Why are some people so touchy these days?

debodun said:
It seem no matter what you say, they take offense or take it personally. I make what seems to me an innocuous comment and someone blows up. e.g.

Me: People from big cities always seem to be in a hurry.
Them: What have you got against people from big cities?
or
Me: Folks in rural areas sometimes don't get good utility service.
Them: Do you find something wrong with people that live in the country?
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I don't know how you can stand it.
Too many snowflakes out there.
 

I think that the flames of the culture wars have never been fanned more vigorously, and an “us versus them” mentality cultivated. There are those who do not well accept personal or group differences, but have launched almost holy wars to subjugate or even punish those of differing beliefs and orientations, seeking to win such generated battles by any means necessary. Minority beliefs can attempt to impose on the majority, who are often silent or at least unpresuming.

And as George Carlin observed, never underestimate the power of stupid people acting in groups…

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I wonder what Rome was like when Nero went around fiddling when Rome was on fire? I have a sneaky suspicion, that most citizens were a little "touchy". :)
 

Why are some people so touchy these days?​

Those that have sensitivity in their fingertips should be glad they can still touchy things. Sorry Debs. 😊
 
Wow, the OP's question has (IMO) a multitude of answers and while I can speak for myself - an American - I suspect others may feel similar.

I believe it's a loss of viable "hope" for a better life for all of us. We (my opinion) have very little to look forward to.

In example (in NO particular order):
- No matter the outcome of the upcoming elections, there will be anger and strife and general "upsetness".
- Inflation is hurting a good portion of the population, and everyone is looking to blame someone.
- The real and potential battlefields of the world are ticking time bombs. To quote the Kingston Trio, "someone will set the spark off, and we will all be blown away". Laugh if you want, but the world is getting close to that.
- The weather is reeking havoc all over the world. And it is getting worse.
- Covid was likely a prelude of contagions to come. Believe in it or not, people died from it.
- Our ability to get instant news is a blessing and a curse. Sadly, the vast majority of "breaking news" is definitely not good news at all. And a good portion of it is either bogus or "not the whole story" and taken out of context.
- The "us vs. them" mentality has spread like a never before seen plague. Trigger issues have seriously divided us and the words "compromise" and "understanding" are long gone.

Sounds pretty dismal, but after rereading twice what I wrote, I regret to say that I'll stick with my beliefs.
 
Why are people so touchy these days?
I don't think there's some new strain of humans with fragile egos, we are the same, fault finding, biased, complaining, egotistical, self serving, prima donnas we always were.
Years ago, I met a guy, whose name end in "ski", Wisnewski, so I asked if he was Polish. He just about bit my head off, I insulted him, yelling that he was Lithuanian. That was 50 years ago.
People are the same whack jobs we always were.
 
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We have had to deal with covid, insane politics, the thought that our environment is in crisis stage. Some put their heads in the sand. Some deny there is a problem. Others obsess with worry. We are worried and divided and unfortunately unable to agree on much. That is enough reason for people to be "touchy".
 
Nathan said:
City people think differently, if I'm in the city I avoid talking or eye contact, everyone just seems freaked out. View attachment 354172
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I haven't been in BC's big city, Vancouver, in a long time. It could be similar there, I don't know. I realize many of the common challenges exist there: high property prices & rent rates, immigration & cultural integration issues, congested city streets, homeless camps here & there, social-media kerfuffles.
 
  • Weather getting hotter and for more days per year.
  • Wealth gap widening, seemingly forever.
  • The wealthiest don't give a flying fart about anyone but themselves and most governments seem powerless to tax them, or track them down with modern tools.
  • Internet remains unregulated no matter how many children have killed themselves thanks to social media bullying.
  • Internet remains unregulated no matter how many Americans lose their life savings to some scam.
  • News media gave up on reporting news so many years ago and now opts for brainwashing the public instead.
  • Schools have been through hell and no remedies there either.
  • Hurricane season getting worse.
  • Can't buy a home anymore. Period. Millions will rent their whole lives and no one cares.
  • American Dream dead.
THIS is not even a complete list!
 
Pepper said:
Americans are freaked out over the political situation, no matter which side they are on. I've never seen anything like it. If I thought Vietnam was bad........wasn't prepared for the last 10 years, no way. Everyone is picking up on the tension, whether politically inclined or not. We all know this is true.
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It's good to hear someone else say this because I've felt exactly the same way about it all. If I didn't laugh most things off, I'd be a wreck anticipating 4 more years of this stuff.

laughing vino.jpg
 
OldFeller said:
Someone once pointed out to me that offering a generalized opinion invites an argument.
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And that is true even if it is a positive opinion. One religious book I read when I was young said it was a sin to say really nice things about one person to a different person because the second person will not be able to resist responding with a negative thing about the lauded person. It seems we have not changed (the book had been based on several centuries old texts).

