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Stenka25 Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary

A tricky quotation

A tricky quotation

I'd like to ask a question regarding the meaning of Holly Lisle's quote below.

'Anything designed to be inoffensive isn't worth your time — life itself is pretty offensive, ending as it does with death.' - Holly Lisle

The general air of the quote is pretty cynical.
Am I right?

What I want to ask is what the underlined 'anything designed to be inoffensive' means.
Can you give me an example case of it?

Regards.
  

Top answer

For example, a man dressed in khaki pants, long-sleeved dress shirt, dress shoes with socks, neat hair style, no tattoos, no piercings, everything neat and clean, would have an appearance that was designed to be inoffensive. By Lisle's estimation, such a person would not be worth dealing with, since there is nothing offensive about him. "Cynical" is not the right word to describe the original quote.

— Anonymous

  • For example, a man dressed in khaki pants, long-sleeved dress shirt, dress shoes with socks, neat hair style, no tattoos, no piercings, everything neat and clean, would have an appearance that was designed to be inoffensive.
  • By Lisle's estimation, such a person would not be worth dealing with, since there is nothing offensive about him.
  • "Cynical" is not the right word to describe the original quote.
  • "
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5 Answers
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For example, a man dressed in khaki pants, long-sleeved dress shirt, dress shoes with socks, neat hair style, no tattoos, no piercings, everything neat and clean, would have an appearance that was designed to be inoffensive. By Lisle's estimation, such a person would not be worth dealing with, since there is nothing offensive about him.

"Cynical" is not the right word to describe the or
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Stenka25What I want to ask is what the underlined 'anything designed to be inoffensive' means.Can you give me an example case of it?
I don't know what sorts of things inspired the author to write this phrase, but my guess is that examples would include pretty pictures of landscapes, laughing children, or pets, or simple, happy music, or films with happy ending
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Thanks a lot as always, CJEmotion: smile

Your paraphrase, 'ordinary things which give no cause for offense' for 'anything designed to
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Yes, that's the idea.

CJ
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Thanks a lot as always, CJEmotion: smile
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