and the most important part of a human being we should aim to protect is their freedom of choice, which includes their ability to choose to take offense at someone else’s words.

Or not.

See, physical protection is different, most women and children are in an uneven playing field when it comes to dealing with a physically violent aggressor and men (or stronger people) should step in to prevent abuse.

But for words to hurt you you must be an accomplice in your own suffering.

The sound waves themselves are harmless unless you take them personal – which means you have to become an active participant in the pain you experience.

What someone says speaks volumes about where they’re at and how they see life and nothing about you, however reacting to what they say does speak volumes about the areas where you’re enslaved and easily triggered.

That is, the places within you where you’ve outsourced all your power and have become a puppet to anyone willing to press the right buttons to get a reaction out of you.

People DO NOT need to be protected from words.

Nor from someone else’s poor sense humour.

They do -however- need to be empowered to be SO FREE within themselves, that the words, opinions, judgements and jokes of others carry zero weight on their emotional realm.

Because to deny someone the space to process how they feel about what they hear, so they can make THEIR OWN choices about it, is not an act of protection but one of imposition.

You are unconsciously saying: I don’t see you as mature and capable enough to handle it.

So How is Will Smith’s relating to his wife as a woman so weak and fragile -that she wouldn’t be able to process Chris’s words- an act of respect?

Someone stepping in to “defend” you from a situation you don’t need to be defended from is not an act of chivalry but one of pity.

They would rather see you comfortable than competent.

and THAT, my friend, is NOT love.