Humor or Racist?

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3 years 4 months ago #356302 by
Humor or Racist? was created by
In one of the groups on Facebook, a meme came across that was imitating (in words) the accent of an Asian at a nail salon. The meme was labeled racist, and soon after, so was the poster; seemed to be a majority opinion on the meme. The words were about the cost and amount of dollars to do a number of fingernails. The words were benign but the imitation of the accent bothered dozens of people.

I don't think it's necessary to see the meme before giving a judgment on it (I believe my description is sufficient).

1) Normal humor, get over it.
2) Bad taste.
3) Racist.

I'll start by giving my opinion that the humor is in bad taste but does not qualify as racist.

Agree or disagree?

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3 years 4 months ago #356309 by Rex
Replied by Rex on topic Humor or Racist?
It depends largely on context in my opinion. It's like the relatively recent legal battle of the Asian American rock band The Slants to trademark their name. I'm sure the joke easily had the capacity to be racist, although the actual harm may have been negligible.

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3 years 4 months ago #356313 by Gisteron
Replied by Gisteron on topic Humor or Racist?
Does it have to be less than all three of these options? Humour, in my opinion, is a somewhat peculiar marriage of both coping and escaping all at the same time. We make light of things we would otherwise find troublesome, and we make commentary in this way on topics we'd find awkward to say anything about otherwise. As much as jokes about stereotypes may offend, they are exaggerating features we might find odd about people who are just that slight bit different from most of the rest of us, celebrating said differences in this way, but also criticizing satirically how some might misjudge each other because of these superficial perceptions. Daring jokes would not be made if there wasn't a kernel of shock humour in saying outrageous, ridiculous (i.e. literally "laughable", from latin ridere - to laugh) things. And that can safely include racist sayings, so I submit.

If one were to deny someone access to a public place, a job, or an educational opportunity based on their perceived race - or indeed offer them better treatment, for that matter - I think we can agree that this would qualify unambiguously as unfair discrimination. But making fun of people is a way of including them in our society, not excluding them. We have more pressing things to do to our enemies than laugh at them. The people we have time to spend laughing at are our friends.

Better to leave questions unanswered than answers unquestioned
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3 years 4 months ago #356324 by rugadd
Replied by rugadd on topic Humor or Racist?
Any or all three or maybe something entirely different. More disturbing is the ease in which we condemn these days.

rugadd
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3 years 4 months ago - 3 years 4 months ago #356345 by OB1Shinobi
Replied by OB1Shinobi on topic Humor or Racist?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r5Wv7ffm-0Y


Cray cray kids today - so worried about racism. Most have no idea what real racism even is.


OP: no rational person can make a reliable summary of the situation that you describe. Share all the relevant posts and give us direct quotes and links. You're asking us to have opinions on a situation of which we are 3/4 ignorant. There is no honest reply to your question if you cannot provide more information.

I will say only these two things:
Life sucks - its unfair and racism is one of the many hateful realities of this world that we live in. Any person with kindness in their soul should be willing to recognize and contend against all forms of injustice, including racism.

The other thing is this: Comedy is the last vestige of honest social commentary. Real comedy cuts us all equally and fkkk you if youre offended. Facebook is not a medium where truth is valued. The jokes of comedians are worth infinitely more than the likes and dislikes of the lemmings on Facebook. If someone posted something controversial on FB then take it for what its worth: maybe theyre a scumbag POS using humor to mask their hateful ideology. Maybe theyre a visionary who posted a truly new thought or idea, which can lead the open minded into greater levels of personal existence. Most likely theyre just another facebook idiot and you shouldnt waste your time caring what they think, one way or the other. Never let whiney, sheltered and privileged people make you back down down from liking what you like or disliking what you dislike.



Some people on Facebook were offended by a joke?

Ooooooohhhhh....

Thats real scary

Lol

People are complicated.
Last edit: 3 years 4 months ago by OB1Shinobi.
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3 years 4 months ago #356352 by rugadd
Replied by rugadd on topic Humor or Racist?
Follow up: Facebook is detrimental to clear thinking. It is brain candy and we should not dine on candy 3 meals a day.

rugadd
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3 years 4 months ago #356362 by
Replied by on topic Humor or Racist?
Ya know, I was gonna add to this thread and actually post the meme but apparently some do-gooder mod on the FB group deleted it. It was going at 150 comments strong from people trying to arguing whether it was racist or not but it's kinda pointless now.

