The Art of the Joke

Well, I guess not so much about jokes.

I think a lot of times ignorance breeds fear.  When we don't understand something it's easier to joke about it or just be afraid of it.  It's almost like the thing becomes less than human.  We can start to try to make sense of the thing we don't understand, or we can just write it off.  Sometimes even joke about it.

I've seen many make jokes about homosexuality, mentally handicapped, transgenderism, black lives matter and many other social constructs.  I believe this jokes come from a misunderstanding and unwillingness to empathize.

It's easier to crack a joke.  It's easier to ignore.  It's easier to find the things that are wrong about others.  It's not easy to walk a mile in their shoes.

And I don't even want to throw jokesters under the bus.  I believe they have some deep hurts and wounds in their own life that they've been avoiding.

This world is vast and complex.  You don't have to understand everything.  You don't have to know the ins and outs of how the world works and how people act.  So when something comes up that you don't understand, that's ok.  You can ignore it and just see people.  There's no room to make jokes belittling people you've never met.  

That's all.  Just think before you make a joke.  People go see comedians because they want to laugh.  They know they are going to hear jokes.  Comedians know everyone in their audience is expecting a joke and nothing is to be taken seriously.  But guess what, jokes can still hurt.  They can still cut at people.  And I don't want to put this on comedians...I know it's not their intent to hurt people.  There is an art to comedy.  There is an art to poke fun at different demographics in a way that builds them up rather than bringing them down.  Many great comedians have figured that out.  That's why they are great.  

I used to not want to go to comedy shows because the first one I went to the comedian, whom I can't remember, made jokes about everyone in the room.  It was awful.  It was a time I needed comedy in my life, laughter is good for the soul.  I was picked on at church, I was picked on at school, and I thought going to see a comedian would be fun.  It was anything but.

I love trying to make people laugh.  But if that laughter is at the expense of someone else, it's not really helping them much is it?