When Hurt Feelings Feel Like Harm: Navigating the Age of Outrage Something curious has happened in public life: feeling offended is increasingly treated like being harmed. Across campuses, news cycles and social media, emotional discomfort is now enough to trigger real consequences — disinvitations, firings, shaming campaigns. “I’m offended” functions like a moral verdict. In this climate, even minor slights are treated as serious aggression. From Microaggressions to Macro Consequences In recent years, emotional reactions — especially those framed as offense — have gained enormous influence over public discourse. Universities as Frontlines At universities, this trend is particularly visible. Students have demanded content warnings, safe spaces, and the disinvitation of speakers not for illegal or violent speech, but because their ideas might cause discomfort. In 2015, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt reported in The Atlantic, "The Coddling of the American Mind" t...