Kids should be building rockets and robots, not taking standardized tests

Re:Kids should be building rockets and robots, not taking st... by larrys on Tuesday June 05, 2012 @12:16PM (#4069251)

I guess I phrased the question incorrectly as I know the reason is is to avoid downvotes and the person is aware of what they are saying will get downvoted.

My feeling is that by saying "sorry if this is insulting" or "I apologize in advance" or "before you downvote me" you are rolling over on your belly and appearing vulnerable by acknowledging your vulnerability and trying to show some humility. And in a sense you are setting up the contrast principle because the belly in comparison to the crime just doesn't seem so bad.

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Re:Kids should be building rockets and robots, not taking st... by pitt1980 on Tuesday June 05, 2012 @12:26PM (#4069311)

its a rhetorical technique

whether its effective seems situational

"sorry if this is insulting" won't be effective if what you follow it with is truly insulting

we all know thin skinned people though, sometimes the best way to get them to hear a benign (or neutral, or even constructive critism) comment that they might dismiss is to procede it with "sorry if this is insulting"

so there are certain scenarios where I'd say those phrases are ok (this board with their sometimes quick downvoting, seems like an ok use to me)

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