Philosophy Now Forum

I have no personal beef (or complaint) at the moment.
Thanks for explaining the term to me.

I started a general discussion because many people struggle with insults and feel trapped and this is a sad waste of energy in my view.

What´s the best way out of such a trap ?

A Christian solution is to forgive.
Shall I say "I forgive you brother" and move on as if nothing happened ?

It´s an emotional challenge, in the first place.
How to deal with this challenge ?

duszek wrote: many people struggle with insults

I'm lucky in that respect. I usually find they come quite readily.

"I forgive you brother, for the sake of my blood pressure."


Or: for the sake of the blood pressure

which would be less selfish and more universal and more kind perhaps.


Or: for the sake of blood pressure

without the definite article.


Would any of these work for you as a magic formula ?

I'm pleased to see you put it back on track.
Of course, both Barnabys have long since left the building and Jesus committed suicide, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSALQn0u9z4 a la Walkabout, since that's his accustomed method.

I still think the best response is no response - unless you can say something funny.

Dalek Prime wrote:You want to know what bugs a person the most, including when he throws insults? Wilfull misunderstanding of the insult.

Lmao! It does....my husband uses the tactic towards me when I am being a fuck bitch...lol...closes me right down.

I guess it depends on the person, duszek. If it's a person who does it all the time to everyone, consider the source. They are not worth a response. If it someone who rarely insults, the take another look at what you have written...maybe it was taken the wrong way.

artisticsolution wrote:

Dalek Prime wrote:You want to know what bugs a person the most, including when he throws insults? Wilfull misunderstanding of the insult.

Lmao! It does....my husband uses the tactic towards me when I am being a fuck bitch...lol...closes me right down.

Ha! I knew it worked! There's nothing like complacency in the face of someone's anger lol!

A battle of insults is not good for a normal person, who might get high blood in the process.

But could it be good for a depressed person ?

Would it be good for a depressed person to get emotional about something ?

duszek wrote:A battle of insults is not good for a normal person, who might get high blood in the process.

But could it be good for a depressed person ?

Would it be good for a depressed person to get emotional about something ?

No. It becomes confirmation of their depressive views, and they shut down more. Besides, most true depression is biochemical in nature.

I try to ignore ignorance. We wouldn't want it to spread, lest we get too far off topic and have to walk all the way back. Again, because they aren't here for the right reasons, or because they have yet to reach the proper maturity level (philosophy used to be known as 'the pastime of gentlemen'), and because we don't want more of what we didn't come here for, but less of it, the wisest thing to do might be to ignore the momentary ignorance of an insulter and his or her insult.

Dalek Prime wrote:

duszek wrote:A battle of insults is not good for a normal person, who might get high blood pressure in the process.

But could it be good for a depressed person ?

Would it be good for a depressed person to get emotional about something ?

No. It becomes confirmation of their depressive views, and they shut down more. Besides, most true depression is biochemical in nature.

No. It is very dangerous to do that. The more you engage in it, the more you become accustomed to that state of mind, the one that is produced from being in a heated argument. Or worse: you begin to find hope in it because you become good at it. You might even start to feel super self-confident and good about yourself to the point of nearly curing a nonclinical depression. Then your source of happiness is the unhappiness of others. I will say this: if you are heading that way, there is still hope. If you continuously practice insulting people as a kind of cathartic and therapeutic exercise for long enough, you probably begin to get bored with it. Then, to revive the novelty, you might get creative with it (a long insult battle is sure to have more than just the same insults over and again). Then it has a chance of becoming something healthy. There are two options at that point: continue insulting people but switch to a more playful mood (like 'yo mama' jokes have), or switch off of insults and begin a new practice that is more related to the creative-word-use you enjoy. I know for sure that the thrill of victory is hard to ignore as an incentive. I also know that if you get really good, you come to the point of exploring various new ways of expressing your creativity between battles. When that happens, it can become more of a solo activity, and can be done anywhere at anytime. When that happens, you begin to ween yourself off of needing an opponent, as you become the entire audience, and writer's block becomes your only opponent. When you feel as though you can through down with the best of them, you get a deeper satisfaction than can be produced by victories alone.

I am more interested in discussing ideas than individuals and exercise
logic more than emotion when I am online. So for such reasons find it
relatively easy to not respond to insults which may be directed to me

Thank you Jaded Sage for your interesting observations.

I do something similar during discussion groups in my mind.

If someone speaks for a long time and becomes a nuisance I produce offensive and hilarious comments in my mind and get amused that way and at least my face does not express mere weariness and annoyance but having a good time.

duszek wrote:Thank you Jaded Sage for your interesting observations.

I do something similar during discussion groups in my mind.

If someone speaks for a long time and becomes a nuisance I produce offensive and hilarious comments in my mind and get amused that way and at least my face does not express mere weariness and annoyance but having a good time.

Me too, Duszek. And people wonder why I'm always smiling and laughing. It's internal dialogue. I'm not actually engaged in their conversation.

I expect there is clinical terminology for that condition. Fortunately, the epidemic is confined to a shrinking, expendable population.