Hmm

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

Somebody just doesn't get white-male privilege? Or is there a stronger point: one should not be harsh to anyone, not even whites, men, nor even Christians or libertarians?

Comments

[wight1984.livejournal.com]

"But I'm also thinking: wouldn't this high road take all 'the funny' out of the world, or at least much of it? "

Nah.

A broad sense of humour can survive a few bits being clipped off anyway, but I'm not sure that's necessary.

In many ways, this is about when people aren't laughing. If I make a joke about you, and you don't find it funny, then the joke failed. If I make a joke to someone else about you, and they laugh but you find out and they're sad, then all the good in the humour is cancelled out by your sadness.

However, if we're just good friends engaging in casual mockery of each other, and we both laugh and no one is offended, then that's fine.

Also; whilst I try to avoid bigoted humour, I don't avoid humour about bigotry. I think there's a difference there.

[macychick.livejournal.com]

THIS.

I know a Jewish man and an Italian-American man who have been best friends for years. The Jewish man sometimes jokes that the Italian is secretly in the Mafia; while the Italian jokes about his friend's Jewish nose. They both think it's funny and no one is offended. Neither the Jewish nor the Italian jokes are intended to be racist; but more of "we're so comfortable with each other that nothing is taboo." They both completely understand that if they were to make those kind of jokes in a different context, it would NOT be okay.
That's an example of what I meant about "it's okay among friends and family."