Can offensive humor sometimes be good?

1. 91

   RachaelLeflerposted 13 years ago

   Can offensive humor sometimes be good?
   
   I was wondering about this after reading Encyclopedia Dramatica, which goes over the top with racist jokes, anti Semitic jokes, dead baby humor and the like. But at the same time I found it funny. Have you ever laughed at something that's offensive? Is it ok sometimes to have a laugh at who you are? What do you think about Encyclopedia Dramatica and similar usages of crass humor? If you don't care for it, what does humor mean and can things be funny without being (at least a little bit) shocking or offensive?

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2. 60

   DavitosanXposted 13 years ago

   I think that it could be good if it makes people think about just why they feel offended. People who write article over at the Encyclopedia Dramatica know that people care too much about things that, when stripped to their bare essentials, are absolutely worthless.

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3. 59

   kiranakuposted 13 years ago

   Yes,..sometimes humor good for your life and healthy..and everbody need humor right?

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4. 88

   mireland19posted 13 years ago

   I think that everyone needs to be able to laugh at themselves once in a while. It builds self confidence and will make uncomfortable situations easier to deal with sometimes because you have learned to laugh instead of becomming embarassed. I used to be very shy and now when something comes up that I normally would have felt embarssed about, or if I do something that would have embarassed me before I just laugh it off. So yeah, I believe that sometimes offensive humor teaches us how to laugh at things that we normally would not have found funny. This also teaches us how to lighten up because it is never a good thing to take EVERYTHING to seriously !

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5. 79

   dashingscorpioposted 13 years ago

   Humor is subjective. (Everyone enjoys a good laugh!)
   Not everyone will find the same jokes to be funny whether they are considered offensive or not.
   
   Previous generations told jokes about every race and culture as well as fat jokes, gay jokes, blondes, and  mentally challenged. Essentially anyone could be "the butt" of a joke.
   There was no such thing as being "politically correct".
   
   Today in certain situations one could lose their job for telling an "offensive joke" or for being caught laughing , or forwarding it in an email to others...etc

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6. 52

   CarmyLeaposted 13 years ago

   I think it depends on what a certain person finds humorus.
   
   There are people who finds offensive and or crude humor tasteless. However, as I myself find it entertaining. I enjoy comedians that make stabs at themselves along with anything and everyone else, it almost shows that no one is perfect. 
   
   I also think that what some people find offensive sometimes over analyzes certain things.  Typical a comedian is being sarcastic, overplaying all the sterotypes that today's scoiety has created when it comes to topics that can easily be found offensive.

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7. 61

   Roger Rabbitposted 13 years ago

   ED is more than just that though. Anyway there is humor in everything. I'm sure there was some Jews during the holocaust making jokes about their own situation. It's a defense mechanism for some people.

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8. 60

   smcopywriteposted 13 years ago

   the politically correct thing to say in this situation is how outraged i am. however, the reality of the situation is that many find the examples that you mentioned humorous.
   
   there are always the way things should be and they are almost always not the way things are.
   
   none of us are perfect and some of it may be not nice but it is funny. lets be adults and honest with ourselves. we all laugh

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9. 60

   PR Morganposted 13 years ago

   It's good if it doesn't offend me!  lol  Seriously, I think it depends on the time and the place and how it's delivered.  I like Tosh, he offends but is so over the top you have to laugh at him...I would say a little shock can go a long way!

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10. 57

    peach7fuzzposted 13 years ago

    Hmm.. good question. I'd start out with this. If it is offensive how is it good? It can't be good if it is offensive. I personally have laughed at too many disgusting/bad jokes.. They are often funny, but are they good? No. And they are not something that I should be laughing at.
    Now laughing at who you are is fine. I think it's good for people to joke about our differences! But you also have to be careful that when your joking about yourself or people that you're not hurting their feelings.

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11. 67

    Miss Infoposted 12 years ago

    It is important to realize that once you begin laughing at an offense, you become desensitized to the pain it may cause your surroundings. This is reflected in the term "group think". Laughing has the natural and powerful potential to unify humans, which is why it is considered contagious. This can be very good or very bad for humans in return. If you are unified to do good, then that's a great benefit to human society. However, if you are unified to do bad, then you become an enforcer and protector of terror (or fear) within society. Case and point.. this is exactly how the Holocaust was maintained quietly in Europe for several years. Nazis derided Jews to the point of truly believing Jews were flawed or subhuman.

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12. 77

    Kaluxposted 12 years ago

    I find all of it funny. I have told a really offensive joke to someone who wouldn't take a hint out at a bar one night so that he would finally leave me alone. It worked but I can't tell it here. I laugh every time I tell it but mostly people don't even know how to react to it. Not something I'd tell to someone I was trying to impress that's for sure!
    
    

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13. 87

    Bubblegum Senpaiposted 12 years ago

    Offensive humor can be enjoyable - after all, I watch anime. However, if it's going to be tasteless, it can't be tactless. Joke that are offensive for the sake of being offensive aren't jokes - they're rude statements. However, If they are offensive, yet witty, than they can be enjoyable still.

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14. 0

    The Taco Taggerposted 12 years ago

    I personally think that all of that humor is hilarious. It doesn't reflect my thoughts or views on the subject or anything, but I think people are so stuck up about stuff that they can't see the humor in certain situations. My personal view is that people need to lighten up. You can't go through life without joking about something even if it will tick someone off. Oh well, it happens. Have fun as long as you aren't spewing actual hate and filth out of your mouth then I say it's all right.

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15. 91

    RachaelLeflerposted 12 years ago

    I enjoyed asking this question because so many people had good perspectives and opinions.

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