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 Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:35 am
Earlier today, my friends and I got into a debate concerning prdjudicial humor and racial jokes. Some said that it was good to be able to laugh at such things, some claimed it was simply rude and sickening. So I was wondering how everyone else viewed the matter.
Personally, I know that we are all racist, for example; a young child would be able to tell an American person from a Japanese person, it is simply when prejudism comes into play that it becomes a problem. So, to an extent, I can see how being able to laugh at it could be a good thing, as long as it is not taken too far.
On the other hand, I can also see that in our world, with racism, often comes stereotyping. From a very young age we are raised around certain races and religions, and automatically (and all to often, subconsciously) pick up on stereotypical beliefs. So, when humor comes into play, and those stereotypes are unearthed, it is not always in as good of humor as it may seem.
What is your opinion on the matter?
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 2:40 pm
Let me tell you a little story of me as a child.
I was with my father, holding his hand on a public city bus in Hamilton. Where we used to live. I was around three. And there was an elderly Chinese woman sitting across from us. I was intrigued.
Then I looked up at my father, and said: "Dad, I know what dat lady is..."
And my father was horrified for a second for the poor Chinese woman tensed, obviously offended.
"She's Engrish."
Not all kids can tell white people from asians.
As far as humor with stereotyping goes, there's always been a respect for people who can laugh at themselves, but some jokes take it too far. Simple jokes... well they're not so bad. Some are though.
And as to having any kind of racism 'come out in jokes' it comes out in many things.
- 'black history month'
- offense over the christmas star.
- all sorts of things.
Everyone treated equally is something we seem unable to attain.
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 5:53 pm
Sometimes racial jokes can be funny, but sometimes they are overly-rude. You kind of have to use your judgement. Also, the motivation behind the joke is important, it depends on whether the person is trying to insult the target of the joke or not.
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Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:10 pm
Im kinda all over the place. I agree that it is great to be able to laugh at such serious matters. As long as its not really intended to hurt a person or a group. I just enjoy the fun. Race and religion is such a touchy subject that there is always some one that will be offended. You just have to use good judgement. And if they get a little offended they don't have to stay and hear your jokes. I don't know if the comedy helps to solve our prejudice and racism problems but I do think it can be a way of understanding them.
As a kid I didnt really see races I just remember seeing people, when I got into school and around some not so good family members thats when I learned to classify people.
Also to some people who take offence doesn't that make you a little more racist. When I was about 9 I was standing in a line a burgerking, I ordered a happy meal, there were two black adults ahead of me who had orderd first, well I got my meal before they did. All I did was look up and say excuse me so I can pass. I remember the man got real mad and started to say something but the woman stopped him. I still kinda wondered what he had to say to my 9 year old self. Im just saying if thats the only thing a person is focused on..
I think I should stop babbling...
Oh and I love Dave Chappelle!!!
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:21 am
~ Jade Samadhi ~ a young child would be able to tell an American person from a Japanese person no what do you mean by this? americans aren't all caucasian dear. and not all caucasians are american. thanks for proving your own point. i am torn on this issue though, because it's really hard to see where the line is between jest and actually belief and how deep and harmful that belief may be
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:11 pm
i think, just like with every joke, the good joke-teller must know her/his audience. if no one takes offense, or takes a racist message to heart, and the teller meant none, it's not a problem.
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:56 am
I often find that humor is an excuse to make prejudice against groups acceptable. If you're able to make the joke at all or even understand it or laugh at it, that implies some level of understanding of the prejudices. Sometimes that understanding implies that one contains, though perhaps on a subconscious level, those prejudices. Just as speaking about stereotypes tends to reinforce their social truth-value, so does making prejudiced jokes. But then, I'm of the mind that any joke that makes fun of another person or group is unsophisticated humor. Try something more sophisticated. Like puns. whee
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:44 pm
Starlock But then, I'm of the mind that any joke that makes fun of another person or group is unsophisticated humor. Try something more sophisticated. Like puns. whee Puns are the lowest form of humor! But then, I guess that's only if you drop them. wink Actually, I happen to agree with what you said. There are a few cases where I feel racial humor is not racist, but these are predominantly where a comedian or comedienne is deliberately inverting the humorous paradigm and is twisting traditional stereotypes so as to bring them into the open; laughing at the stereotype, rather than with it.
