from Urban Dictionary: an inappropriately strong negative emotional response from a perceived personal insult. Frequently associated with a cessation of communication and overt hostility towards the “aggressor.”
or: Getting your feelings hurt, being offended or getting all bent out of shape because of something petty or stupid.
When this word was first introduced into our home a few years ago, by our teenage boys of course, my wife and I had a good laugh although it really rang true as well. Sunday morning conversations in our home are often spirited, often political but always thoughtful and respectful – trying to explore all sides of a discussion. It was important to us the boys learned values and ethics, right and wrong, but from a place that allowed for differences of opinion, even if you disagreed.
We are so blessed with what we have, we wanted to make sure that if our boys were angry or frustrated with things, there was perspective as well. Not to diminish their feelings but to remind them that sometimes we get angry about things from a very narrow point of view, and to always try and keep that in mind.
With the prevalence of social media and the 24/7 news cycle, the concept and idea of people getting “butthurt” has been taken to a whole new level. Young minds have always searched for causes to champion and fight for as we become passionate about life and strive to fight for and /or defend the things in which we believe, but society today has taken this “moral indignation” to a whole new level.
The eastside group of all-white “black lives matter” advocates; the young women, from wealthy families, outraged at gender inequality yelling at men from low socio-economic backgrounds; and the inordinate number of people around the world outraged at their social justice topic du-jour totally neglecting significantly worse transgressions – IMHO, out of convenience or to try and fit in.
My hope is that institutions of learning will remember to teach our future leaders, first and foremost, how to value and be grateful for what they have, how to honor others, regardless of their status, and how to learn to ask questions and make decisions on their own. From that point on, we simply need to trust. NOT get butthurt. = )
Leave a Reply