2011-02-23
Explanation
This comic is a multi-panel essay distinguishing between "I'm offended" (a personal emotional reaction) and "It's offensive" (a claim that something is universally objectionable). It walks through several points: "I'm offended" happens to everyone and is subjective, while "it's offensive" has no universally agreed-upon standard. The comic also notes that "I'm offended" starts arguments, while "it's offensive" ends them, because declaring something offensive shuts down further discussion.
The comic is a commentary on how people often conflate personal displeasure with objective moral transgression in public discourse. By illustrating how different people can be offended by completely opposite things (one person hates abortion jokes, another loves them), it argues that offense is inherently subjective. The final panel shows someone declaring "Disagreement is offensive!" -- satirizing how the label "offensive" is often weaponized to silence dissent rather than engage with the substance of a disagreement. The comic advocates for more nuanced conversation about what actually bothers us versus what we claim should bother everyone.