NO, I would easily be embarrased even if they were not offended.
The War On Christmas Ensues
- Thread starter LadyT
- Start date
NO, I would easily be embarrased even if they were not offended.
About which? You asked if I were telling somebody about myself when offering a greeting, I answered in the positive.
Now, if they answer "Happy Hannukah" I will know something about them that I didn't before. Later if I see them I would offer that greeting, that I learned because I was willing to offer of myself first. I would never have learned that with the more homogenized "Holidays" greeting, I would have less of a connection with them, I personally believe that I would be less because of it. And that, in whole, our nation is less because of the homogenizing.
The only reason to get embarrassed is because you presume to know that they are judging you poorly because of some "presumption"...
The only real presumption is that you know what they presume and how they think.
If people really knew how seldom others thought about them, they would be less inclined to be embarrassed. Embarrassment is a reaction to "fear" of what people are "thinking" and is based on a presumption that they will think poorly before they simply accept.
uscitizen
Villified User
Natural homogenizing is great, and is a major factor in what made this country great. Politically motivated homogenizing is an entirely different matter though.
Yes, I should have said because of politically motivated homogenizing.
No, I dont judge myself based on if another person is offended or not, I judge myself based on my own standard.
It tells me he knows about your personal preferences. That you had a dialogue about it at some time. I have already spoken of this, you keep pretending that I haven't.
I stated that I would use their greeting once I find out what it is, but I cannot find out if all we ever use are the homogenized greetings that protect us from "offending" that keep the fear of embarrassment at bay.
Just as, knowing he celebrated Hannukah, I would offer him a hearty Happy Hannukah... However before knowing I would offer an opportunity to learn by offering a Merry Christmas.
You presume that they would think as you do. That because they will they will judge you as presumptious. Without that fear there is no embarrassment.
Instead offer them a chance to learn and to teach, start a dialogue, rejoice in the diversity of the moment. There is no need to be embarrassed when learning something about somebody that you may not have known before.
Well we will have to disagree, I do see your point. To me, I would rather a happy holidays unless or untill I know more about the person. I dont like to be presumptious.
I celebrate very little of the Religous part of Christmas, yet I am not offended when and if someone says something to me like "Jesus is the reason for the season."
On the issue of caring if I offend someone or not, I do care to a point, I dont like to offend anyone. But, when it comes down to it, if I do something that offends someone I consider it by my own standards before I feel bad about having done what ever it was that offended the person. If someone got upset when I accidently told them Happy Hannukah and they were Christian, I would likely not give it a second thought, accidents happen. On the other hand if I told a devout Christian who I knew to be a devout christian, "happy Hannukah" and they were offended, I would likely be embarrassed for having made such a stupid mistake.
as a christian, i'm not sure jesus would be very excited about the way we celebrate his birth be giving gifts to each othe. i think he would express that giving gifts to the poor or, more specifically, those who for some reason or another are having serious problems, would be something wes hould be doing instead.
i'm following the usual tradition, but my mother wanst us to contribute to one of the childrens's funds for her. maybe i'll start the same thing next year; it's too late for me this year, it think....but if anyone hasn't gotten a gift for me, maybe i'll have them give to a charity for me.
i'm following the usual tradition, but my mother wanst us to contribute to one of the childrens's funds for her. maybe i'll start the same thing next year; it's too late for me this year, it think....but if anyone hasn't gotten a gift for me, maybe i'll have them give to a charity for me.
to the 'offender', he may just feel being wrong isn't offensive, where the 'offendied' would see it wotherwise; so the line is subjective.....
uscitizen
Villified User
Yes very subjective, and those who get offended in the USA over "Merry Christmas" are in the wrong imho. I say the same about those who whine about
"Happy Holidays" as well.
Christmas is a well established religio/capitalistic holiday in the USA.
if i know the holiday the person is celebrating, i will say happy (insert holiday here). if not, i'll usually say have a nice holiday. i would like it if people who know me say merry christmas. i wouldn't be too excited about being wished a happy hannukah or that kwanzaa thing, so why should i offend my jewish friends by wishing them a merry christmas?