Fear

[See supplemental article Covid-19, herd immunity and common sense]

I noticed on a forum yet again reference to 'implied hierarchies' ... how we need special training, rituals, meditation, special potions and so forth to advance to the next level of 'spiritual awareness'. And worst of all, how our egos are inhibiting us from getting 'there'.

All of which implies, or explicitly states that we poor humans are 'less than' some perceived higher authority, spirit, God etc.

[note: the following article, originally available online at Hubpages since April 2012, was recently blocked/unpublished "because it did not receive high enough ratings".]

There is, in my opinion, a troubling trend in our modern societies, when people respond with "I find that offensive".

In basic terms to take offense is to blame others for how one feels. That is, when we take offense for the emotional responses we have chosen (in response to a stimulus, e.g. insult) we place the responsibility for our choice of emotional state with someone else. As Viktor Frankl so succinctly explained "the last of human freedoms (is) the ability to choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances".

In recent times I've observed a growing trend for people (e.g. in online forums) to write "I find that offensive" in response to someone's ideas or opinions.

So I penned a few words and submitted them to an online forum.

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Background

Modern science is still almost entirely based on 17^th century concepts that physical movement is perfectly smooth and continuous.

This continuity of movement implies continuity of operation (of the world we experience) which naturally induced the perception that our universe (and our bodies) operated like a clockwork machine. This machine-world view was the impetus for the Industrial Revolution which resulted in many beneficial technologies (aircraft, automobiles, etc).

While at a social function recently I got chatting with some religious people who started to talk about how we're all 'fallen', sinners in need of saving, and how we're all needing His forgiveness, and so on.

[update, October, 2016: see below]

Over the years I've come to more fully appreciate the extent to which many people seek refuge in illusory ideals ... be it religious perfection, or scientific certainty.