The Clean Code Blog

by Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob)

We, The Unoffended

16 December 2018

We, The Unoffended, believe that a free society depends upon the tolerance and forebearance of it’s members toward each other, and each other’s ideas. We therefore strive to remain unoffended by the freedom of others to speak and act according to their identity, politics, ambitions, and desires. We are intolerant only of intentional or negligent harm done to others.

Therefore, given the above,

We, The Unoffended:

  • Are not offended by what you do, what you say, or who you are.

  • Are not offended by your race, your age, your gender, your sexual preference, your identification, your politics, your religion, or any other natural or chosen attribute.

  • Are not offended by your thoughts, your votes, your prayers, your hopes, your dreams, or your ambitions.

  • Celebrate, support, and defend your right to enjoy the personal dignity of your identity, your beliefs, and your choices.

  • Value you for who you are and for whatever skills, intelligence, perception, wisdom, and empathy you choose to share.

  • Believe that you owe us nothing; and are not offended if you choose to share nothing with us.

  • Are not offended by disagreement. Your willingness to share disagreeing thoughts and ideas is a gift that we value and cherish.

  • Believe that, in order for the best ideas to rise to the top, all ideas must be heard and evaluated on their merits. We therefore encourage the expression of any and all ideas; and resist their suppression.

  • Believe that ideas are not harmful, so long as they do not specifically incite harmful actions.

  • Are not offended by careful actions that cause inadervtent harm.