It's amazing how many people refuse to communicate what is going on for them with the ones in their lives who they care for. The old school mentality of leaving things alone, not talking about it becuase you may offend someone or because a potential confrontation could lead to raised voices and or raw emotion has got to evolve.
I came from a family where nobody actually discussed the things that mattered. We all joked around passively and/or talked about things that bothered us about others indirectly to everyone else. So much wasted time and energy on things that are most likely just misunderstandings.
Tip toeing around this eggshell culture phase we are currently living in makes things all the worst as everyone and their dog are getting offended about anything that challenges their current ways of thinking or beliefs. Evolution needs resistance. Resistance comes from coming up against something that either strengthens your resolve or encourages you to adapt and neither is possible if you shelter yourself from the thoughts and words from others.
Hate speech and freedom of speech are rubbing hot and creating sparks but as we are all distracted by the rub, no one seems to realize that when everything is on fire, its our "freedoms" that will pay the price. The freedom to disagree, the freedom to be misinformed, the freedom to correct or educate those who are misinformed, the freedom to learn from you mistakes, the freedom to make mistakes and take responsibility for them are all rings on the hunk of wood that is "freedom" in this analogy - the hunk of wood currently catching fire by our own static biases and lack of detachment and compassion.
There is a time and a place for things which seemed to have gotten skewed. If someone's car alarm goes off every night at 4 am - everyone within earshot has the right to initiate a conversation with the individual responsible and it is their civic duty as a contributing citizen coexisting within any demographic to do what they can to stop the activity that is disruptive to their fellow residents. By "initiate a conversation" I don't mean, publicly chastise them, destroying their work, living and or social life. Jus ta simple knock on the door, "hey, in case you weren't aware how your actions are affecting others...". Giving them the opportunity to become aware and learn from their actions. Yes, I know there are those who are totally aware and totally don't care but we should never assume that is the case - that's where the compassion comes in play. If they prove to be unwavering and lacking the willingness for peaceful coexistence, then continue the steps towards a common justice either through the city or rallying as many affected as possible to peacefully convince the individual to concede. Moral: when the actions of others directly effect others, confrontations are necessary.
On the other and, if your neighbor prefers to wear checkered underwear in their home with all the lights on and blinds open when its dark and this offends you. You do not have the right to publically destroy this person. Nor do you have the right to try to ban all checker underwear from existence. The only thing you have a right to do in this scenario is to not look and mind your own business.
Moral: If the actions of others are doing no harm to you or others then nevermind - detach.
We need each other to keep each other in check. We need to be able to communicate freely with anyone and everyone in order to learn and grow. We need to co-create a supportive environment where someone can be called out for saying or doing something and be given equal opportunity to make up for it. Public figures are really feeling the weight of this cut throat, overly offended eggshell mentality as their careers are being pulled out from under them. It's hypocrisy. It's finger pointing. It's projection.
If you need to be offended by something, here's a bit of a list to get you started:
- raw sewage being dumped into the ocean
- radiation and toxic materials being dumped into land/water
- deforestation
- plastic islands in the middle of the ocean
- war
- homelessness
- starvation
- culling
- slavery
- imprisonment
- federal justice system
- the cost of living
- student debt entrapment
- etc.