2mo ago

"With all due respect" is a double-insult.

When someone says "With all due respect...", they'll inevitably follow it with an insult. In that case, the person is therefore also implying that the recipient is due NO respect since they're insulting them. Boom, double-roast. Maybe obvious, but apparently not to me... with all due respect to me.

16 comments

No offense. But I'm completely going to offend you.
- No offense, but this comment sucks.
  
  Yes offense, but this comment is great and so are you <3
I don't know who you talk with but "with all due respect" is followed by disagreeing with something you said. Not an insult. The disagreement could be dissmissive of your previous argument like "thats bullshit" which gets pretty close to an insult but its really just poor argumentation on their part. The problem is not with the phrase "with all due respect" its with the individual using it.
- I agree, with all due respect
Not to be racist, but...
Yeah in the case of all due respect it is used in formal situations to signal that the recipient that it isn't supposed to take criticism personally. I also see it as an insult since you are pointing out the person is most likely going to take it personally.
I prefer the Nick Fury approach.
[unfunny guy analysing the whole thing]
\ The case with "with all due respect" is a lot like Japanese 貴様 kisama: misplaced respect is interpreted as ironic and sarcastic, thus rude.
Because, like, there are a few cases where "with all due respect" is genuine, but they all involve someone in a hierarchically inferior position contradicting a superior; student/teacher, underlying/boss, etc. In those situations the expression is there to convey "I acknowledge my position, and I'm not questioning it, but I need to say my honest views".
On the internet, though? Hierarchy? Mpfffffft. [/unfunny guy]
inb4 I got the OP, on "all due respect" + no respect = "this is how much respect you deserve: ZERO!". I'm just nerding out with language.
- Not everything has to be funny. You're correct.
No offense but I disagree with your statement, regardless of how well it was thought out.
- With all due respect, you only insulted me once.
  
  With all due respect, I feel as if there wasn't another insult in the statement, then "with all due respect" was no longer an insult, making the entire statement insult-free. Of course, I could be wrong.
An i messing up the curve if I'm intentionally leading with that among others specifically to insult people?
Bless your heart is another good one

16 comments