“Well, Excu-u-use Me!” Why Can’t We Just Get Along?

You can't shake hands with a closed fist

By Rodger Dean Duncan

“Well, Excu-u-use Me!”

That catchphrase, popularized in the 1970s by Steve Martin, was part of some of the funniest comedy routines of the time.

Unfortunately, that phrase now captures the touchiness of current-day culture. It seems that no comment is immune from attack, no opinion is safe from an onslaught of ridicule.

Consider the contrived outrage at the television ad for Peloton, maker of exercise equipment. The ad featured a husband who dared to give his already slim wife a Peloton stationary bike for Christmas. The commercial was immediately slammed as sexist, tone deaf, and body-shaming. The backlash against the ad was so harsh and relentless that the company reportedly lost nearly a billion dollars in market value.

In today’s hysteria-prone world, there seems to be an endless search for conflict. As one sensible commentator wrote, “In this age of overwrought indignation and attention-seeking fits of rage, too many brands and businesses immediately apologize and run for cover. Ironically, this rarely earns them forgiveness for whatever alleged offenses they have committed and only invites more finger-wagging and exaggerated claims of wrongdoing.”

And of course political discourse is another sad example of the growing contempt epidemic.

Are you frustrated by the state of argument in our world? Then you need to get acquainted with Buster Benson. Today he’s CEO of 750Words. com which brings private journaling to a safe place on the web.

Buster is author of Why Are We Yelling? The Art of Productive Disagreement.

Yes, I know. “Productive disagreement” sounds like an oxymoron. But it’s not.

Do yourself a favor and consider what Buster has to say about conflict management.