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Is there anything you shouldn't joke about?

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24

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    #32
    Matt_Trakker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,052 ✭✭✭Matt_Trakker


    Everything is fair game if the joke is told properly.
    And if you're offended tough, get over yourself.

    “Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.”
    Ricky Gervais


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    #33
    Esoteric_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,255 ✭✭✭✭Esoteric_


    lahalane wrote: »
    Obviously rape is a horrible thing but can you control yourself if somebody made a witty comment about something you find horrible? I can't think of an example and if I could, I wouldn't share it out of respect but what I'm getting at is how can you stop yourself from finding a certain remark funny, despite the subject matter and how strongly you believe in it? Maybe I haven't been affected by anything truly horrible in my life, nor do I know of anyone who has been so I can't truly empathise with how a certain subject could 100% be unfunny to somebody.

    It's not a matter of controlling yourself. I don't find rape jokes funny, full stop. I've heard tonnes of them, and I doubt I will ever find one funny.

    That said, I don't really care if people make rape jokes, I just won't laugh at them.


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    #34
    Organic Cavity
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭Organic Cavity


    Small Penis's


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    #35
    SweepTheLeg
    Registered Users Posts: 712 ✭✭✭SweepTheLeg


    I joke about everything. Rape, Child abuse, genocide, terrorism. It's all a good laugh, and it's lucky I have friends with equal humour. Although if i'm meeting new people I don't break out those jokes straight away, I test the water with a light joke and take it from there.


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    #36
    anncoates
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    Thing is as well, that threads on 'serious issues' have their own internal momentum and are ultimately subject to the wishes of the posters. This is why you get jokey threads and serious threads in AH.

    So, ironically, people jumping on a couple of jokers will ironically make the thread go tits-up far quicker than just looking at the joke, ignoring it or enjoying it as is your wont, and then contributing yourself.

    If you want a thread to stay 'serious', posting something 'serious' yourself is far more useful than hectoring other people about what they post.


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    #37
    sbsquarepants
    Registered Users Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    Esoteric_ wrote: »
    That said, I don't really care if people make rape jokes, I just won't laugh at them.

    I think here is the answer. If you don't find the joke funny - just don't laugh at it, end of story.
    As for you shouldn't be allowed make jokes about whatever subject - no, joke away. Just be aware that there is a difference between being shocking, provocative or downright offensive and being funny. They sometimes (rarely actually) go hand in hand, more often they don't.


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    #38
    Real Life
    Registered Users Posts: 943 ✭✭✭Real Life


    Nothing is off limits as far as im concerned. theres certain types of jokes i wouldnt make myself but i also would get offended if someone else made them


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    #39
    DipStick McSwindler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭DipStick McSwindler


    This post has been deleted.


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    #40
    Esoteric_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,255 ✭✭✭✭Esoteric_


    sbsquarepants wrote: »
    I think here is the answer. If you don't find the joke funny - just don't laugh at it, end of story.
    As for you shouldn't be allowed make jokes about whatever subject - no, joke away. Just be aware that there is a difference between being shocking, provocative or downright offensive and being funny. They sometimes (rarely actually) go hand in hand, more often they don't.

    I might not care if somebody makes rape jokes around me, but I think a certain level of cop on should be expected. A poster just said that he 'tests the water' with new people, by making a 'light' joke before rolling out the rape, genocide and child abuse jokes.

    Has the possibility that one of these people could be a rape victim not occured to him? Rape jokes used to hit me hard. I'd have flashbacks, but I'd laugh along because it's so embarrassing to try to tell somebody that you really don't want to hear a rape joke, and have them tell you to cop on to yourself, it's only a joke.

    Your 'audience' to these jokes need to be taken into consideration. I make offensive jokes all of the time, but I'm careful who I say them around because, despite the offensive nature of them, I don't intend to offend people.

    People making rape jokes and other 'offensive' jokes on AH are generally just thanks whoring.

    A little bit of discretion and cop on is required sometimes.


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    #41
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    I say rape all the time in front of friends, I don't say it to offend people, and if anyone got offended or annoyed about it I'd tell them to do one. No-one can answer why it's not as bad as murder or torture, people are just oversensitive (unless its a rape victim)

    Maybe because the murder victim is no longer around to take offence but a rape victim could be sitting in front of you and you've know idea.

    I can't imagine being in the company of someone who threw out the word rape as a colloquialism. As for you telling people who didn't like it to 'do one', I doubt you'd have to bother, Id say youd already br talking to the back of people's heads.


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    #42
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    Matt_Trakker wrote: »
    Everything is fair game if the joke is told properly.
    And if you're offended tough, get over yourself.