I suppose I could try and google for the meme...

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3 years 4 months ago - 3 years 4 months ago #356399 by Adder
Replied by Adder on topic Humor or Racist?
I'd probably come at by noting two distinct mechanisms;

1. Most comedian's seem to base it on exaggerations of actual behaviours which happen to be attributed to that race. But that should not to be confused with conferring exaggerated behaviours of a race on other members of the same race for humor, they are different mechanisms and the later seems to be using race association as a vehicle for humor (racist comedy), instead of the aforementioned use of a race behaviour as a vehicle for humor (race comedy).

and 2. The intent of the OP example is probably humor, but if a comedian only did that form of humor then it would rightly become seen as the intent was racism. Most comedian's share it around to different races because they are not racist nor trying to be, rather just looking for funny material.

So to answer the OP, probably 1, maybe 2 (depending on cultural and local sensitivities), unlikely 3 (depending on the variety of the comedian's usual content).

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Last edit: 3 years 4 months ago by Adder.
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3 years 4 months ago #356430 by Carlos.Martinez3
Replied by Carlos.Martinez3 on topic Humor or Racist?
Truly this can be as wide as a matter of perspective and level of involvement.

My take
The Sitcom
I find nothing funny about the Sitcom. I used to. I would tune in weekly to stare into the tube and watch how people stuck in my box would be effected for my amusement. I still do but not as much as in the past. I have changed and so has my level of what I find funny. Age influences my funny bone as well as content.

I have been effected by racism all my living life. I think there will be forms of it when I die. To say that it doesn't exist are words I can never say. Finding it funny in person or at home or in the confides of my mind I think is much worse for me than in public. Its in the heart where most hate starts. Now I have problems giggling at A LOT of what was comedy in the 90'on till today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdkWRJuC0sM

I like Don

whats the diffrence

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=george+lopez+why+you+crying+clip&&view=detail&mid=513FA0208CC13AD9BFFD513FA0208CC13AD9BFFD&&FORM=VRDGAR

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=joe+rogan+standup+clips&&view=detail&mid=9E8AE06104D8EF93BA8A9E8AE06104D8EF93BA8A&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Djoe%2520rogan%2520standup%2520clips%26qs%3Dn%26form%3DQBVR%26sp%3D-1%26pq%3Djoe%2520rogan%2520standup%2520cli%26sc%3D3-21%26sk%3D%26cvid%3D1D355FEAACCC48D09284CDEEBBEB2684

They are the same jokes essentially Just from different vessels....

So part of what im doing now a days is being carful of the vessels im laughing at... the containers im comfy with.... and where my attention is going. I know, stick in the mud but thats me, I fight or i try to get better by the day. Im finding myself with the classics more than the new stuff honestly. Im talking the old school stand up comedians, list is too long. Its like they say, some times its best to go ... backwards. Im not a fan of racism and comedic racism as much any more. A lot of whats out there is obviously offensive and is geared toward that. Not my cup of tea. Not my show. I keep calm and carry on most times. I do not watch A LOT of whats out there today any way.

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3 years 3 months ago #356633 by ZealotX
Replied by ZealotX on topic Humor or Racist?

LTK wrote: In one of the groups on Facebook, a meme came across that was imitating (in words) the accent of an Asian at a nail salon. The meme was labeled racist, and soon after, so was the poster; seemed to be a majority opinion on the meme. The words were about the cost and amount of dollars to do a number of fingernails. The words were benign but the imitation of the accent bothered dozens of people.

I don't think it's necessary to see the meme before giving a judgment on it (I believe my description is sufficient).

1) Normal humor, get over it.
2) Bad taste.
3) Racist.

I'll start by giving my opinion that the humor is in bad taste but does not qualify as racist.

Agree or disagree?


I am a self-appointed expert on racism. No, the meme was 100% not racist and in fact, people reacting to it as if it is belittles actual racism and allows actual racists to be more tolerated by society because too many people cannot tell the difference.

For a full explanation continue reading the spoiler content:
Warning: Spoiler!

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