"I'm starving" offensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's offensive to people who've starved. I never thought babies were cute because of their healthy baby fat, until I met an Ethiopian baby who'd been flown to the US and was literally, starving to death. She had no baby fat.

After walking out of the hospital the next time I saw a healthy, fat baby I cried. It changed how I interpret the word "starving" and I don't let my daughter say it anymore.

With this logic, we shall no longer say "I'm bleeding" lest we offend those who've bled to death (or nearly bled to death).

Also, make sure you never say "my feet are killin' me!" after a long day on your feet. Or "I have a killer headache," either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a turn of phrase. Anyone who becomes morally outraged at it is too difficult to bother with, so consider yourself free to dump that person out of your life.

Tell him/her "lighten up" and that if the person is genuinely concerned, tell him or her to make a donation to the local food pantry.

Other people can't eat your manufactured outrage.

You realize you're being racist, don't you?!

[Anonymous]

http://www.theonion.com/multiblogpost/i-am-so-starving-vs-i-am-so-starving-11541

No more need be said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? I mean it's a figure of speech. Its not meant to say that I haven't eaten in weeks, take pity on me. Why are people trying to say that it's offensive to those who go hungry.

Someone saying that to me is not only automatically dismissed, but diminished. If someone needs to get that nit-picky about speech and comments, they need a Xanax.

[Anonymous]

When someone says "I'm starving" I think to myself "No, you're not." but I neither ever say anything nor do I judge. It has just somehow recently come to my conscious attention that there are so many starving people in the world I don't feel comfortable saying "I'm starving" anymore. I don't find it offensive and I don't think bad about anyone who says it, I often even say it myself before I can realize that I could say something else. It's just one of those figure of speech things that's so common it takes real effort to not say it anymore.

[Anonymous]

Or "you are smoking hot." Some people die of lung cancer, you know. Or "you have a killer bod." They are practically accusing you of being a psychopath. Are you just going to stand there and take that shit calmly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When someone says "I'm starving" I think to myself "No, you're not." but I neither ever say anything nor do I judge. It has just somehow recently come to my conscious attention that there are so many starving people in the world I don't feel comfortable saying "I'm starving" anymore. I don't find it offensive and I don't think bad about anyone who says it, I often even say it myself before I can realize that I could say something else. It's just one of those figure of speech things that's so common it takes real effort to not say it anymore.

Exactly that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? I mean it's a figure of speech. Its not meant to say that I haven't eaten in weeks, take pity on me. Why are people trying to say that it's offensive to those who go hungry.

Because it is. It's a figure of speech, AND it's offensive. Just as a rich person saying "I'm broke" is a figure of speech AND offensive.

Do you have any awareness of how uncomfortable people with your mindset make others?

np here. I suspect she has complete awareness and has no concern whatsoever for your comfort (or the comfort of others). There's sort of a belligerence that goes hand-in-glove with this mentality, rationalized by a strident sense of purpose. In other words, scolds don't care if they upset you -- they just enjoy being scolds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

"Retard" is no longer okay. "I'm starving" is fine. Not offensive.

Why is one no longer okay but the other is fine?

One attacks a person. The other describes the circumstance of being hungry.

[Anonymous]

"I'm dying here!" is offensive to someone who is actually, you know, dying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? I mean it's a figure of speech. Its not meant to say that I haven't eaten in weeks, take pity on me. Why are people trying to say that it's offensive to those who go hungry.

Because it is. It's a figure of speech, AND it's offensive. Just as a rich person saying "I'm broke" is a figure of speech AND offensive.

Do you have any awareness of how uncomfortable people with your mindset make others?

np here. I suspect she has complete awareness and has no concern whatsoever for your comfort (or the comfort of others). There's sort of a belligerence that goes hand-in-glove with this mentality, rationalized by a strident sense of purpose. In other words, scolds don't care if they upset you -- they just enjoy being scolds.

You're assuming that I say something when somebody says "I'm starving" (but isn't). However, I don't. OP asked why "I'm starving" is offensive, not whether anybody says anything about it.

[Anonymous]

Is niggardly still OK to use?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is niggardly still OK to use?

I wouldn't use it. And yes, I do know that "niggard" has nothing to do with niger/negre/negro/etc. I would use "miserly" to convey the same meaning without the potential misunderstanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a turn of phrase. Anyone who becomes morally outraged at it is too difficult to bother with, so consider yourself free to dump that person out of your life.

Tell him/her "lighten up" and that if the person is genuinely concerned, tell him or her to make a donation to the local food pantry.

Other people can't eat your manufactured outrage.

You realize you're being racist, don't you?!

You are joking right? Please be joking.

[Anonymous]

What happens if a retarded person says "I'm starving"?

Do we still get offended or is it forgivable because, you know...