Desensitivity Training – I read somewhere that somebody said an inappropriate word and was ordered to undergo “sensitivity training.” The whole reasoning behind sensitivity training seems upside down. Many times when a person is being insensitive, he is doing it intentionally. If you tell a person that calling someone a “fat cow” might hurt their self esteem, he will probably be thinking, “I know that. That’s why I said it. That was the whole idea.” In this case, the “sensitivity training” is just redundant and only serves as a checkmark on a legal list and to punish the offender by having to sit through a lecture. On the other hand, if a person says something and means no harm, does he need “sensitivity” training, or does the offended person need “desensitivity” training. In college at the student union, after coming in from the 115 degree heat, I asked a clerk for change for a dollar and casually said, “Boy, it’s hot today,” which is a comment I likely would have said to anyone including an albino grandmother. But the clerk, who happened to be black, shouted, “DON’T CALL ME BOY.” Was someone insensitive or was someone overly sensitive? A famous senator once offended a woman by referring to her as a lady. Insensitive or overly sensitive? Here’s my idea. If person is being insensitive on purpose, send him to “sensitivity” training. It won’t do much good, but you will have your legal documentation. But if a person is unintentionally insensitive, then send both people to training – one for sensitivity and one for desensitivity. The second one is to let people know that everything that happens or is said in the world is not about them and secondly, if you accuse someone of being insensitive, and they didn’t mean to be, isn’t that being insensitive to them? Maybe this approach will help people get over themselves and get on with their lives.