People often say harsh things and followed by "just kidding".
Are you really just kidding? I doubt so.
You said "just kidding" to avoid unnecessary arguments and conflicts when that was actually what you meant.
Give a second thought about it before opening your mouth.
- Will what you're gonna say hurt the person?
- Will it affect the person deeply?
- Can you afford to lose this person?
“Words cut deeper than knives. A knife can be pulled out, words are embedded into our souls.”
― William Chapman
If you really want to say about how you feel towards that person and avoid all those, why not try to rephrase it to something nicer and in a better tone than "just kidding" 'cause you know deep down you're not even kidding at all.
Think it through in your mind before opening your mouth.
What if the person can't take your "joke" at all?
Consistently use of "just kidding" is just gonna pissed someone off.
Example, having a daily conversation with that person and whatever he/she say, he/she will add "just kidding" behind almost every sentence. Like dude, whatever you just said were just kidding when I took it in so seriously? Seriously?
Sometimes, I just don't get it.