    “Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.”
    Ricky Gervais

    Just because you've said the word 'joke' doesn't make you funny


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    #43
    idontlikefig
    Registered Users Posts: 152 ✭✭idontlikefig


    People joke about aids and down syndrome but then it gets too serious when its cancer? ... Its not right


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    #44
    IvySlayer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,187 ✭✭✭✭IvySlayer


    mango salsa wrote: »
    How do you know none of your friends are rape victims? What if you told a friend who is a rape victim to do one?

    Cos they are my friends and we talk about stuff. I'd know if something bad has happened to them. That's an extremely hypothetical situation.
    Hannibal Smith wrote: »
    Maybe because the murder victim is no longer around to take offence but a rape victim could be sitting in front of you and you've know idea.

    I can't imagine being in the company of someone who threw out the word rape as a colloquialism. As for you telling people who didn't like it to 'do one', I doubt you'd have to bother, Id say youd already br talking to the back of people's heads.

    Rape is a very, very common word actually. I don't say things to offend people, I, and my friends speak a certain way and I have no time for faux outrage.

    Should I stop saying 'that's a cancer' because someone might have cancer. Oh wait I know people with cancer and they don't bat an eyelid.


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    #45
    sbsquarepants
    Registered Users Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    Esoteric_ wrote: »
    A little bit of discretion and cop on is required sometimes.

    That seems to be the stumbling block alright!


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    #46
    kiffer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,097 ✭✭✭kiffer


    Yes with a but and no with a maybe... or something.

    Regarding rape jokes... if everyone is laughing because the joke was taboo then maybe it's ok as long as noone that hears it is offened or worse reminded of something that happened to them.
    But...
    But if even one of the people that heard the joke is thinking "hahaha that's so funny someone got raped" rather than "hahaha I can't believe Dave would say that, that's mental" then you are just perpetuating the idea in that one persons head that everyone thinks like they do.

    If you go into prisons and talk to the rapists that do get caught they think all men think like they do and either are too scared to do it or just better at getting away with it.


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    #47
    THT
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23 ✭THT


    Esoteric_ wrote: »
    It's not a matter of controlling yourself. I don't find rape jokes funny, full stop. I've heard tonnes of them, and I doubt I will ever find one funny.

    That said, I don't really care if people make rape jokes, I just won't laugh at them.

    Any topic can be funny, it depends on how it's structured whether it's funny or not.

    Simply saying rape isn't funny is ridiculous. Yes rape isn't funny, but a cleverly crafted joke with rape as the theme can be funny just like any topic.


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    #48
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    Cos they are my friends and we talk about stuff. I'd know if something bad has happened to them. That's an extremely hypothetical situation.



    Rape is a very, very common word actually. I don't say things to offend people, I, and my friends speak a certain way and I have no time for faux outrage.

    Should I stop saying 'that's a cancer' because someone might have cancer. Oh wait I know people with cancer and they don't bat an eyelid.

    Ive never heard rape used as an every day word. Never. So it can't be that common. I can't imagine why anyone would want to use it.

    It's not your call to say what people can take offence to.

    Maybe its use is down to lack of understanding about rape and the effects it has on a person. I just can't understand why some one would seek out to use it...when there are plenty of other words to chose from.

    I wouldn't joke about aids or cancer either, in equal measure


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    #49
    Esoteric_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,255 ✭✭✭✭Esoteric_


    THT wrote: »
    Any topic can be funny, it depends on how it's structured whether it's funny or not.

    Simply saying rape isn't funny is ridiculous. Yes rape isn't funny, but a cleverly crafted joke with rape as the theme can be funny just like any topic.

    Maybe read my post properly? I never said 'rape jokes aren't funny.'

    I said I do not, have not and more than likely will not find them funny.


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    #50
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    IrishFeeney92 wrote: »
    To me everything goes, My sense of humor its outrageous at times, but its a good way of dealing with things as more or less nothing ever gets me down no matter how bad it is.

    Why did the baby cross the road?

    He wasnt wearing his seat belt

    Oh Feeney......you are such a scoundrel at times..........


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    #51
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    THT wrote: »
    Any topic can be funny, it depends on how it's structured whether it's funny or not.

    Simply saying rape isn't funny is ridiculous. Yes rape isn't funny, but a cleverly crafted joke with rape as the theme can be funny just like any topic.


    You are aboslutely right.

    However none of the jokes involving the word Rape on this thread have been cleverly crafted, or have had anything remotely funny about them.

    As such, I can only guess that these are posts by people who like to say the word 'rape'.

