I'm not so sure if I can say people today have become desensitized or simply unconcerned, but abusive language is so normalized in the way people communicate, sometimes you may not even notice it and why it may be abusive.
Have you ever been in, heard, or seen a discussion about something upsetting, where the end result (or expected result) is a predictable comment? Think about it:
Don't shoot the messenger.
Why are you surprised?
There's truth to stereotypes!
Notice anything? All of these quotes have one thing in common—they are dismissive. These are just a few of the many responses people may get usually in a serious conversation, and people don't even see why it's not the right response.
Like, this study is really racist! Don't shoot the messenger.
Wow, can't believe they'd say that? Why are you surprised?
Why is that the only assumption you make? There's truth to stereotypes!
Over the years I've realized while online discourse can be thought provoking, enlightening, and eye opening, it also invites room for abusive people to find victims to attack and silence. It's probably the reason why I've shied away from talking about certain subjects because I just won't engage with people unwilling to see things from a certain viewpoint.
As an adult I've had to teach myself to unlearn these sayings and correct myself too. It's just a step forward in improving my interactions with people, especially younger people.
