Nnuie21

Making my boss less of an idiot is something outside of my control. I can tell them "don't do this" over and over again. If they do it anyway, how is that my fault?

To everyone saying these answers are bad because they don't delve into the history, equal temperament, and how D# and Eb weren't always harmonically equivalent:

You're answering the wrong question. Yes, the question was "why are there sharps and flats" but read the rest of the question and it becomes clear, he/she isn't looking for the origin of sharps and flats. They are asking why it's practical to have both sharps and flats.

The answer is: Because it's easier to write in F if you call them "A and Bb" rather than "A and A#"

Most of the thin-skinnedness I observe is from so-called free speech absolutists, who want to say offensive things in public without fear of being shamed. But what they call shaming is actually their opponents exercising their own right to free speech. The freedom of speech that allows you to say something offensive is the same freedom that lets me criticize your offensive comments.

You say stop listening if your feelings are being hurt. That's one option. I can also call you out for being insensitive to my feelings. If you can't handle that criticism, then stop airing your views in a public forum, for your own good. Freedom = responsibility. You own your words.