When Does Humour Become Offensive

[nailit]

Ive had my issues over the years with

alcohol
mental health
the law and prison
unemployment
sex and relationships
Illness
abuse
etc

Yet, I can still find the humour in it all and laugh at jokes about it.
I have a nephew who is confined in a wheelchair who regularly texts me jokes about disability, I once had a friend from ireland who always told me 'paddy' jokes, likewise I had a black friend who told me 'black' jokes (and also told me '***' jokes. And I recriprocated). Last year I was in a psychiatric hospital and WE ALL shared jokes about about psychos and nutters...very theraputic. And the same when Ive been in prison, lots of jail jokes doing the rounds, from both inmates and screws.
On the flip side, I once had a vegitarian, Scottish girlfriend. Any jokes about animals or mean Scottsmen were met with a stoney silence.

Having addiction issues, been mentally unwell, going to prison, been unemployed, etc, is not funny. Making a joke about it can be. its a coping mechanism.
Shouldnt we laugh more and stop been so uptight?

[DTCwordfan]

2 sectioned folk in an asylum.
One says, " Is the clock on the wall right?"
The other says, "Yes."
"Well what the hell's it doing in here, then."

[nailit]

DCT, LOL, I might take offense at that having been sectioned myself.. (not)

[mrs.chappie]

Couldn't agree more, it's true what they say about laughter being the best medicine.

[RandyMarsh]

We are all different and should not expect others to find the same things funny. :0

[Samuraisan]

Wow nailit, you've had eventful life !

[DTCwordfan]

My own view - if you can laugh at yourself, your own family, and local culture then nearly anything goes. Only once have I really objected and that was a very bad and sick joke going around hours after 9-11 - and I had three staff caught up in that, but not hurt as, in true fashion, they were late to get to the WTC and Windows on the World. To be fair, he did apologise......even in that, there were a few good quips going around and helping to relieve the tension, and that's what humour can be good for....something that many foreigners find strange in us as a nation.

As to 9/11, such quips included "Dubai is going to be rebranded - as Goodbye." and "The Pentagon has been renamed - as The Square."

[Elina]

When humour masks hatred, intolerance & ignorance. I have an odd/ good sense of humour nailit, I've been misunderstood when people don't 'get' me. But underneath it all, I hope I'm none of the above.

[woofgang]

My take on this is that "in jokes" are fine. Its when the outsider makes a joke that its offensive.

[mikey4444]

Nailit....I admire your honesty, I really do but please be aware that AB has its fair share of Trolls.

[tamborine]

Luv a good larf, thats the best of this site. But am hopeless at telling them and when I do theyre usually zapped ;(

[DTCwordfan]

I was just telling this story about a caravan in West Penwith, mikey, when my sister called me......

[mikey4444]

DTC...LOL !

But on a serious note, it may not be such a good idea to be so entirely honest on an open forum like AB. Nailit has been as honest and as open about his demons as anybody has on here, and I admire him for that. I just hope it doesn't backfire.

[237SJ]

Every time there is a plane crash, there are lots of jokes going around. You probably don`t want to hear my Lockerbie one though. Jokes are coping mechanisms.

[DTCwordfan]

it's long enough ago.....

[237SJ]

No, I wouldn`t dare DT. The only situation I never heard jokes about was 9/11. I think that was just too horrific.

[nailit]

Go on then, I defy anyone to offend me. I find humour in everything.
Tell me a JOKE (Therin lies the key).
OFFEND me by trying to telling a joke about...

mental health issues
race
addictions
unemployed people
criminal / prison
relationships
sex
illness
abuse
anything else.

[Psybbo]

I remember being reprimanded on here for laughing at an Irish joke

[EDDIE51]

237SJ would that be the one about the postman?

[237SJ]

The thing is nailit, it won`t be you but someone else on here who gets the hump.