What is an Insult?

Question

I often think that when someone protests about being "insulted" that my accusations are more or less accurate but that the protester thinks that if he screams "insult" with enough mock hurt then I will have to withdraw my remarks and think twice before saying something similar again. But I don't buy this sh_t. If I call someone "a f_cking ars_h_le" then in my opinion that is exactly what they are and I don't see why I should hide my views mince my words or pretend that I have not just witnessed something outrageously stupid. I don't actually think that there is such a thing as "a real insult". Have you ever been on the receiving end of a genuine insult? Possibly "a real insult" is a stream of verbal abuse uttered by "an abuser" who has the intention of provoking either a fight or a humiliating climb down. I think in this situation "the abuser" does not care whether or not his accusations are are grounded in reality. He is only interested in hitting as many buttons as possible.

Answer 1

is to treat someone with gross insensitivity....
According to Dictionary.com, the definition of an insult is "to treat someone with gross insensitivity, insolence, or contemptuous rudeness." However, this definition is flawed for three reasons: 1. It implies that an insult is an action/event, not allowing that an insult can be an inaction/non-event such as something not said or done. 2. It implies that action/event is deliberate, not allowing for the fact that the 'insulting' party can be wholly unaware of the insult. 3. It is simply inadequate in its grasp of the complex nature of what an insult actually is. I define an insult as: An action or inaction, which a person perceives as demeaning to his or her status; usually intentional.

Answer 2

I think the reason why one usually restricts their verbal attacks is for the feelings and consideration of the person who is at expense in the situation. If it's not in your personality to do so than that's simply what it is. But people will like you better if you stay positive. Most complaints are simply "venting" when really the person complaining has no intention of fixing what is wrong, and if he does, the complaining does nothing in the process to help fix it. It's just negativity creating a worse outcome than would have been without it. Insults are usually made from some form of frustration. So provoking may not be as much the source, as much as a form of letting off steam. Which is on the same level as complaining. The laws of Karma say you get what you put into the ground. So chances are with all of that negative "venting" you're just guaranteeing that something less than positive happens to you. If you do not mind this, then that's what it is. It depends on the situation. As long as you're capable of dealing what comes as a result, you're gold.

Answer 3

On the one hand, I think you need to realize that if you're going to be so open and honest and yes, ADULT in your language, regardless of how it affects others; that you need to realize that others have the same right to say what they feel, regardless of how it affects YOU.

Insults are not judged by the speaker, but by the receiver. Witness the number of times a politician has said something out of hand and been told later that he had insulted so many consituents. He meant nothitn by the comments, but the LISTENERS were insulted. It's the listener which decides what is insulting, not the speaker. This is why we should take such pains to speak correctly, and use words carefully, so as to get across our meaning without insulting. YOU however, wish to insult without reciprocation. You can't pick and choose who you insult or how they should or will react.

Yes, they could be just "pushing buttons", or lashing out at you for being so correct. But it's like the addage "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay back under the porch!". In this case, if you can't take the backlash of your harsh words, regardless of how apropos or well addressed, then you need to rethink your use of them.

Answer 4

Of course there are real insults. The worst would be people that know you well, insults that would ring true as they know whats going on with you.
People who push random buttons to insult you are grasping at straws trying to hurt you. I let those roll off my back like water from the shower.
Perhaps insults are only insults if they work?
Maybe there is a difference between insults and insulting words.
Actions, or lack of action can also be an insult. At a rewards show, you don't stand or clap for a certain performer, that is an insult.

Answer 5

I could give you the whole legal definition of an insult, and its various connotations, as in physical insult (the finger) or verbal insult. I could give you the link that gives you a very decriptive definition.
But I think you're looking for more than that. I think you like me, are vertually un-insultable (is that word? I don't care if it isn't, don't bother correcting me) I think when you know yourself and your own faults and can accept your own flaws, anything anyone says to you is nothing you haven't said to yourself at some point.But the majority of people go around life with some false sense of self, so when you say something quite truthful, but not quite complimentary, ie you fat git. They suddenly get all defensive, did they never look in a mirror? No its not an insult in my book, its a comment that exposes peoples flaws, that they have been denying to themselves. We are not insulting people, we are truth givers.

Sigmund Freud said; The first human being who hurled an insult instead of a stone was the founder of civilization.

Answer 6

I think that an insult is more or less just an offensive opinion. Whether it is true or not can be situational. I can be a called by a *itch in a certain situation, but it does not necessarily mean that I am always one. I think that insults are only what you let them be. I agree with you in that insults are meant to arouse anger or hurt in the victim, whether they are accurate or not.

Insult:
transitive verb : to treat with insolence, indignity, or contempt.

So to me, it seems as if an insult has more to do with the feelings of the abuser than anything else.

Answer 7

Frankly if you're too immature to understand why people get insulted, then you have no place to pass insult.
And what I find truly interesting is that you're "bitching" about people not handling your insults, which would then put you in the paradox of being "insulted" yourself.
You need to grow up and learn how to play with adults...and yes, I am insulting your maturity level...are you going to "*****" about that to, or insult me back? Do you see the inanity of your question? Or rather, your verbal exchange of asinine ideas?
So please...the next time you want to whine to adults, think before you type. I could care less for insults, but immaturity...that I do not abide.

Answer 8

Insult is the inner weakness or weakness of our own mind. We assume the ourselves to be the body or the owner of the body that creates a ownership or an ego. This ego is the root cause of feeling of insult. Ignore the
relation with body and there won't be insult.

Answer 9

I agree with you about stating how you truly feel about someone. If they are an as*hole then it isn't an insult. A true insult is when you are mistaken about how something is. It's just not fair to say things about, or to someone when you really don't know what you're talking about, but if you've done your homework about whoever, then by all means let them know.

Answer 10

Yes I have....I worked in retail computer story durning the height of the computer revolution durning the 90's and during that time i made it to sup.....so that means i had to deal with all the irrate cust...i have been called every name in the book known to man and women.

But one really sticks out in my head because this guy bought a 486 back in like 1987/1988..purchased 2 5 yrs warranities in the 10 yrs he had his computer. Walks into our story in 1998 when Pent. II 250 first came out. We had a deal going where you could purchase a computer, monitor and printer for X amt of money. This guy walks up with his receipt from 1987 and his 486 with his new computer (Pent II 250 pkg) and wants to exchange it because (and this is absolutely unbelievable) but it came to thee exact price that he paid for his 486 back in 1987. Since he had the warranty still active on his 486 he figured it would be an "even exchange"

Of course, I ask if it's broke...no the computer is fine. Tech came back to confirm the 486 was fine. I told him that there is no way that we would give him an even exchange it's not of equal value at all. Well, this guy starts throwing a tempertantrum in my store and I proceed politely (because it's my job to be nice to irrate cust) to leave the store. He takes his 486 and throws it across my floor and smashes into little pieces and proceeds to call my a Fuucking Cuunt!!! All because I wouldn't give him an even exchange on 486 vs Pent II.

Now you tell me.....would you be insulted when all you're doing is your job?!

NE way...I ended getting really f'ing pissed off (the only time in my retail career i ever done this) and told my cashier to go clock me out RIGHT NOW. I took off my name tag and my polo shirt (I had another shirt underneath) and told home dude to meet me out in the parking lot because I got his Cuunt right here in my right knee and she would LOVE to meet your balls!!!!! That's when our security guard stepped in....sigh...I was really gonna take the guy out too! LOL