“At lunch, a student made a rude comment that sounded like an insult, and the room grew quiet for a moment. The teacher quickly reminded everyone to speak kindly. Later in literature class, we studied how one character would insult another in dialogue, showing the tension between them. That evening, at home, my grandmother explained that an unkind joke can feel like an insult, even if the person didn’t mean it that way. My father added that some politicians insult each other in debates, but it doesn’t always help solve problems.”