Quote:
Originally Posted by DiapDealer
The problem with a "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" mantra is that it has the unfortunate side-effect of granting permission to say anything as hurtful/hateful to anyone one wants to with no repercussion or remorse ("Hey, get over it. Sticks and stones and all that").
Then of course there's the fact that it's complete and utter twaddle. Words can hurt far more deeply, and for far, far longer, than that any physical injury. Everyone has always known this.
No. The onus to keep the peace in a verbal transaction needs to rest on all participants equally. "Sticks and stones" gives jackholes a free pass they're neither entitled to, nor deserve, in that regard.
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You miss the point of the sayings. The only person whose actions I control are my own. What someone else says only effects me if I choose to let it. Ignoring someone who is being a jerk isn't the same as giving them permission to be a jerk. My mother also use to say "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". They are two sides of the same coin.
Can words hurt? Sure, if you let them. But if they do, maybe you are better off figuring out _why_ your feelings were hurt. Do you have poor self esteem? Are you too sensitive and see insult everywhere? Do you trust and hang out with the wrong people? The two best life lessons I ever learned were don't hang out with people who like to insult other people and either be comfortable with who you are or make the effort to change what you don't like.