JOKES (And being OFFENDED by them)

[Mag]

This topic sounded a lot more precise in my head while I was half asleep, but whatever.

First off, what jokes do you make a conscious effort to avoid, if any? There are certain subjects we tend to not publicly joke about, but what are some that you just don't enjoy hearing or speaking of?

And secondly, how far do you think we should go to avoid offending certain groups in the media (race, sexual orientation, biological sex, etc)? Of course, it's next to impossible to avoid offending everyone, but where do we draw the line in political correctness over cheap humor?

This is all about personal opinion here, brothers n sisters (neutral folk, cats, dogs, etc.). Have at you.

[Y-Kaz]

I tell jokes about everything, but im not gonna tell a racist joke to a black dude, of course.

[Hey, I'm Grump]

I don't really have any limits to jokes I might tell, but making fun of someones recently dead relative is a low act that shouldn't be done.

Aussies have it easy; even racist jokes are an accepted culture here. You can have a go at an Asian for anything from their shit driving to the fact they just got off the boat and they'll throw one straight back at you without a second thought.

[Smouvy]

Thankfully the Netherlands is pretty cool with direct humour. I can take most jokes. As long as people don't joke about things I cannot change, such as appearance, voice, etc. I can take it.

I agree with ihc on joking about people who've recently passed. Though it does depend on who it is. If it was someone who has been poked fun at constantly when he/she was still alive (such as Amy Winehouse) I have less of a problem with it when jokes appear only shortly after death.

[Guitar]

Everyone needs to be mocked now and then. These days, you say something, and parents cover their children's ears in fear of them hearing something offensive. We're all too uptight. Life's too short to have a pole up your butt.

For me, I'll laugh at a lot of things. With me being the darkest of my friends, I'm often called the foreigner or Mexican, and in turn, I call all my friends white trash. All in good fun.

[Jinjonator]

(I'm too cool to get offended by jokes. Here's a story, reposted from Facebook)

Once upon a time, a joke was made on the internet. Some people found it pretty funny, other people got very buttmad because it wasn't the kind of joke they like. These people took to the streets in protest.

"Don't let people make jokes I don't like!" they said. "I don't think these jokes are funny, they should not be allowed!" This confused everyone else, who thought the joke was funny. "But I like the joke," one of the Laugh People said. "Can't I laugh at what I find funny, even if you don't personally enjoy this brand of humor?"

"No!" screamed the angry people. "I don't like it. Therefore it should not be allowed." So they lobbied Congress, and passed a law to outlaw all jokes that they didn't find funny, and all was well.

But one day, one of the previously angry people made a joke which they thought was totally okay, but which angered a separate group of people who weren't them. "I can't believe you!" this new group shouted. "Your brand of humor is contrary to what I find acceptable!" But they didn't really see what the big deal was, it sounded totally okay to them.

However, the new group of angry people petitioned to outlaw these jokes which they did not enjoy. This cycle continued throughout history, with all offended parties outlawing the brands of humor which they personally did not enjoy.

There was no more laughter in the world and no one was ever happy.

The End

[Mag]

Honestly, I'm guilty of making a ton of offensive jokes. One of the few things I can't find funny though are rape "jokes."
That shit just rustles my jimmies to maximum overdrive.

[Eggbert]

What mall can hold six million jews?

[Snagprophet]

In the UK we have a strange system where half the population completely feigns ignorance to jokes if they contain racial, sexuality and gender subjects and assume it's some kind of 'hate' crime or stirring up a hornets nest to make people go out and start torturing people. This is why people want to move away to more sensible and mature places, such as Cats's Australian scenario.

[John!]

I think that, for example, if you tell a bad Rape joke (bad as in unoriginal, not clever, etc), then I'm offended at that, because you thought rape was a trivial enough subject to tell a bad joke about. I don't think anything should be off limits, but there are certainly things I wouldn't tell a joke about. It's not because I don't think anyone should joke about those things, I just don't think I could tell a funny joke about them if I tried.

[Jinjonator]

I don't even know what an example of a rape joke would be. I always hear people talking about them, but I can't recall anything that I would define as a joke about rape.

But I'm sure it starts as a knock knock joke. It always does...

[John!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4hNaFkbZYU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLWlBgj0uOc&feature=fvwrel

Here's some good ones.

[N64DD]

NOTHING is above humor

[Oz the Gay and Powerful]

I don't even know what an example of a rape joke would be. I always hear people talking about them, but I can't recall anything that I would define as a joke about rape.

But I'm sure it starts as a knock knock joke. It always does...

you mean to tell me that youtube searching "louis ck rape" DIDN'T pop into your head at all

[Bluish]

Some jokes are great, others are made in really poor taste. If a joke offends someone, the person who made the joke shouldn't whine about their lack of humor (i.e., telling a 'rape joke' around someone who's been raped).

It takes a level of maturity to be able to laugh at yourself, but there is a line between jokes and just really offensive statements.

