Secondhand offense does first order damage to relationships. Once you’ve taken on another’s offense, it becomes the organizing principle for the relationship. A subtle shift takes place wherein the relationship becomes a partnership of being offended together, and to stay together you must remain offended together.
Offense is a black hole that sucks everything into its darkness. When we’re caught in this trap and remain there too long we develop an identity around being offended, and we will defend that identity (and the offense) vigorously.
The Offended Identity
March 19, 2017
March 19, 2017 • Graeme Sellers
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