I have a theory: most people feel a positive connotation with the word “sensitive.” They see being having sensitive emotions as endearing and being sensitive to others sensitivity as considerate. Therefore, they think most people should be more sensitive than they are now.
I do not think people should aim to be more sensitive, or think sensitivity is always an honorable trait. I do realize being sensitive is necessary, since offensive words or actions are generally considered rude. There is a decorum that should be maintained. But I don’t think we need to encourage more sensitivity, and I feel that many people are.
Take the Demar Hamlin situation, for example. Every public persona is only willing to move on and speak about football (their job, mind you) once they feel like they have observed an adequate amount of time after the injury. They feel this pressure from the internet mob who wishes to morally posture anybody willing to resume a normal routine “too soon.” This amount of time seemed to be about 3 days; anybody who resumed the status quo sooner was blasted. This phenomenon has seemed to gain severity since the rise of social media. Less severe situations are requiring more severe sensitivity. Are we going to find a line at some point?
There is an addiction to demonstrating one’s sensitivity online, combined with simultaneously demonstrating somebody else’s lack thereof. When will there be push back on this behavior? When will the equation for social capital gained/lost go into the red for morally posturing? I hope it does eventually, because being sensitive beyond society’s pre-social media standard really isn’t hard or helpful.