In Reply to: Thick Skin posted by Perry on August 11, 2004 at 18:59:37:
Very well put! I agree completely, even though I have Christian faith. So far as I know that's the purpose of these boards, to provide safe places where each of us can detox. As I recall, that's even written right in the rules and guidelines.
I heard the story the other day about a husband who staggered in after a horrible day, out of sorts, and his wife said, "Oh, you've just had a rough day." No kidding. Or like the pastor when I told him that so-and-so was not attending his kind of church any more. He answered smugly, "Well, he's just been hurt." JUST been hurt? I know what he meant --which was even worse-- that the person had no valid, rational excuse for doing what he did, but was "only" doing it because he had been hurt.
Some people are insensitive by nature, and others don't realize when they do it, and respond to gentle reminders. Others are maybe just reasserting their right to their opinions after years of kow-towing to the Family thought police, and now damned if they'll let ANYone tell them what to do. They are their own person and they'll call it like they see it and you can basically lump it if you don't like it. That's understandable, but I think the rules make this a place of healing, and that takes precedence over their right to speak their thoughts bluntly.
On the other hand, when people approach old age, studies have shown that they're far more likely to finally start speaking their mind and speaking it bluntly, than they did when they were younger. Maybe part of it is we're all getting older?