[Jinjonator]

It takes a level of maturity to be able to laugh at yourself, but there is a line between jokes and just really offensive statements.

The problem is that everyone has a completely different idea of where that line is. It's easy to say that people shouldn't say offensive things... but no matter what you say, someone somewhere is going to take offense. Period. And there's no solid way of saying which offended parties are worth respecting and which are worth ignoring (because some people are just gonna get offended by silly shit). So I figure, you can either not worry about whether someone is offended, or you can just... never say anything.

[Smouvy]

That's pretty heads on Jinjonator. As long as I feel like I can make the joke myself, provided it isn't lame, I make it. Worst case scenario, I end up saying sorry because someone feels like it was offending. But I'm not going out of my way to check up on everything to ensure that I can make the joke beforehand. If someone tells me off though, I won't ever make a joke of the same subject again to that person though. Provided I remember anyway.

[Oz the Gay and Powerful]

The problem is that everyone has a completely different idea of where that line is. It's easy to say that people shouldn't say offensive things... but no matter what you say, someone somewhere is going to take offense. Period. And there's no solid way of saying which offended parties are worth respecting and which are worth ignoring (because some people are just gonna get offended by silly shit). So I figure, you can either not worry about whether someone is offended, or you can just... never say anything.

This sort of thing is contextually dependent. You might not actually offend anyone with a joke if you're around friends or something. Sure, someone somewhere can potentially be offended by any joke I make... but unless we're strictly talking about the internet here, there are some things you need to take into account in real social situations. If I'm hanging out with a black guy amongst a group of people I just met and I'm gonna make a joke to break the ice, it's not gonna be a slave joke (come to think of it slave jokes are probably bad icebreakers no matter who you're with, but you see the point) until I get to know the person's sensibilities a bit more. I hate to say it's just common sense... but in the case of real life social situations... it is.

On the internet and amongst friends, it's a totally different story.

[Jinjonator]

Well I'm referring to the internet. Either you censor yourself completely, or you just don't worry about it. I've seen the things people get offended by. Even the most innocuous comments can make people flip a shit.

[Oz the Gay and Powerful]

I do agree. Just thought it was worth pointing out the distinction

[Articerile]

The only jokes I find offensive are ones about ducks.
Because that just confuses people.

I am perfectly okay however with jokes about people who have been drugged specifically so that they can't pass out as they are slowly dismembered.

Well, I don't think it was a joke but I found it funny.

[Oz the Gay and Powerful]

The only jokes I find offensive are ones about ducks.
Because that just confuses people.

thanks

[Bluish]

The problem is that everyone has a completely different idea of where that line is. It's easy to say that people shouldn't say offensive things... but no matter what you say, someone somewhere is going to take offense. Period. And there's no solid way of saying which offended parties are worth respecting and which are worth ignoring (because some people are just gonna get offended by silly shit). So I figure, you can either not worry about whether someone is offended, or you can just... never say anything.

That's where I think it helps to just say sorry, and stop making the jokes around them :3 And hopefully the other person accepts the (legit) apology without being stuck-up.

I actually think the word 'sorry' more or less doesn't exist on the Internet :x

[Gruntling]

I don't know any good jokes, so... problem solved! :rwpunch

But in all honesty, I don't tell jokes very often. When I do, I make sure they're clean.

[Oz the Gay and Powerful]

I don't know any good jokes, so... problem solved! :rwpunch

But in all honesty, I don't tell jokes very often. When I do, I make sure they're clean.

Horse walks into a bar, bartender says, "It's probably not a good idea that you're in here, you're a very large animal, any sudden movements and you may injure somebody. I don't know why you're here. None of the glasses are ergonomically designed for you to drink from them so... you should probably leave."

[Jinjonator]

Horse walks into a bar, bartender says, "It's probably not a good idea that you're in here, you're a very large animal, any sudden movements and you may injure somebody. I don't know why you're here. None of the glasses are ergonomically designed for you to drink from them so... you should probably leave."

this is offensive to horses and people who identify as horses

you make me sick

[Siege]

OFFENDED (WowYouReallyThinkIWouldPostThat) you say?

[Oz the Gay and Powerful]

this is offensive to horses and people who identify as horses

you make me sick

Well they can stomp their hooves till the cows come home!

[Chicken Eater 40652]

"What do you call 10,000 black people at the bottom of an ocean?"

"A good start."

[John!]

"What do you call 10,000 black people at the bottom of an ocean?"

"A good start."

A good start to what?

[DarthConker]

A good start to what?
swim lessons, obviously.

[Gaming Master2k]

this is offensive to horses and people who identify as horses
and Sarah Jessica Parker. (http://sarahjessicaparkerlookslikeahorse.com/)

[Jinjonator]

and Sarah Jessica Parker. (http://sarahjessicaparkerlookslikeahorse.com/)

that's what i said -_-

[Smouvy]

A good start to what?

A dam :)