    It reminds me a bit of a 5 year old saying the word 'Sh!t' and then looking for a reaction.....pre-adolescent in other words. And certainly a sure fire indicator that the person telling the joke has had no interaction with women.


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    #52
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    THT wrote: »
    Any topic can be funny, it depends on how it's structured whether it's funny or not.

    Simply saying rape isn't funny is ridiculous. Yes rape isn't funny, but a cleverly crafted joke with rape as the theme can be funny just like any topic.

    To tell people what they can or can't find funny is whats ridiculous. I would never find any kind of rape joke funny...laughing is an automatic gut reaction. ..you cant control it...but equally the word rape literally turns my stomach. ..to belittle it or to reduce it to a joke to gain favour among your peers is the last call of the desperate in my mind. Any one can spit out shock words...its not a skill or a talent its just scrappings at the bottom of the barrel humour to me.


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    #53
    IvySlayer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,187 ✭✭✭✭IvySlayer


    Hannibal Smith wrote: »
    Ive never heard rape used as an every day word. Never. So it can't be that common. I can't imagine why anyone would want to use it.

    It's not your call to say what people can take offence to.

    Maybe its use is down to lack of understanding about rape and the effects it has on a person. I just can't understand why some one would seek out to use it...when there are plenty of other words to chose from.

    I wouldn't joke about aids or cancer either, in equal measure

    Yet when I searched your posts you use the word torture plenty of times to describe certain things. Is it down to your lack of understanding what effect torture has on a person, I can't understand why you would use it when there are other words to choose from.

    Don't criticise me when I use the word rape and you say something just as bad.


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    #54
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    Yet when I searched your posts you use the word torture plenty of times to describe certain things. Is it down to your lack of understanding what effect torture has on a person, I can't understand why you would use it when there are other words to choose from.

    Don't criticise me when I use the word rape and you say something just as bad.


    IvySlayer confounds age old wisdom by trying to turn two wrongs into a right.


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    #55
    SweepTheLeg
    Registered Users Posts: 712 ✭✭✭SweepTheLeg


    Hannibal Smith wrote: »
    To tell people what they can or can't find funny is whats ridiculous. I would never find any kind of rape joke funny...laughing is an automatic gut reaction. ..you cant control it...but equally the word rape literally turns my stomach. ..to belittle it or to reduce it to a joke to gain favour among your peers is the last call of the desperate in my mind. Any one can spit out shock words...its not a skill or a talent its just scrappings at the bottom of the barrel humour to me.

    It's a good thing humour is subjective. Jokes that turn your stomach will make other people wet themselves with laughter.


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    #56
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,054 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    Cos they are my friends and we talk about stuff. I'd know if something bad has happened to them. That's an extremely hypothetical situation.

    I dunno - your attitude seems unsympathetic to me that I could imagine a scenario where a friend just didn't say something especially for fear of being told to do one.

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



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    #57
    Esoteric_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,255 ✭✭✭✭Esoteric_


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    Yet when I searched your posts you use the word torture plenty of times to describe certain things. Is it down to your lack of understanding what effect torture has on a person, I can't understand why you would use it when there are other words to choose from.

    Don't criticise me when I use the word rape and you say something just as bad.

    Considering one in four people will be raped/sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and I'd imagine the stats are a hell of a lot smaller for torture victims, there's a much bigger likelihood of a rape victim seeing rape jokes than a torture victim seeing torture jokes (if jokes is what they are, they could just be using the word torture for all I know).

    But people will always defend their right to make rape jokes. This argument has been going on for god only knows how long.


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    #58
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    Yet when I searched your posts you use the word torture plenty of times to describe certain things. Is it down to your lack of understanding what effect torture has on a person, I can't understand why you would use it when there are other words to choose from.

    Don't criticise me when I use the word rape and you say something just as bad.

    Nice try. If you have to work that hard to justify using a word, the word isn't worth using. Like I said from the very beginning. ..a murder victim isnt around to decide whether your joke is funny or not, a rape victim very well could be. If a torture victim was sitting in front of me and I used they word, causing them to take offense. ..I wouldn't be arrogant enough to tell them to do one. I would apologise and chose my words more carefully next time.


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    #59
    MJ23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,039 ✭✭✭MJ23


    You should never joke about Mrs. Browne's Boys. It's so horrific and not funny that it should never be mentioned again.


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    #60
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    SweepTheLeg wrote: »
    It's a good thing humour is subjective. Jokes that turn your stomach will make other people wet themselves with laughter.

    And I guess that's the point of the thread...do you then tell the joke to get the laughs knowing you could cause offense too?


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    #61
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,095 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Never mention anything to do with Hitler or the Nazis in front of a German


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