Comments on: I Am Offended By People Being Offended

By: Sean P Aune

Sean P Aune — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:22:41 +0000

Jack – Wondered where you’ve been :)

1. Yes, dads wear babies, and I remember wearing yours, but unlike the people I mentioned, you actually paid attention to what they were doing. I see more and more people acting like they are just wearing a backpack.

2. Bonding could come from any number of things, and it very well could be from carrying them. My problem was with the moms getting angry over the word “supposedly”, like it was some great offense that anyone would suggest anything other than what they believe. Bonding DOES exist, but does carrying the child directly contribute to the bonding? Hard to say.

3. I fully admitted in the article that I got the irony I was complaining about people complaining :P

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:03:33 +0000

I think they need an excuse to get outraged now that the election is over.

Thank you for pointing this out, I was going to do the same for my blog, but I’m tired

By: Contrary Jack

Contrary Jack — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:32:34 +0000

Several things:

1) Dads wear babies too. I did with both my kids–sling for the first, backpack for the second.

2) Sorry, Sean, but I have to disagree with you about the “you don’t know if you’re bonded until your kid can tell you” thing. Nonverbals exist; babies have them. Babies are REALLY good at letting people who are holding them know whether they’re comfortable with them or not. A baby who snuggles in with you is a secure baby. A baby who snuggles in with you reliably, time after time, is bonded to you (and you can be pretty sure that you’re bonded to that baby, too). This is kind of like being in love, though–it’s sometimes hard to recognize it if you haven’t been there. (Actually, it’s EXACTLY like being in love.)

3) These people complain about the thing that bothers them; you complain about them complaining. And *they’re* supposed to get over it? I mean, isn’t a certain amount of complaint about anything and everything just the predictable consequence of an imperfect world and human race? Is your complaint about their complaint (their complaint which in no way affects you) really so much more reasonable than their complaint about a Motrin ad that they’ve overinterpreted?

Not that I’m complaining, mind you :) There’s a law of conservation of discontents, I think.

Keep care!

By: Debra

Debra — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:35:39 +0000

At the risk of incurring the wrath of mommy bloggers everywhere, may I inquire if anyone understands sarcasm anymore? I viewed the ad as a tongue in cheek testament to the struggles real moms face daily, keeping up appearances while getting through the day. Personally, most smart mommies I know learned to buy the much more affordable generic ibuprofen ages ago. Thank you, Sean, for encouraging us all to lower our self-regard and grow thicker skin.

By: djcitymaus

djcitymaus — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:30:33 +0000

Hmm, maybe new moms are just really hormonal and have no sense of perspective?

Now, if Motrin said that, there would be ground war. :)