No offense, but...

I have a never-ending list of ideas to write about in my mind, but don't seem to write about them as often as I think I will.  (That is a weird sentence.)  This week I'm thinking a lot about the phrase "no offense" (usually followed by "but").  I have been on the receiving end of this phrase a couple times this week and neither time left me feeling unoffended.  I've come to the conclusion that this phrase is uttered when people want to say something that is not constructive (because so far this week, there hasn't been anything constructive after the "but") but rather want to say something negative.  They think that by saying "no offense" it softens whatever criticism they are about to throw out (I don't think it does....)  I am going to try to strike it from my vocabulary, and perhaps that was what I'm supposed to learn from this...perhaps I have been too quick to say "no offense, but..." to others and now I can connect why that phrase is used and maybe why it shouldn't be.  In any case...you might not want to start any conversations with me anytime soon with the phrase " no offense, but.."