Vox

Musings, rants, rambling, general nonsense

Strange Question

Posted on | November 25, 2003 | Comments Off on Strange Question

I spent last weekend out of town with S.O.Man‘s family; he drove, I flew (did I mention it’s free?)
His mother asked me, “Would I offend you if I said you look like you’ve lost a lot of weight?”
Now, I have lost some weight, thank you very much. However I don’t know what that question means? “I realize what I am about to say is offensive, but have convinced myself that if I preface it with that buffer it is OK”
If I am going to be offended, you’ve gone and done it – if I answer “yes” you can’t take it back. If I am not going to be offended, then you have diminished the statement (which I would otherwise have taken as a compliment) by suggesting there was a discourteous component to it.
I know, I know, I’m being nit-picky – but people often use this tactic and it baffles me.



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Category: people

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