Ogre Outrage

 Once this habit is well established, you have the delightful situation of a human saying things with the express purpose of offending and yet having a grievance when offense is taken.

C.S. Lewis- Screwtape Letters

One of the more gratifying trends in current political discourse has to be our success in fomenting  virulent verbal attacks between adversaries.  Through our efforts, contempt has been sanctified; acts of malice are seen as a sign of courage and strength rather than being acknowledged as indulgent vices born of cowardice.  

To this end, we have employed the technique of ogre outrage.  Vile and vicious epithets are spewed out under the guise of "speaking truth', knowing full well they hold only the slightest connection to veracity, and are designed sorely to inflict pain.  

If the slander prompts a negative response, the attacker then lambasts their victim; accusing them of trying to cancel legitimate discourse, or asserting that the gutter insults are merely "jokes", not to be taken seriously.

If, however, one does not respond to the verbal assault, then the vilification is deemed vindicated and a more pernicious denigration follows.  Thus, under the guise of dialogue, the most atrocious utterances can be voiced without any sense of remorse or responsibility; and should offense be taken, the attacker feels justified in being aggrieved.  

Outrageous Ogres acting offensively who are outraged when anyone is offended - that's what gladdens the hearts of the August Assembly.  

Dr. Mordacious "Deceit as the tool of Statecraft"