Canadian poet William Chapman once said, “Words cut deeper than knives. A knife can be pulled out, words are embedded into our souls”. That rings true with every insult, and most of us can likely attest to that. Whether it’s bullying at school, uncalled-for remarks on the street, or other outbursts of people’s hostility, it’s nearly impossible to avoid it.
Some spiteful comments stick with the receiver for years, even decades after. This has been pointed out by Twitter’s community members, who have answered the user Zaza Man’s question: what’s an insult they’ll never forget. Their heart-wrenching answers show just how much damage a word can do; scroll down to find them and see for yourself.
In order to better understand the subtleties of how certain wording can affect a person and what drives someone to use insulting language, Bored Panda has reached out to the professor of rhetoric and linguistics at Soka University, James Williams, PhD. He was kind enough to answer a few of our questions; you will find the interview in the text below.
Image credits: Zazamyodor
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Leaving my grandma alone at supermarkets used to mean I would come back and she would have a new best friend who knew absolutely everything about my life
Who wouldn't want to look like a police sergeant in the Bahamas?? I WANT THAT SHIRT.
While slavery is not comparable, I'm white so the comments I get from my mum is not at all comparable to your mum's comment, but my god they would get along our mums. Mine is awful for saying s****y things about my clothes, she does it to my sisters as well. Little comments like "oh wow that is such a lovely top, it's a shame you don't have the figure for it. It's been this way forever.
It would be funnier if she kept looking back and forth between you and the pic
See, this is the kind of statement that I say to people all the time. It's funny as f**k and not really offensive, just strange.
That's nothing. A long time ago, a girlfriend took me ( a young man) to meet her parents. Straight away they said to her, 'Darling why didn't you tell us you were a lesbian?'
To be fair, Rihanna has a huge forehead, so maybe this was a backhanded compliment
Well at least you don't have two left feet - You'd be wearing 'flop flops.
I once sat down on a park bench and someone just dropped money on me and said "buy some food with it"... truly says something about how I dress
It should not put you off light skinned girls, just bitches. The love of your life could be light skinned and you wouldn't look twice because of a s****y comment. X
I stopped wearing makeup and manager told me for weeks I looked tired and asked if i was okay 😫
A guy complained that his ex-girlfriend now dates his twin brother, awkward silence all around. Then another dude is like "well you're certainly not ugly, I guess it was just your personality" 🤣
I was informed in 7th grade that I looked like joanne whirly (famous at the time but matronly) or Wayne Yulivich (9th grade jock @$$hole at my school). My dad was the most supportive. You're 12, you're smart, you're a little weird, and you're a 6' tall woman. It's going to take a couple years before people your age appreciate that. Thanks Dad. I'm a giant "little old lady" now and it amuses me to no end that people try to dis you for things you cannot control.
Him: "What you do that for?" You: "Practicing my method acting skills for showing anger".
You dodged a bullet by not going out with him. What a nightmare he would've been in the long-term.
thats why you always eat the forehead first ( it also tastes like a crunch bar)
I remember him. The chairman of the debate was being very kind to him. No wonder why most of the politicians are sitting sleeping during debates in Westminster.
Also Irish and went to London and was told the same thing. I said I know where your family live. I didn't, but I got free Guiness the whole night.
You must find out who 'They' are, and try to find them equipped with as many insults as possible.
Went to a job interview once, and even before I sat down, one of the interviewers said, 'Thanks for coming - We'll let you know in due course' I was waiting for half an hour until the candidate before me had finished his interview. Real confidence booster.
I agree totally with this - Trying to find employment on Linkedin is not a fruitful excercise. I just unsubscribed myself from it.
No matter how small an accomplishment, be proud. You are doing enough. 💝
Just smile and take everything he says as a compliment. If it is not mean't to be one, it will really annoy him.
I hate wine people who claim to be experts. At the end of the day, wine is just an expensive handful of grapes.
I once heard a kid in school say to another kid, "Why don't your shoes have a party and invite your pants down." It's funnier today than it was back then.
Why does anybody care how many followers people have?? Not everybody is a social media try hard.
Similar experience here: I was a teenager babysitting a neighbor's kid, I had just gotten contacts, kid told me I looked funny without my glasses, I said thanks, he looked puzzled
I take offense to this. I for one quite enjoy eating lunatic salad.
Why would you have to explain it to the FBI? Is there something I'm missing here?
What a load of rubbish.Also a sign of fertility when your kids raid it
I'd never have noticed, it's not like they have flags all over them.
I was once driving with my car mother in the passenger seat. It was snowy, and some wee f***er threw a snowball at my car. It went through a small gap in the window, missed my mother and hit me right in the face. All i could think of was, 'what a great shot'.
That was weird, but what does that have to do with being somali? Are they known for having big foreheads or something?
What a combination - 'Wa*king t*at face. Sounds more like a skill than an insult
I would've said "at least I have a house". And that's why I have no friends.
Have you not watched 'Full metal jacket?' Being called a turd is nothing
I once got told by a customer who I refused to serve "well you look like a lesbian and your hair is stupid" I laughed my a*s off as he was escorted out of the pub by security. For the record I refused service coz him and his mates were drunk and being incredibly rude to us staff
For the insults received by children from their parents: half the pain can be that it goes denied/unacknowledged. I know it's the case for me and some of my fellow pandas here. We don't need their confirmation (sure would be nice tho)
Some of these insults here can be soul-destroying. As someone who BUILT BACK her soul, I can tell each of you - it can be done. Be the person to yourself you wish others had been to you. Their blindness/rejection re person you are - as wonderful as you can be - is THEIR LOSS. No one can define you. YOU DEFINE YOURSELF. Take back your power. A bad a*s female JAG once wrote- and I repeat it over and over as I've never forgotten: "Blood is kin; Love makes family."
Load More Replies...I'm from MA but went to college in TX. I got a lot of "bless your heart" comments over those 4 years. It wasn't until I was safely back home for a decade or more that I discovered that it's an insult. 🤣
Aw, bless your heart. (To explain to others who may not know, it means, "Wow, you're clueless, aren't you?" As in, "Jesus has a special place in his heart for the mentally feeble and children, so you must be very special to Him.")
Load More Replies...I once got told by a customer who I refused to serve "well you look like a lesbian and your hair is stupid" I laughed my a*s off as he was escorted out of the pub by security. For the record I refused service coz him and his mates were drunk and being incredibly rude to us staff
For the insults received by children from their parents: half the pain can be that it goes denied/unacknowledged. I know it's the case for me and some of my fellow pandas here. We don't need their confirmation (sure would be nice tho)
Some of these insults here can be soul-destroying. As someone who BUILT BACK her soul, I can tell each of you - it can be done. Be the person to yourself you wish others had been to you. Their blindness/rejection re person you are - as wonderful as you can be - is THEIR LOSS. No one can define you. YOU DEFINE YOURSELF. Take back your power. A bad a*s female JAG once wrote- and I repeat it over and over as I've never forgotten: "Blood is kin; Love makes family."
Load More Replies...I'm from MA but went to college in TX. I got a lot of "bless your heart" comments over those 4 years. It wasn't until I was safely back home for a decade or more that I discovered that it's an insult. 🤣
Aw, bless your heart. (To explain to others who may not know, it means, "Wow, you're clueless, aren't you?" As in, "Jesus has a special place in his heart for the mentally feeble and children, so you must be very special to Him.")
Load More Replies...

