Poll: Which is worse, punching up or punching down?

[Nimzabaat]

Thanks to the internet people can take swipes at each other with impunity and sometimes even anonymity. I'll provide an example;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/20/myspace-tom-twitter-zinger-burn_n_2339662.html

In this example a twit...ter user punches up at Tom from Myspace. In reaction Tom punches down. Ideally both individuals should have been above that kind of pettiness but they weren?t.

In my opinion punching in either direction isn't the way we should behave. Though, if I had to choose, it would be punching up that makes the least sense. I stumbled across some youtube video of celebrities reading "mean tweets" and it struck me; how pathetic someone's life must be that they lash out at people who are more successful than they are and who might possibly have some advice on how that happened. Punching down, on the other hand, is cruel and pointless but... it?s not like you?re alienating someone you could have learned from.

So it's a simple question; which is worse in your opinion?

 

[tippy2k2]

Well I suppose it would be better if there was no punching; can't we all get alone and whatnot?

If for some strange reason a man broke into my house and told me that I had to verbally (...please tell me it's verbal) shit on a celebrity or the hobo across the street, I'd choose the celebrity. Yes they're people too but they get tons of hate and any celebrity worth their salt knows exactly how to tune that stuff out. I may end up destroying the hobo while I will be (at best) a tiny mosquito to the rich and powerful...

 

[Queen Michael]

Depends entirely on who you're punching. Punching up at somebody like Astrid Lindgren or Mr Rogers is worse than punching down at somebody like Norman Boutin or Jaqueline Howett, seing as how Boutin and Howett are gargantuan shitheads and this is not the case with Lindgren or Rogers.

 

[EvilRoy]

Bizarrely my response is the other side of the coin from tippy's. In general I would prefer that punching either be equal (comedy should make fun of everyone, no favorites) or not happen at all (horseshit slapfights like the one you note serve no purpose).

That said, given the same situation where I must choose someone I would choose the homeless person. For the same reason oddly enough. No matter how righteous my rage or true my demands, I alone cannot hope to change a truly powerful person via my punches - however, I may hold the power to change a person with nothing. Hopefully I would have better tools at my disposal than punches, but given this as the only option I would rather direct my energy in such a direction as it would actually produce some type of results. A positive result if I can swing it, but that can never be guaranteed regardless of direction or method of delivery.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Punching down is easier. Let gravity do the work for you!

 

[Zontar]

Punching down is easier. Let gravity do the work for you!

I don't know, it's all in the momentum, so punching up could potentially be easier if you get the swing right.

 

[the_dramatica]

"How pathetic someone's life must be that they lash out at people who are more successful than they are and who might possibly have some advice on how that happened."

That's a bunch of nonsense. Punches are fine in both direction, what matters is the quality of the insult. Mind you, no justice has never been served in a twitter post, only entertaining wit. If you're looking for justice in twitter you're looking in the wrong spot.

 

[Redd the Sock]

Frankly I think the whole concept was created by some high horsed moralist that needed some excuse why they couldn't follow their own rules of behavior.

I'm of the mindset it's all open game, and no one's shit doesn't stink. The way I see the concept portrayed online leaves me in the mind that punching up is worse because it is coming from someone that supposedly knows how unpleasant being treated like that is, but tries to justify doing it to others that "deserve it" or "can take it", while the complaints about punching down always come down to someone not wanting to be the punchline of a joke, criticized, or otherwise reminded that they are flawed (or at least others see them that way) and not in the belief that it is truly inappriate behavior.

 

[Akjosch]

Up, down, sideways, I don't care, as long as those punches are flying.

 

[kitsunefather]

I always found uppercuts easier and did more damage than jump-punches, but that's just Mortal Kombat.

This "punching up" and "punching down" crap belongs in the bin though. If you decide to be a dick to somebody, expect at least that person to be a dick to you. Same as how I feel about real punches; throw one, expect one. Don't want to get hit? Don't throw a punch.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Punching down is worse. They're already closer to the ground, bowed under gravity, and looking right into the sun they'll never see it coming. Punching up hurts, punching down damages. If you wanted to damage someone, that's what knives are for.

 

[seventy two]

Punching down is probably worse, since most the time punching up is done to someone who is more likely able to shake it off. Is that always the case? No, but it can be argued reasonably. Does that mean you should? No, that kind of behavior is disrespectful regardless of the target. And either way, the moment someone throws a punch they should expect to be punched back.

 

[BeerTent]

Fuck punching.

I've learned that Palm strikes are where it's at. Can you punch a steel beam? No? You can palm strike it and be fine. That's extra force, it won't hurt the attacker, and the attacker looks less threatening to onlookers. If you're looking to to damage like this though? Upward, all the way. Far more disorienting to get your chin pushed up into your skull, and likely more painful. What are you going to do if you go down, slap your target like a *****?

 

[Dalek Caan]

Punching down is easier. Let gravity do the work for you!

But what if you over-extend yourself and end up hugging the other person? It could make the situation a lot better or worse.

 

[Kingjackl]

I thought this was going to be about the rule of comedy, which is that it's worse to punch down, unless the joke is about how terrible the comedian is.

A Twitter argument is more like punching on the same level unless there's an inequality.

 

[Fappy]

Punching down is easier. Let gravity do the work for you!

You would, you lazy fuck!

OT: I prefer throwing shoryukens.

 

[syaoran728]

Darn, I saw the title and was kinda hoping it was a thread complaining about the amount of shoryukens/uppercuts and dive kicks spammed in fighting games.

 

[Thaluikhain]

As a general rule, making fun of the more vulnerable members of society is kicking them when they are down (no pun intended).

For example, if I go on a rant about the homeless, well, lots of people hate them already, I can get a lot of support for "dealing" with them. If I go on a rant about politicians, while lots of people hate them already, I'm not going to get any tangible support. People mutter and whine but nothing is likely to get done.

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Well Punching up is more dangerous as it will put extra strain on the neck of the individual being atacked and can cause wiplash like injury or neck damage. In the worst cases, such as a strong unpercut, the spine may be fractured at C1-5 causing nerve damage and paralasis which may be perminent.

So yeah punching up is way worse.

Wait...this is about comidy...WTF?
Is this some weard American use for the the word that I'm not aware of? [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punch]