What separates microagressions from the typical social faux pas in which someone says something we’d consider to be in bad taste?

Microagressions

This week we examined the concept of ‘Microagressions,’ which can occur on the basis of race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, and so on. At first blush, microaggressions might be seen as instances of one individual saying something to another that is offensive, to a greater or lessor extent. So in that sense, what separates microagressions from the typical social faux pas in which someone says something we’d consider to be in bad taste?

In your response explore what might make microagressions seem something more than just individual infractions.