Do you often get offended on other people's behalf?

Question

I just got in to an argument with some guy in the pub because I called one of my patients a spastic.

See, here's the thing, the patient has spasticia, the correct medical definition for his diagnosis. In the medical profession, we often use the term spastic, as "special needs" is too broad a term.

Anyway, this asshole in the pub said something like "That's the problem with the NHS these days, nobody gives a sh*t about the patients".

While it's fair to say that I DON'T give a sh*t about the patients, I was wondering why he, who has absolutely nothing to do with the NHS, or spastics, or even the conversation I was having with someone else that he butted in to, would get offended by what I said. Any ideas?

Answer 1

You were in the pub, as you said. Doesn't matter what you were saying, somebody's bound to get offended by it sooner or later. He went over there just for that reason. To butt into the conversation and start something with you. It had nothing to do with the subject of the conversation. Trust me.

Answer 2

I have, often enough, become offended by what others have said or did to someone else. I have even gone as far as to put my job on the line to stand up to my boss, who made overt sexual comments to another woman in our office. She was intimidated to stand up to him for fear of losing her job. In the end, after I gave him a piece of my mind about the incident, I quit. I did not want to work for him, as I lost respect for him, even though professionally I held him in high regard. Sometimes my willingness to stand up for what is right or for the rights of others has cost me but I can not say that I have ever really regretted it.

Answer 3

I do that ALL the freakin' time, and I'm tired of defending people to the idiots that are out there.....people get offended for many different reasons, the biggest one being, unfortunately this is what I've seen, is that they're just plain stupid.

Can I steal one of your nicknames???

Answer 4

It's called "ignorance".

Answer 5

yes i do. people shouldn't offend people that they clearly don't know