Poll: Can humour go too far? (potentially offensive image within)

[RodSk8Dude]

I draw the line at dead babies. It's not so much that I'm offended, just that there are no circumstances under which I would find them funny.

I'm OK with dead baby jokes. I even know a site that only have these jokes. I like dark humor and, though most I read are not really that funny, I still like them BECAUSE they are so dark.

But then at one point in that previously mentioned site, there it was...
...a joke about RAPING a dead baby...

...so...

...I guess... ...everyone has a different limit to how far they think a joke can go, but they still have it.

 

[mooncalf]

There are lines for everyone, and those lines can be drawn for very good reasons - and yet differently for each person. I'm reminded of the articles on the Escapist and other gaming news sites that were a backlash against people using "Rape" in their gaming lingo, it was a convincing argument and it changed my behaviour. Otherwise the line for me is Bill Hick's speculations on the sexual deviances of Rush Limbaugh which I will not link here.

Instead the slightly more palatable but still pretty wrong musings of Tim Minchin on the subject of dark humour.

 

[Lionsfan]

I don't think there's a line humor can cross, and holy hell was the given example hilarious

You mean Heil-arious?

The thing about humor is that it's subjective. Any comment can cause offense if the recipient is sensitive enough and anything can be found funny if /b/ is to be believed. The example image for instance is in really poor taste, but is also really funny.

Yeah I guess I can see that point. I'm sure a lot of people would probably get fuhrer-ious when they saw that picture

 

[Agayek]

Just so you know, I dug the lyrics in that image. Sounds like something a modern Thrash band would come up with.

Or a Japanese anime theme song writer.

Just saying.

Edit: OT: I don't really think there's ever a point where humor goes "too far". Certainly, some people will find some humor distasteful, and that's definitely their prerogative, but as long as the joke is not meant to be malicious, then anything is acceptable IMO.

 

[Piorn]

I don't have a limit, personally, because I can tell fiction from reality.
That doesn't mean there shouldn't be a limit for people who base it on actual beliefs, or people who are too stupid to distinguish and just follow the crowd, but I trust there aren't many of these people around.

 

[ninjaRiv]

Someone recently threatened to put me in intensive care due to a joke I made recently. The funny thing is, I was about to delete the joke on Facebook just before the threat came. Not because I thought it would offend people but because I didn't find it as funny as I thought it was when I first posted it. However, when I got the threat I defended that joke like it was the funniest fucking thing in the world, just because I had a point to make.

Everything should be laughed at. If you don't laugh at something, it becomes scarier and bigger than it should be. But yeah, there's lines you shouldn't cross and I learnt that from experience (not the thing I just told you about. Fuck that, violence shouldn't stop you making jokes). I told a rape joke to a rape victim. Not on purpose, it was a heat of the moment thing but it helped me realise that if a joke is going to really hurt someone, don't fucking tell it. But, most of all, a joke has to be funny enough to excuse the offence you might cause. So, telling a joke is all about timing and understanding your audience.

As for that image, it's funny in certain circles. I can see myself laughing like crazy with my friends at a bar after a few beers and, while sober, I can appreciate the thought that went into it but it's not very funny.

 

[SpectacularWebHead]

Yes there are times humour can go too far. Operatively when it's making light of a other groups, becaus ethen it becomes victimisation. Rape jokes for one, are somthing you just shouldn't go near. Racism, dead babies, dark humour over-all is just sick in some cases. Obviously this post on the internet, a place where every racist, homophobe, anti-semite, douchebag and the like are granted anonymity this post is probably going to go south on me fast. Just fuck man, why do you have to make humour by taking the piss out of other people or horrible situations. Black Humour really helps you just lose your empathy and stop taking how other people feel into account.

 

[Dark2003]

Its cant still be too soon to not be able to laugh at this, Jewish or not. He's dead and his ideals are ridiculous. After the swastika i was laughin hard.

 

[Auron225]

If too far would be a really offensive joke that 1 person on earth finds funny and everyone else is disgusted by then Id say yeah it can - cause the joke just isn't worth existing in my opinion.

 

[Daveman]

Not really, I mean if it's a joke it's not likely to be offensive, mind you some racists etc often confuse the word "joke" with "insult".

