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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (73290)	8/25/2003 11:23:51 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I agree. But it makes the definition inaccurate. We are agreed that if I am in the shower and no one can hear and I say something insulting about B, there is no insult. Now comes the other part of the question. Suppose B and I are in a room together and are the only ones there, the only ones who can hear, no recording devices, etc. I say something about B which the world, if they all heard it, would consider an insult, but B is the only person who hears it and they don't consider it an insult at all. In fact, they think it's a compliment, and are grateful to me for being so nice to them. Have I insulted B in this case? And if so, why?

To: TimF who wrote (73290)	8/25/2003 11:32:45 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 82486

I'll give you a specific example of a communication in private in a closed room which might or might not be an insult. B tells me they did something. I say "You actually did that? That's incredible." Now, I mean that I can't believe they did something that stupid, that it's incredible that they did something that dumb. And if anybody else heard it, they would understand that I had meant that. BUT, there is nobody else to hear it. And B, actually (the dummy) thinking what he did was cool and neat, takes what I said literally and as a compliment and is pleased -- nay, delighted -- that I thought it was so neat and cool too. The conversation never goes beyond this room. Neither of us ever repeats it to anybody. So there is never any impact on society, never any effect on Miss Manners. B goes to his grave thinking that I really approved of what he had done and that I thought it was neat and cool. Have I insulted B?