Offended is the new black. If that statement makes you feel a tinge of anger, or insulted; if you’ve jumped to the conclusion that it’s accusatory, smug, and might even be racist, congratulations. You are fully wrapped in the trendiest style statement of all. You got your affront on, baby!

You know everyone has at least one. The really important or really popular people have many. You’re simply not part of the “in-crowd” these days unless you’re offended at something or someone. In fact, the more offended you are, the better of a person you will appear to be. 

“Nice American flag on the back of your truck – Way to stick it to those snowflakes!”

“Is that a Love is Love sign in your yard – That’ll show those closed-minded bastards!”

“Don’t drink that beer! Show ‘em you don’t put up with ‘woke.’” 

“While you’re at it, force them to change the name of that sports team… and use the correct pronouns when you do it!”

Let’s be honest, if you’re not pissed off at something or someone, there must be something wrong with you! You’re clearly out of touch. “How can you not be angry? Look around!”

The fact of the matter is, if you look for something to be offended about, you will always find it. Although in this day and age, it’s far more likely that a marketing firm, political party, media entity, community organizer or “socially conscious” artist will find it for you. 

You’ve probably heard that knowledge is power, but anybody who wants you to buy, click, vote, go, or give knows that emotions are far more powerful than knowledge.

People are far more connected to what they feel than what they think, and the feeling that is most used to persuade others is anger. 

That’s because anger is the alliteration of emotions. It’s a cheap, easy, trick that doesn’t require much intelligence or imagination.  Making people happy, hopeful, and confident is hard; making them angry is easy. 

Research has proven that emotions are contagious. It’s also proven that negative emotions spread quicker and more easily than positive ones. Scientists believe that this is a result of our evolutionary past – it’s about survival. If a member of the pack is experiencing pain, terror, or hate, we should be motivated to adopt those emotions and act on them for our own survival. 

Wrapped within this evolutionary process, scientists have also concluded that anger sucks resources away from other areas of the conscience. It pulls us away from the other stuff we’re thinking about so we can focus on this thing. This happens so we have the energy and wherewithal to act quickly. It’s all part of the fight or flight instinct. 

In practical terms what this means is that anger makes you stupid. 

When you’re angry, you can’t process information logically, connect the dots, or think in a balanced manner. You just feed off the anger of those around you: “You gotta act right f-ing now, damnit!” 

This also means that angry people are far easier to mobilize and manipulate than calm or content people. And if fear and anger are great persuaders, fear and anger at “them” is even better. Fear and anger at “them” provide direction, an outlet for that anger. 

Herein steps branding and marketing:

Why do you think more than 80% of all political advertising and rhetoric is negative? 

Why do you think more than 80% of all news coverage, across every platform, is negative?

Why do you think so many ads are quick to point out the flaws in “those other guys?”

Offense is as ubiquitous and versatile as a little black dress. We can sell you one that allows you to both stand out and blend in all at the same time. It’s a fashion statement that points to what groups you belong and maybe more importantly, what groups you don’t belong.  

“If you’re offended at this, you’re really one of us.” 

“Oh, that person is offended at that, they must be one of them.” 

The moment you identify with a group based on what you’re offended about, you’re far more persuadable, and far less thoughtful about your decisions.

As we enter into 2024, an election year that has all the early markings of being unlike anything we have ever seen, there will be a whole rack full of brand-new offenses you’ll be asked to try on.

Remember, though, just like most of the clothes in your closet, if you tell us what offends you, we’ll probably be able to tell you who sold it to you.

So, the next time you’re feeling offended at something, don’t ask yourself, “Why am I offended at this?” Ask yourself, “Who benefits from me being offended and what’s in it for them?” 

You might just find out your offense isn’t about an actual injustice but rather a tool somebody else has planted in you in order to get you to buy, click, vote, go, or give.