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:23 pm
Syzygis Starlock But then, I'm of the mind that any joke that makes fun of another person or group is unsophisticated humor. Try something more sophisticated. Like puns. whee Puns are the lowest form of humor! But then, I guess that's only if you drop them. wink Actually, I happen to agree with what you said. There are a few cases where I feel racial humor is not racist, but these are predominantly where a comedian or comedienne is deliberately inverting the humorous paradigm and is twisting traditional stereotypes so as to bring them into the open; laughing at the stereotype, rather than with it. I tend to see most racial humor as laughing at the stereotype, but I could easily be wrong there.
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Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:57 am
One of the many things these "omGz ur rasist scream "-type fundamentalists fail to realize is the diffrence between racial jokes and racism. It's stunningly obvious, if you take the time to look at it, and don't just presume they're the same thing because they look alike in their wording.
Racism: To judge someone without meeting them, based solely on the fact that they are of a certain race.
Racial humour: Humour, often present in stand-up comedy, that attempts to humourously contrast behaviour in diffrent races.
People really need to loosen up over all of this racial humour stuff.
If you don't like it, don't listen to it, but don't whine and complain about it.
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Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 12:49 pm
The reason racial jokes are funny is because they have a small ring of truth to them. Its the same reason ANY joke is funny (ie: Redneck jokes, blonde jokes, etc). But just because someone laughs at a racial joke doesn't make them racist. Its just a casual way of bringing stereotypes to light.
Whether the joke is truley racist or not depends on the context of the situation. Are you saying it just to be funny? Or are you saying it to degrade and cut someone down?
I know I grew up with a family that didn't particularly respect or like black people. It wasn't blatant racism and my parents never discriminated against a person of a different race, but I remember being 6 years old and hearing my uncle tell the "hide the check under his workboots" joke. My parents actually explained it to me and my uncle told me not to hire black people because they didn't work and when you fired one of the lazy ones they filed a lawsuit saying you were racist. Granted my uncle was upset, but when he told the joke it was racist and intended to cut those people down. In that context it was wrong of him to tell that joke.
My mom also made it clear that black and white people couldn't "really be friends" in a discussion we were having when I was 12 I don't remember her reasoning behind it, but it was clear she didn't want me to have any black friends. My dad would rant about how only black people were the only people out there committing crimes and when I pointed out that white people did the same thing he stated "You have to go by appearance and what tendency of a particular person otherwise you're going to follow a black man into an alley and get raped". Believe it or not, those stereotypes stuck in the back of my mind until I was 17 and moved out to the city where I was forced to mingle with all sorts of people from all different walks of life. And you know what? I've gotten more s**t from white people than I have from minority groups.
So while I laugh at racist jokes, they do make me uneasy because of how I was brought up. I have a few friends that are black and I love them to death so when I hear someone cutting their heritage down, I get a little uneasy but as long as they meant it just as a joke and nothing more, I'm alright with them. But when kids start maliciously telling racist joke when there's a minority around with the intent of making them uneasy or expressing their hate towards them, I get upset about it.
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Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:35 am
~ Jade Samadhi ~ Personally, I know that we are all racist, for example; a young child would be able to tell an American person from a Japanese person, Racism is just an extremist vision of egotism. And egotism is human nature (Which is one of the reasons I love the idea that man was created in God's image, but that's a different argument for a different day) Let's face it, there are times when each of us will think that (s)he is better than everyone else. Racism takes that to a new level. Going on the idea that I am better than everyone else, I therefore conclude that people like me are also better than everyone else. Thus people who are different are below all of us. The problem is what we base "people who are like me on," People often base it on "People who look like me." This is racism. Personally, I base it on people who think like me. This is egotism. Because my mind is far superior to all of yours! Especially those of you who cannot tell what sarcasm is.
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Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 8:03 pm
Racial humor:
Making fun of humanity's mistakes
Racism is the suck. In fact I punch Racism in the face.
But Racist jokes? Racist jokes is the awesome.
How do you get a black kid to stop jumping on the bed?
Put velcro on the ceiling!
Racist joke, assuming that all blacks have... that one kind of hair (how you describe?) But it's just joking and just silly.
Like the sprinkler joke. Which I won't say. talk2hand
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:40 am
hehe! i think it's type-c curls or something like that. nice poem on the other thread by the way.
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Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 6:09 pm
There is a line between jokes and racism. I think that it all matters on who your talking to and how bad the 'joke' is. If it's a good friend of another race that understands, and also would find it funny, then what's the problem with that? As long as you don't mean bad by it, it should be okay around friends. If you were with people you don't know well, then watch what you say. You shouldn't say anything that would harm anyone.
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