14th
I didn’t pay much attention to the Jezebel incident for the same reasons I can’t be bothered to think about the Obama cover of the New Yorker. First off, the tone of earnestness that accompanies these discussions puts me off. I feel like there should be a sign warning all comers: “People taking themselves too seriously.”
More importantly, I have trouble understanding discussions premised around the concept of “offensiveness.” Maybe I’m morally dyslexic but most of what offends the type of people who always seem to be getting offended doesn’t strike me a noxious in the least.
Also, I feel like earnestness and offendedness combine to obscure the value of provocation. I think this is one of the more important things a writer can do: be provocative for the sake of provoking. Rile them up, I say. If you can do it with good cause, good for you. If there’s not a good cause at hand, well do it just for practice.
Being boldly provacative is a skill that needs to be practiced if its going to be done right. Hone your provocativeness whenever you can or it might not be there when you need it.
I agree completely. I’ve been told I’m offensive before and I always get confused by that, just how am I offending you? How am I affecting your life? And personally, I don’t take a lot of stuff very seriously so when people take what I say seriously, I think it’s funny (sorry). Lots of people spout off and don’t think through things. What was the quote someone posted earlier? Don’t mistake stupidity for malice or something? I feel that a lot of the Jezebel thing was just that: stupid not malicious, unfortunate but pointless really.