Why don't people every stick to what they say?

[Slicker]

I'm always reading articles where people are FORCED to apologize for making remarks and they always cave in. They knew what they were saying so why don't they ever stick by there words instead of caving to pressure? I've said some stuff in the past that many may not have liked but I've never taken any of it back.

The problem with this country (or your country since I don't live there ) is that people are too easily hurt. When I was growing up I always heard "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me". It seems these people have all forgotten that and these words seem to hurt 'em more than the sticks and stones.

[General_Grievous]

The short answer is that they do it to repair their tarnished image. I agree with you on the fact that people need to toughen up and not let words hurt them. Enough of this "it's offensive" crap. People need to just learn to not be discouraged by meaningless words.

[Rocketboy]

The only apology anyone should say is
"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings...wuss."

[Jargo]

litiginous society is the answer. law has made it far to easy for people to sue anyone that dares disagree with them by labelling it as either libel/slander or bullying/any 'ism' you can name.

there again. if people thought a little longer before opening their mouths there'd be less need for apologies. And if judges were allowed to do there jobs instead of being tied up in damn red tape created by uptight lawyers and politicians terrified of not making money or not advancing up their chosen career path. it's a conspiracy wearing sheepskin shoes to softly creep around and whisper in uneducated ears about how great it is to file a lawsuit. and wallow in usurped power.

[JediTricks]

Our society is now run on what people say - you want something to be true? Tell everybody it's happening and maybe the masses will just follow in line and do it - politics, entertainment, sports, any trend really, it's all coming down to words. Words have great power to us, our country is founded upon words that have great meaning like those in the declaration of independence and the constitution. And in an age with so much media, people are defined by their words over their actions more than ever before because you don't get to know someone anymore, you see them say something in a sound bite or in a blog. Plus, words are a buffer between someone's ideas and their actions, that can be a very big deal. Of course, this type of thing makes dishonest words that much more powerful, so calling someone out on that and making them own up to what they said can be as important as anything.

[Darth Cruel]

Our society is now run on what people say - you want something to be true? Tell everybody it's happening and maybe the masses will just follow in line and do it - politics, entertainment, sports, any trend really, it's all coming down to words. Words have great power to us, our country is founded upon words that have great meaning like those in the declaration of independence and the constitution. And in an age with so much media, people are defined by their words over their actions more than ever before because you don't get to know someone anymore, you see them say something in a sound bite or in a blog. Plus, words are a buffer between someone's ideas and their actions, that can be a very big deal. Of course, this type of thing makes dishonest words that much more powerful, so calling someone out on that and making them own up to what they said can be as important as anything.

Oh, man! Truer words were never spoken. But it is a bane on our society that this is the truth. There used to be an old phrase that went "Actions speak louder than words". And that simple phrase is still the measuing stick I use to develope my own opinions about people. People will sometimes say things they don't mean for a miriad of reasons. Fear of ostracision, entertainment, lack of forethought...the list of reasons is long. And for that reason, I watch people and do not take what they say as anything beyond conversation until I witness them in a given situation.

An example could be that someone may make a joke and deny that they would ever perform an heroic act that would put their life in danger, just because it was good for the conversation at the time. But that same person may well be the guy who would jump on a 16-foot alligator to rescue his neighbor's dog even though he hates that dog because it keeps him awake barking every night and craps on his lawn.

Now, I realize that to be kind of a far-fetched example...but my point is...people say things they don't mean all the time. And people seem to have forgotten that those ill-spoken words and phrases (spoken unintentionally or otherwise) derive their power from each individual's choice to allow them the power or not to allow them that power. I forget that sometimes myself.

[2-1B]

I'm always reading articles where people are FORCED to apologize for making remarks and they always cave in. They knew what they were saying so why don't they ever stick by there words instead of caving to pressure? I've said some stuff in the past that many may not have liked but I've never taken any of it back.

The problem with this country (or your country since I don't live there ) is that people are too easily hurt. When I was growing up I always heard "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me". It seems these people have all forgotten that and these words seem to hurt 'em more than the sticks and stones.

Billy Packer is sticking to his guns, he came out firm saying that he will keep using the term that got him in hot water.

Whether he caves and apologizes down the road remains to be seen...

[Slicker]

Billy Packer is sticking to his guns, he came out firm saying that he will keep using the term that got him in hot water.

That's not what prompted me to write this but I saw that too. He said ***ged. So what?!

This is actually the article that made me write this. It's nothing new but it was just the straw that broke the camels back.

[Slicker]

TIt's nothing new but it was just the straw that broke the camels back.

I would sincerely like to apologize to all camels. It's just an expression that's widely used and I didn't mean for it to sound like camels are only used for manual labor.

[2-1B]

That's not what prompted me to write this but I saw that too. He said ***ged. So what?!

Yeah, I just thought the timeliness of it was weird because I just heard about BP this morning on SportsCenter.

This is actually the article that made me write this. It's nothing new but it was just the straw that broke the camels back.

Imus is a pretty crusty character so I wouldn't put much stock in anything that guy says. Still, for him to make any sort of hair reference is pretty hypocritical. I mean check out the wheat on that guy's head.

I would sincerely like to apologize to all camels. It's just an expression that's widely used and I didn't mean for it to sound like camels are only used for manual labor.

Camels are decent people.