I mean it can still be tactless, but I wouldn't say a joke itself on its own crosses a line.

 

[The White Hunter]

So recently a friend of mine showed me this image:

Spoiler

And the question "Is there a point where humour can be taken too far?" was raised. So I figured why not ask the Escapist's community.

What's your opinion? Can humour never go too far because someone will always think it's funny, or should it not be taken too far, like this image might have for some people?

I am incredibly offended.

Your means your, as in belonging.

You're is a contraction of you are. Damn it internet why don't you ever learn!?!

OT: That's a bit much, and not even that good of a parody tbh it's kinda clunky. I sadly don't find genocide funny.
Puns are great though.

 

[UniversalRonin]

I think humour is a case of time, audience and context. Some psychos will find anything funny any time, and some bleeding hearts will find anything offensive on behalf of anyone they can think of at the time. But for the most part, I believe that humour is an essential part of us. It helps us not feel boastful about achieving something, and it helps us to cope with tragedy. But then, as some people are more delicate than others, it's just nice to try and keep them in mind while being funny.

 

[Mikeyfell]

Nope. Humor is humor.
You personally can get offended at anything even if you shouldn't

 

[Candidus]

Not everyone is intelligent enough to be able to separate "We don't think this is really the case, we are laughing ironically" and "Jews need to die and women deserve to be raped hurr hurr".

Forgive me for singling this out. I'm constrained by time, but I'd really like to answer. I feel that the points you make about the risk of normalising via joking rape, racism and misogyny among other things hinges on a particular demographic, so I've chosen the above sentence because I think it makes reference to that demographic.

Now... I think the above quoted is absolutely true. I've met a lot of dull eyed, bovine, quasi-sentient imbeciles in my time. But why should I moderate the sort of jokes that get made by and around me on account of the feeble psychological limitations of the lowest common denominator? I don't think it's right to expect anyone to conform to a level of expression that protects the stupid from being inappropriately influenced.

Or that's what my gut says. I'd love to leave it at that, but I anticipate (and accept) the counter point that we have to live with these demi-apes after they've been so influenced, and that certain ideas will inevitably make them more of a nuisance to us and each other. Dangerous, even. I don't know what the answer is*, but I don't think drawing a line in the sand that ironic or black humour mustn't cross is it.

I accept that mockery of a minority or the other sex constitutes actual harm- as a type of psychological warfare. I accept this because that's prejudiced behaviour, quite different and ethically distinct from joking. I also accept that the argument you might be expecting me to make- about victims mistaking one for the other- is invalid because of the ease with which genuine culprits of prejudice can drag humour out as a defense. I agree, so I won't be fielding that brand of infantry.

Instead, I'll ask you something. *Is it possible to have a public policy governing humour(?) that is inclusive of the sensibilities of all people without prohibiting subjects, like ethnicities or sexes(?) that avoids constraint of those who are mature and, frankly, sapient enough to entertain controversial humour for the moral wellbeing of those people who aren't? And further to the lattermost question, does that just depend which category of person is in the majority?

That's the series of questions I'm failing to answer when I say that I don't know what the answer is. Do you?

 

[Jenvas1306]

humor? there are lots of things people make, like hitler jokes, that I dont find funny. Its not about going to far, its simply not funny. Like dead babies, even with cartoon squirrels.
Also, I'm german, so its hard to humor me.

 

[Pinkamena]

It all depends. Usually, I'd say no, there is no limit to what can be joked about. The only exception would be humor that actively bashes or makes fun of a single person and/or small group in a similar fashion as bullying.

 

[Dollabillyall]

Humor is our biological mechanism for dealing with unfamiliar, stressfull or traumatic events.

 

[blackrave]

I draw the line at dead babies. It's not so much that I'm offended, just that there are no circumstances under which I would find them funny.

Spoiler: Dead babies joke time!!!

What's worse than eleven babies in one dumpster?
One baby in eleven dumpsters

But there are lines that some jokes shouldn't cross
For example going in some disguising details of horrible things
(like if I started to describe what part of that baby was in what dumpster)

 

[Rose and Thorn]

I found that funny. I jew might not have. Iunno.

I don't usually like stand up comedians that rely on insulting/abusive humour ALL night. It can be annoying and stupid. Being funny isn't about being a dick and pointing out everyones flaws.