Scivillage.com Casual Discussion Science Forum

On the Ethics of Offensive Humor (Part One)
https://shaunmiller.blog/2015/02/24/on-t...-part-one/

EXCERPT: (Preliminary note) I will mention offensive jokes for the purpose of making a philosophical point. In philosophical parlance, I’ll be mentioning jokes rather than saying them. If you’re easily offended, you probably shouldn’t continue reading the rest of this post.

[...] Offensive Humor Entails It’s Not Funny Theory: For all humor that is offensive, we can also say that they are not funny. Thus, for all humor that is offensive is sufficient for it to be not funny.

But what if you said “yes?” The question we must ask is how can something offensive (which is a negative trait), also be funny (which is a positive trait)? More than that, how often is offensive humor, and is offensive humor really that bad? In this post, I will be looking at David Benatar’s article: “Taking Humour (Ethics) Seriously, But Not Too Seriously.” He will argue that humor can go wrong, but it’s not as often as people think it is. More than that, when humor is offensive, the offense is not as serious. What does Benatar mean when he says “humor can go wrong?” Does he mean that the humor itself is offensive, or does he mean that people will be offended by it? Benatar splits this in two ways....

- - - - - -

On the Ethics of Offensive Humor (Part Two)
https://shaunmiller.blog/2015/02/26/on-t...-part-two/

EXCERPT: In part one, I investigated Benatar’s analysis of humor. [...] I started by investigating non-contextual humor and looked at Benatar’s defense of offensive humor by arguing that there’s a difference between recognizing stereotypes and endorsing stereotypes. I argue that it is not adequate. In this post, I want to continue with Benatar’s analysis and consider another objection to Benatar and see how he responds....

Being half Ukrainian and half Irish makes me stupid and drunk all the time but I also laughed at those jokes aimed towards me. I think most of us hear the joke, understand the absurdities and laugh more out of resignation...... Those poor much maligned stereotypes, someone is still perpetuating the myths to get a laugh and so what? I laugh and perhaps I shouldn't.

It's like the person who commits the crime and then runs away, gets caught later claiming they didn't know they'd done anything wrong. Well if you knew it wasn't wrong then why try to elude capture? Something like that.

By the way: I announced my heritage in 1st paragraph. If I added the fact I don't drink then I see an opportunity for a potentially insensitive joke about me. Obviously the punchline would be along the lines of 'then you must be stupid all the time'. I wouldn't be offended but maybe a Ukrainian would. I would applaud the jokester's quick wit and laugh at myself for setting the table. It's harmless fun until someone feels the need to feel slighted or insulted. It's life, I get over it. I don't think the worst nor do I think the best, so yes, I am stupid but who can I compare to? lol

Humor, Laughter, and Those Aha Moments

There’s a professional comedian that’s a good friend of the family.  He sat down by me at a wedding reception one time and told me a funny story. I thought we were having a legit conversation until I saw his show. Turns out that I was just one of his guinea pigs.  Now, (just to fuck with him), instead of smiling or laughing, I raise my eyebrows and look at him like he’s a weirdo.  It’s funnier than his jokes.  You should see the look on his face…priceless.

It’s not Anthony Jeselnik, but he is known for his dark, offensive, and amoral stances.  I think he’s hilarious.



During my Vegas trip, I saw Ralphie May.  During the first half of his show, quite a few people walked out, but not because it was offensive. He simply wasn’t able to pull this off.

Quote:IFC: When you have a subject, be it that one or something else, how careful are you to court the idea of ending on or interjecting more serious discussions into your material. You talk about being an entertainer, but how careful are you about stopping to make a point like that simply because you think it’s important, even if it digresses from your funnier material?

MAY: You make it in the process of being funny. You can’t let it lag — there still has to be a punch line every 8-9 seconds. And if you hit them with a punch line, everything will be ok. Everything will be fine. You can still make a point, but you just have to be funny about it.

Interesting stuff. Thanks.

'Humor' is often sadism being made socially acceptable. I viscerally dislike that. 'Ha, ha, ha, you suck!' (We see a lot of that on schoolyards.) People often enjoy that because they enjoy the feeling of solidarity with others with whom they share something, even if it's disdain for somebody else.

Regarding 'offensive' humor, a lot of what I think of that depends on who is on the receiving end. If it's somebody I don't like, I'm more inclined to laugh. If it's some sacred-cow that I happen to dislike, I'm apt to laugh louder and feel less guilty about doing it.

But my favorite kind of 'humor', the only kind that I really unreservedly enjoy, is that old British-style absurdist humor. The humor of incongruity, as opposed to the humor of putting people down. This seems to be something entirely different psychologically, since it's largely cognitive and it often doesn't have a victim. Monty Python used to do a lot of that. Artistically it's related to surrealism.

(Jul 30, 2017 07:51 PM)Yazata Wrote: [ -> ][..] But my favorite kind of 'humor', the only kind that I really unreservedly enjoy, is that old British-style absurdist humor. The humor of incongruity, as opposed to the humor of putting people down. This seems to be something entirely different psychologically, since it's largely cognitive and it often doesn't have a victim. Monty Python used to do a lot of that. Artistically it's related to surrealism.

"And now for something completely different...."

Man's Crisis of Identity in the Latter Half of the Twentieth Century

Encyclopedia Salesman: Burglar! [rings again] Burglar!

[woman appears at other side of door]

Woman: Yes?

Encyclopedia Salesman: Burglar, madam.

Woman: What do you want?

Encyclopedia Salesman: I want to come in and steal a few things, madam.

Woman: Are you an encyclopaedia salesman?

Encyclopedia Salesman: No madam, I'm a burglar, I burgle people.

Woman: I think you're an encyclopaedia salesman.

Encyclopedia Salesman: Oh I'm not, open the door, let me in please.

Woman: If I let you in, you'll sell me encyclopedias.

Encyclopedia Salesman: I won't, madam. I just want to come in and ransack the flat. Honestly.

Woman: Promise? No encyclopedias?

Encyclopedia Salesman: None at all.

Woman: All right. [she opens door] You'd better come in then.

Encyclopedia Salesman: Mind you, I don't know whether you've really considered the advantages of owning a really fine set of modern encyclopedias... You know, they can really do you wonders.

- - -