And now that I think of it, we can't really blame weather or anything because compared to previous history we are all so much healthier and wealthier. If we could teleport some average 15th century person to an average 21st century life situation, they would probably think they'd gone to heaven. And even if we teleported a 15th century poor person to a 21st century poor-life-situation, they'd probably also be thrilled to be here.

We're just a grouchy lot. I wonder whether it is really worse or not. Perhaps in our more recent past people were better socialized, maybe had to be more careful due to more connections (such as, if siblings or parents were friends so had to be nicer to avoid hearing negative feedback from our families).
 
Pepper said:
Americans are freaked out over the political situation, no matter which side they are on. I've never seen anything like it. If I thought Vietnam was bad........wasn't prepared for the last 10 years, no way. Everyone is picking up on the tension, whether politically inclined or not. We all know this is true.
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I recall a 'shift' in sanity, around the beginning of the century, didn't know that everything would blossom into the current mess.
 
@HoneyNut Times are worse now. It's a general consensus. They are not worse for the wealthy - they are having a wonderful, 40-year run.

Times are not as bad as in the Great Depression. That was about the worst in terms of housing, employment and educational opportunities for the average person. The climate is much hotter and wetter now. No argument there.

Have we as a nation lived through worse times? Sure. That's not an excuse for our leaders not to care about now. Many of them like to use past hard times as an excuse not to care about today. It's like they are saying, "Ill get concerned when we're in WWIII or at two million homeless people." By then it may be too late.
 
Jules said:
Why? Why not?

IMO, I’d rather go through life (reasonably) happy.
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We find most people annoying nowadays. I don't want to make small talk with anyone that I don't know. We used to love people when we were younger and loved to go out and meet people. Now, in our seventies, we find that we are happier with each other and doing stuff at home. My best friends died in their sixties around 2014 and I really have not found anyone that I really want to hang around with. I have gone ( and hubby also) to the Seniors centre, but they seem mostly to be our parents' age - 80's and frankly , not interested, either of us, in discussing medical problems, grandchildren( we have no children/grand children), or trips around the world( have only travelled about 20 years ago to US and around BC, Canada).

We have no extended family. My husband's family and ourselves have not gotten in touch in over 20 years. No arguments or anything, just they and hubby did not care. I only have 2 brothers left, that is it. I know if I was left by myself, yes, I would make an effort to meet people. But now I'm satisfied for myself and hubby to just have each other and we get together with my brothers every so often, once or twice a year. We both worked past retirement out of necessity, many a time, with horrid bosses. Now it is just heaven to do our hobbies and read and watch tv ( me: youtube).
 
debodun said:
It seem no matter what you say, they take offense or take it personally. I make what seems to me an innocuous comment and someone blows up. e.g.
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Just reading this thread for first time.

OP is overgeneralized unless one is talking about a small number of people with personality issues or just the OP's acquaintances that is certainly not widespread. Most career people working with others are not going to get far working in the corporate world by being overly emotional or not considering logical input.
 
Pepper said:
Americans are freaked out over the political situation, no matter which side they are on. I've never seen anything like it. If I thought Vietnam was bad........wasn't prepared for the last 10 years, no way. Everyone is picking up on the tension, whether politically inclined or not. We all know this is true.
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True, but the OP's statement without clarification was stated well beyond politics that has always been an emotional topic for many.
 
rgp said:
I have noticed the "touchy-ness" myself, but what jumps out to me is ...... The very same folks that will -willingly tell us all how we should be encompassing , and inclusive in our thoughts and feelings. Yet ....... the minute ya speak out against their view , or their thought about anything ....... then suddenly they are the ones that become offended ???? Makes no sense too me.
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Another over-generalization true for just a few on this board. Most members opposing some of your posts did so with well crafted unemotional inputs.
 
Nathan said:
City people think differently, if I'm in the city I avoid talking or eye contact, everyone just seems freaked out. View attachment 354172
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Another over-generalization.
is:
City people think differently, if I'm in the city I avoid talking or eye contact, everyone just seems freaked out.

Should be:
Some city people think differently. If I'm in the city, I avoid talking or eye contact, as a few people just seems freaked out.
 
What the OP is really about, are people with overly defensive interpersonal behaviors. Most people in the corporate world, learn to control that flaw and work with criticism objectively or they will soon look foolish and will rate low being part of teams.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/insight-is-2020/202109/why-some-people-are-so-defensive

At their root, all defensive behaviors have this in common: sending a message to the other person that what the person is saying is wrong or a problem. What’s more, the message is that the person is “out of line” (authoritarian punishment language) for addressing them or attempting to hold them accountable for something in the first place. The takeaway message is that such confrontation — as fair or appropriate as it may be — is unacceptable and will not be allowed.

Defensive individuals often have control and power issues, and perceive anyone confronting them or holding them accountable as a threat. They are uncomfortable with feelings in general and managing their own. Defensive individuals don’t like to “work through” emotional issues in the collaborative way adults are expected to. They can be highly impulsive and quick in their emotional reactions, without pausing to think things through in a balanced way. Finally, they tend to avoid too much emotional closeness with others.
 

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