so what does "don't take it personally" exactly mean if someone says it to you?

what's the meaning of taking things personally and what's the opposite of it?
if one was not supposed to take things personally... how're they supposed to take it?

if one goes and slaps someone on the face... then says: "don't take it personally"<< that's a funny scenario... but it's funny cuz it doesn't make sense does it?

if one went and did something behind someone's back...
when someone ignores
when someone betrays
when someone lies...

when is it right to take things peronally and when is it not?
if one always takes something personally... do you call them sensitive?

what exactly DOES taking something personally mean?

You shouldn't take things personally when you know those who love you don't mean to hurt you when they are straight forward with you and honest with you about something you wouldn't want to know or hear.

Others just say it because they just don't want to make it sound iike they're rude and blunt. This sentence "don't take it personal" lessens the effect of rudeness and honesty.

It's something like saying: "no offence"!
What's the use of being told "no offence" when you're being offenced!!!!

so it;s another way of saying:
yes I am offending you, but i don't want you to be offended. :XD:

wow too many questions to answer!!

what i have to say is, when i do somthing, and another person wont like it, im not doing this cuz i hate him, or i want to hurt him, im doing it cuz i need to, this is the meaning of "dont take it personally"

almost same with no offense, but no offense is used when u say somthing bad about a group of ppl, e.g SQU student, but u mean it in a genaral way, not that person...

50% of the time when people say that, it's crap...they just say that because they want to make what they are sating SOUND better...when really it's not..For example, if i say,"Triple Tee, you're a butt head! But don't take it personally!" now what would you think? so if i say "Dont take it personally" makes what i said okay?
lool..but that's only 50% of the time..

i think i posted something but got deleted ! :os
ne wayz,i dont say DONT TAKE IT PERSONALLY to sum1 before telling him/her something unless i AM going to say something personal about him/her ! :XD:

I hate it when people say that!! You wouldn't take it personally unless it was something personal to begin with,
"I'm going to kill your family... but don't take it personally ok?"

wtf man

I suppose it would mean "When I'm doing or saying this, it's not because I am against you specificly or personally"