Racism Profanities & Humor

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1) If we accept moral relativism as plausible, is there an equivalent philosophical / sociological / linguistic argument to be made when it comes to humor and profanities?

2) We are, often enough, not able to make a joke about a person's race, color, creed, religion, ethnic origin, etc and not have it at the least be frowned upon; or at the worst cost you your career, or in the extreme your life.

It seems to me that by isolating these jokes, we are in fact enshrining them with substance and importance and impact far beyond their meager worth. In a similar way, certain profanities may be enshrined with substance and importance and impact far beyond their meager worth, again simply because they may be considered socially improper in a given context.

**** comes to mind.

Now, the type of racial jokes I refer to are not ones which are presented with bigotry, cruelty and intent to incite; however isn't the cure (censorship) perhaps worse than the disease (jokes in poor taste)?

3) Can't the same be said for profanities?

4) By what set of (arguably arbitrary) societal normatives do we assign the apropos level of censorship to profanities and racial humor?

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Re: Racism Profanities & Humor

Chumly wrote:

1) If we accept moral relativism as plausible, is there an equivalent philosophical / sociological / linguistic argument to be made when it comes to humor and profanities?

2) We are, often enough, not able to make a joke about a person's race, color, creed, religion, ethnic origin, etc and not have it at the least be frowned upon; or at the worst cost you your career, or in the extreme your life.

It seems to me that by isolating these jokes, we are in fact enshrining them with substance and importance and impact far beyond their meager worth. In a similar way, certain profanities may be enshrined with substance and importance and impact far beyond their meager worth, again simply because they may be considered socially improper in a given context.

**** comes to mind.

Now, the type of racial jokes I refer to are not ones which are presented with bigotry, cruelty and intent to incite; however isn't the cure (censorship) perhaps worse than the disease (jokes in poor taste)?

3) Can't the same be said for profanities?

4) By what set of (arguably arbitrary) societal normatives do we assign the apropos level of censorship to profanities and racial humor?

Aw, what's wrong Chumly,
Are you wanting to whip off a few n*gger jokes, and frustrated because you prolly would get called on it?
Tell ya what - just go on and pm them to me. That way, you kill two birds - you get to untether all that wit you're bustin' with, and you get to insult a real live negro person.

I'm here for ya, buddy.

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I remember talking to snood one time when he was angry about the perceived racism which had been taking place on the board.

He said something like, "Ok, I'm here now! You guys want to continue with your racist jokes? Anyone want to toss one out?"

There was the sound of crickets chirping and then snood continued his harangue.... "I'm serious! Let's hear some more! Don't let my presence bother you!"

At this point I decided to cast a tentative foot into the pool. I offered up the following "Knock Knock" joke in a feeble attempt to calm snood down before he started crushing the skulls of honkies:

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Knee

Knee who?

Knee Grow.

I do not recall snood's response to my crude joke, or if that was the end of the thread, but I do remember thinking that for the spur of the moment my joke-telling genius had crashed and burned like a flaming meteor ripping through the earth's atmosphere.

Snood and I, to the best of my knowledge, remain friends, and he has even invited me over for coffee and biscuits, but I still wonder, to this day, if he ever acknowledged my joke.

Does anyone recall?

Snood?

And, hey, I love you like a brother.

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I don't recall that thread the same way, but...

Good one, gus! Ooh! ooh! here's another!

Whad'ya call 1000 negros buried up to their necks????

AFRO-turf

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Hahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha!

You're killing me, snood! Stop it!

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Why do Jews have big noses?

Air is free!!!

Hahahahahahhahahahahahahahha

I love this when we let our inhibitions go.

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Vancouver is called "Hongcouver". English is now a minority language in Vancouver. French, eastern Canada's official obsession, is spoken by just 2 per cent.

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I make sure to save my raunchy racial jokes for people I know will not be offended. I'd never tell a person a joke about their race.

Unless I yelled it at them from a moving car's window.

And there were no stop lights within walking distance.

