doubtful. And that’s just one word.
@Fletch actually, I agree with you. This question was inspired by a conversation I had with someone outside of soul sequel, and they felt strongly we should use the words repeatedly to desensitize people. I was against this tactic, however, I wanted to pose the q in a way that didn’t taint the responses. Thanks for your honesty.
@Scarlett especially today when people are just looking to get offended so they have something to complain about.
I actively try to not be easily offense-able. Someone trying to generate offense is trying to control the emotions of others. Someone trying to generate control, is obviously lacking in personal control. (Otherwise they would not be trying to generate it!)
So do I want to be controlled, by an out-of-control person?! A circumstance? An inanimate object or symbol?
List of words that will do this is like having numerous “take remote control of me” buttons plastered all over me..
There are words, tactics, and even inanimate things that might try, or perhaps even succeed at it in the moment.
But my feelings are mine.
I am not theirs.
If anything succeeds in controlling me, I have the problem.
Oh, but we do LOVE trying to shift our problems onto other things!
@griz I am with you. I try not to be offensive. I do get mildly offended or do not like to hear certain words, though. I look at it like I am a musical instrument, and different notes played by others have generate different noises coming from my mind.
@Scarlett
Try making the discomfort a function of the other person not of you. It is uncomfortable watching a person go to such extreme lengths to gain something they fear they are lacking.
They are in a bad state, and are trying to get you to share in that bad state by triggering sympathetic vibrations off your feelings.
You still “feel something”. But what you feel isn’t yours. It’s theirs.
And in recognizing this, one can either let it bounce off their shields, or continue to resonate sympathetically with the other; perhaps seeking to help them.
Just remember, one doesn’t help others by letting them control you.
And whatever bounces off your shields often returns to sender with proverbial postage due! ( the reflection has more umph than what they sent out. Their intention to attack/comtrol you can come back seeming like an even stronger attack from you directed at them)
@griz actually I can name a word that sets you off like no other. Or actually a few related (interconnected) concepts: that of religion (or things done religiously) and its sister (or brother) anti-life/ death.
@Jear77
I’m human so you possibly could. (I’ve stop saying I’m only human, because God’s spirit is in me also).
But if you could, they would be taken before God, as what some Eastern beliefs call “points of pain”. In Christian-speak if they robbed me of my joy and peace they would be presenting themselves as a greater Spirit than Christ in my life.
And I would have some personal work to do. This isn’t “rules and regulations and you better do it or be damned”.
It’s more that my joy and peace in Christ is an awesome thing and a powerful way to live life. It would be working to get back to a place that I love being.
I shake my head at all the excuses I used to conjure to avoid this journey. Or to stay on track.
@griz If you feel that way you would be better off leaving people who don’t believe alone to their own devices. to save yourself the pain.
@Jear77
Because I am thankful people didn’t just leave me alone when I was questioning Life.
Anything said to try to rip our President apart is highly offensive to me. So, I ignore the haters and cut them out of my life. The President is doing a good job and I would rather focus on the good of this world. Hate speech —– I consider the source and move on with my life.
@ladybarbara what about people that have highly intelligent ideas, yet disagree with you, on what POTUS does or is doing?
Being offended just because you don’t agree?
That’s akin to liking WHATEVER the Pirate says or writes just because he’s your, ahem,
“boyfriend”. Oh wait…..
@Fletch I simply have no room in my life for disrespect, or hate. It is a waste of time and effort. If there are highly intelligent minds with sane ideas, then I will listen. However, people spring-loaded to spew out hate are not worth my time.
As for my “boyfriend”, we are sitting together at the same table and laughing as we type on our keyboards. I like that he gets involved with SoulSequel. I like most everything he does, except his cigarette smoking. My opinions of him are set and right out of Marabel Morgan’s books Total Woman and Total Joy. Even if you don’t support his plan, you always support the man. A household where the partners do not support one another is a house divided and is the seeds that grow a break-up. Life is more peaceful if I stand with and behind my man.
There’s a couple of words that are problematic with me
“Can” if taken literally, means “are you (or am I) physically capable of doing X?” So “can you pass me the salt” “what, am I that weak?”
“Want” – “do you want to do X?” if you REALLY want to know the answer to that question, the truth is more likely than not, the answer will be no. Don’t ask.
“Need” – necessities are 1) air 2) shelter in extreme weather 3) water 3) food. Anything above and beyond that is basically a luxury. Don’t say you need anything
It’s just words…
…..sometimes ‘No’ but sometimes ‘Yes’.
I think desensitization is a big reason why our society has the problems that it does. So no, I don’t agree with further efforts of desensitization.
I don’t think that I truly find issue with any particular word. There are words that are used to degrade others, I get that. but they’re just words. For every shitty word that can be used toward a person – that same person who feels offended by such words has an arsenal of others words that can be used against the “attacker”. Words belong to the person who uses them, they come with the emotions and intent that are given to them. Everyone else has the ability to decide to absorb, deflect, or ignore them.
lots of words bother me
maybe it is within me but i think it is more the casual use. the day i knew i was a feminist was the day i realized that words used to shame males were words otherwise associated with females, or with “weaker” genders. that made my female heart sad for shore.
but shut up and stupid are my no no words
those are words used to easily but are so capable of breaking hearts
Trickle-down economics.
@saintcharlie Ha ha ha ha ha. This made me lol.