Can't do right for doing wrong
😕
Some days it’s impossible to say or do the right thing. Every action, every comment seems destined to cause offence. Any attempt to rectify matters only makes them worse so it’s better to bite one’s tongue and hope for better times.
😔
Such moments often coincide with ill-temper or just plain being ‘out of sorts’. It’s worse being on the receiving end, of course, and it’s infinitely more injurious if it’s in a form which does not easily allow discussion, an email, for example, or a comment on a blog post. How much more damaging it must be if the receiver is in a public forum, like journalism or politics, for example, where hurtful, perhaps scurrilous remarks are made. The libel laws offer some protection but opening a court case can be costly and time-consuming, with no guarantee of a desirable outcome.
🥺
Words are powerful and when the opportunity to read someone’s expression is unavailable, writers go to great lengths to ensure that their words cannot be misconstrued. Emoticons and emojis are employed to offset any misunderstanding, along with exclamation marks. It’s not uncommon to see a paragraph littered with them. One is used for emphasis, so what do two, three, four or more indicate??????? Likewise with question marks!!!!!!!
😇
Sometimes comments are perceived as offensive simply by their construction. At other times a simple comment can be dismissed as ‘unhelpful’ or ‘unwarranted advice’ when it was just a reaction. Sometimes it's just misapprehension.
😩
I suppose the answer, if there is a question here, is to remain true to oneself rather than trying to be all things to all people. Be truthful, be genuine, be courteous and if someone is still offended, or offensive, leave them alone to find company that better suits them.
😍
Shakespeare,
as ever, expresses it perfectly.
‘This above
all: to thine own self be true,
And it
must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst
not then be false to any man.’
😃
Sometimes I’ve found it best just to not say a word….then get labeled ‘aloof’ - ‘standoffish’. Can’t win can we!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, that's very familiar, and my voice doesn't help . . .
DeleteThat happened to me yesterday. A particular family had 8 babies, so I said "what a shame that the woman couldn't stop her husband forcing her through another pregnancy every 18 months. She might have only wanted 1 or 2 or 3 children". Hmmm.. it went down like a lead balloon.
ReplyDeleteOuch! Sometimes the thoughts just force themselves out through the mouth, don't they?
DeleteGood on you Hels.
DeleteI try not to offend or anger in my comments and if I can't be nice I often don't leave a comment. If I ever say the wrong thing here please let me know.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is that some people are so touchy. It's impossible to convey the right impression all the time.
DeleteAs so often, Shakespeare put it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteCheers! Gail.
So true.
ReplyDeleteGood old Shakespeare. So genius with words and expressions. It really is just too easy to put your foot in it though, I agree. xx
ReplyDeleteI suffer from 'foot in mouth' and tie myself in knots sometimes trying not to upset! x x
DeleteI hope I am not generally critical of other bloggers. I try to see the positives. Thinking further, my blog mates don't really write anything to be too critical about. Looking back a bit to the past, I thought it was a terrible insult to be accused of being a Woke person, until I realised what it actually meant. A blog post is written and will be published in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to that post!
DeleteI try not to offend anyone by saying the wrong thing even if it wasn't meant that way ... particularly in emails, comments, Etc. but sometimes it's like walking a tightrope above a minefield ... xxx
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Ann. I don't suppose anyone manages to be the perfect diplomat all the time (just some of the time would suit me) x x
ReplyDeleteI often feel I am censoring myself so much my true self doesn't come out. That may be more because I am a people pleaser, but touchy people don't help matters!
ReplyDeleteI understand perfectly.
Delete