About Insensitive:

Insensitive remarks serve to diminish or outright disregard the experiences, challenges, or feelings of others. Such rhetoric is problematic because it stifles meaningful dialogue by focusing on dismissing the opponent rather than understanding their viewpoint. It may employ condescension, racism, misogyny, or vulgarity in putting down the target group.

For example, racist microaggressions cause stress, anxiety and depression in people of color. This discourages them from engaging in discussion about race to avoid further anxiety or worsening depression, especially when people pushing racist ideas are intentionally insensitive online. The scarcity of their voices results in an imbalance in discourse.

Insensitivity usually stems from a lack of empathy or understanding, whether intentional or not, and serves to reinforce preexisting biases or stereotypes. For example, by trivializing the struggle of being under-employed, the issuer dismisses a wide array of systemic factors that contribute to financial insecurity.

The impact of Insensitive rhetoric extends beyond the immediate discussion. For the issuer, it may earn quick applause from like-minded individuals, but it perpetuates a culture of insensitivity and division. The issuer may be intent on keeping the debate at a more abstract, ideological level, resisting attempts to bring up specific examples or harm (e.g., the “facts over feelings” rhetoric), and genuinely feeling they are taking a more dispassionate, intellectual perspective.