And it wasn't my car.

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That was funny. How you been, slappy doo hoo?

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Here's another!!!

What has eight legs and goes "Ho-dee-doh! Ho-dee-doh!"?

4 Negros late for an elevator

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I do not understand the offense taken at racial jokes. Everyone slams everyone. Why should one particular race get a free pass?

I have a confession.

I am black. And I am proud.

Did anyone here know that? Anyone?

It just goes to show you how ones race can be cleverly hidden behind text.

Oh, and I believe snood is as white as the driven snow.

And I do not think the less of him because of it.

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Damn you gus!! Years of carefully cobbling together an identity as a black man, only to be outed by a loose-lipped moolie!!!!

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RE the OP: Yep, when we make special rules for race, gender and all we play up the importance of those differences. People are much more alike than we are different, but we act like we need to dwell on the differences. We are different in a 1000 ways, but we need to keep focusing on genetic differences.

Re Humour, most people figure out by the time they are 30 years old how important humour is in being happy and in everybody getting along. But we have these Humour PC laws that seem like they were written by ignorant kids. This goes back to the idea we have talked about in threads about the rampant incompetence, hostility to wisdom, narrow mindedness of moderns. A society that can't joke about gender and race is one sick society. There are people who can't be light hearted, who say such things will intentional meanness, those people need to be taught, need to grow-up. When we outlawed jokes about our differences we threw the baby out with the bath water, we got lazy and stupid.

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The thing is most of these type of jokes aren't funny, and are lame. Smile

Got a whole story about a girl who I've been training at work, and her obliviousness that her racial jokes are not welcomed at work. The girl has a reputation already because this is how she "breaks the ice".

Sad thing is, she's just filling into the stereotypes that make those jokes. Native jokes.
And she's fresh to city living; lived on a rez her whole life.

Somehow we've become friends of sorts, and my bringing up how she basically needs to watch her ass about those things led to a truly interesting conversation.

I have a tendency to take too much outta things, but let me tell you, those jokes carried some serious self hate. Been there, done that. Not funny.

More sad and when you laugh, it's cause you know there might be some sad truth to it.

How do you know when a native guy likes you?
He jabs you with his elbow, says "Roll over" and makes sure you are awake when he penetrates you.

ba da bum.

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I used to tell jokes about other people, particularly Polish, but only for the humor. I in fact married a woman who is probably 80% Polish.

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hawkeye10 wrote:

RE the OP: Yep, when we make special rules for race, gender and all we play up the importance of those differences. People are much more alike than we are different, but we act like we need to dwell on the differences. We are different in a 1000 ways, but we need to keep focusing on genetic differences.

Re Humour, most people figure out by the time they are 30 years old how important humour is in being happy and in everybody getting along. But we have these Humour PC laws that seem like they were written by ignorant kids. This goes back to the idea we have talked about in threads about the rampant incompetence, hostility to wisdom, narrow mindedness of moderns. A society that can't joke about gender and race is one sick society. There are people who can't be light hearted, who say such things will intentional meanness, those people need to be taught, need to grow-up. When we outlawed jokes about our differences we threw the baby out with the bath water, we got lazy and stupid.

Yeah...
but there are always those members of society who need the little inhibitions imposed on us by social more - like n*gger jokes being taboo. Because they haven't either the decency or common sense or both to maintain the decorum necessary for people to function together.

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mushypancakes wrote:

The thing is most of these type of jokes aren't funny, and are lame.
.

Moderns have to a large degree lost a sense of humour, that is the point.

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snood wrote:

Damn you gus!! Years of carefully cobbling together an identity as a black man, only to be outed by a loose-lipped moolie!!!!

That is one of the funniest things I have ever read on A2K.

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snood wrote:

Yeah...
but there are always those members of society who need the little inhibitions imposed on us by social more - like n*gger jokes being taboo. Because they haven't either the decency or common sense or both to maintain the decorum necessary for people to function together.

Racism Profanities & Humor

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