Micro-aggressions

Micro-aggression is defined as the trivial, unintended and undirected action that may cause an offence, even though the action is not intended at the offence in first place or at all. Micro-aggression involves two key concepts that are pervasive in our society now-a-days:1) “Liability to take an offence” and; 2) “Safe space.” In the former case, in most of the cases the offence is traditionally being taken in the manner of ‘honor’ as we normally come across the horrific stories of men succumbing his woman of the house to death on the trivial charges of providing a fateful blow to his/culprit’s ‘honor’/reputation in the society, and in some cases the offence is being taken in the manner of ‘dignity’. Again, our society is overflowed with many examples in which offence is being taken in such a manner—in the manner of ‘dignity.’ One recent example is the mass mobilization, raising hues and cries for the expulsion of French ambassador from the country on the charges, well known to the public. There is a fundamental difference between the offence being taken as an ‘Honor’ and/or ‘dignity.’ In ‘honor’ culture, just the person involved in the offence is being incorporated whereas in ‘dignity’ culture, the offence is taken collectively by the community and the community collectively strive for its justification. The second key concept in the aegis of micro-aggression is ‘Safe Space’—a space to which a person often a victim can resort to in the hours of great distress/emotional trauma or a space where one will not have to hear the arguments or stories that are distressing or run contrary to his/her views.

Muhammad Tayyab

RAWALPINDI