What's funny and what's not

[Strider]

Do you believe there are things that are too horrifying or disgusting or inhumane etc. to be considered funny in any context? I know that a lot of people are extremely vigilant about not making jokes about for example 9/11, or rape, or the holocaust, or pedophilia, or similar things considered horrible in our society.
Well, I personally don't think there is any subject or concept that can't be put in a context where it's funny. Rape can be hilarious, 9/11 is already a joke in itself to me, the holocaust too. Sure, it can be deemed disrespectful to make jokes about things that affect many people negatively - but honestly I think making jokes about it does more good than anything else.

[Kavik]

I agree, but it is hard for some people who lost someone do to these causes or were affected by one of those themselves. People have to know their audience and understand some jokes are not appropriate at the time for certain people. Just be cautious.

[TheRavenHouse]

Humor is subjective, maybe to you there isn't but to other people there could be. I'm not sure where it stands with me. Can a joke's context be considered part of the subject matter itself? For instance, you can put a joke about a big black dude having his anus forcibly licked under the same umbrella as a joke about a child being raped by her father. It's still a rape joke. But with the change of context I feel it also changes the face of it entirely, from silly to dry humor. That shift might be where the more "Edgy" humor loses me. Though I do find 9/11 funny in pretty much any context lol, it's pretty much just rape that bothers me.

With the right timing and delivery probably anything meant to be funny could be funny to me. But your question wasn't about what's MEANT to be funny, it's just "What is funny". Well, anyone can find anything funny, but there does reach a point where finding humor in something could simply mean the person who finds humor in it is mentally disturbed. I've known people who watched and laughed at snuff videos. So yeah, anything can be funny.

[Caleb]

I think the jokes are funny, but I won't make them in public places or where there are people of which I don't know if they'll like it. Most jokes that everyone knows that are just wrong are funnier because of that though.

[MCToast]

If your friend just got raped it might not be the best time to joke about it, but I'd still do it.

[Krustalien]

I don't like how it seems that people who find humour in being distasteful (not talking black humour which can be brilliant, talking literally just being a cunt for the sake of it) will then rip into people who are offended, as if they're childish sheep. Tbh I think seeking out sensitive subjects and purposely being massively insensitive about them to get a rise from people is the way more immature thing.

[SIFTER]

You guys didn't talk about religion. As it seems to me, people tend to make more religion jokes than any other kind of jokes. They make fun of jesus, they make fun of islam, and sometimes being extremely racist. That kind of thing can be none but offensive.

[Coweetie]

its just matter of opinion, one likes such jokes and the others don't.

[Josh]

In my opinion, obviously within the right context and timing and such, any joke can be funny as long as it isn't meant to be a dig at someone.

You guys didn't talk about religion. As it seems to me, people tend to make more religion jokes than any other kind of jokes. They make fun of jesus, they make fun of islam, and sometimes being extremely racist. That kind of thing can be none but offensive.

To you. While it may be because I'm not religious in any sort of way, but I can find religion/race jokes hilarious.

[Gary]

I personally don't think there's nothing that can't be joked about. I think offensive jokes can be the best types of jokes sometimes

[Franklin]

It honestly depends on the audience. It's fine to make jokes that would be offensive to some people, as long as you know that those listening, like a tight friend group, won't care. On the internet it gets a bit questionable, since in many contexts pretty much anyone could see your joke.

[Shad Shadson]

Offense is never given, it is always taken. That's essentially how I feel about it. That being said you gotta know your audience, that's the kinda shit that got Kramer in trouble.

Do I find the word "Nigger" funny? Honestly, kind of. I find the word "Kike" a lot more hilarious then it, but neither are probably appropriate to say out loud. That's the thing, like many people have said, jokes and humor are almost entirely subjective, which also ties in to the ideals of those specific people. Someone could easily see me as some super edgy wanker because I think spewing offensive words/phrases is funny in itself, but I might also think them childish for the simple fact that they're getting offended over a group of letters that make a certain sound. I've heard black people make and laugh at black jokes and asian people call themselves "chinks" and "gooks". I'm not even surprised by most of this shit anymore; you meet all types of people.

Some people just like being taken aback by offensive shit, and I think that group of people have grown frankly. Awkward humor has also gotten a bigger following as it went "mainstream" with shit like Tim and Eric and the Eric Andre Show.

[Царица Луна]

I find dark humour to be most enjoyable; jokes about historical events, politics, ethnicities, culture, stereotypes, etc. I tend to laugh hardest at. It's honestly too difficult to try to remain 100% inoffensive anyway (even if you say or do something that has no ill intent there seems to be at least one who will always try to find anything potentially offensive) so I'm not one who loses sleep trying to be PC. That being said, I'm not one who would, for example, talk to random Jew simply to say "lololol Holocaust" but I'm not going to feel bad for laughing at Holocaust joke that amuses me.

Generally I see intent in something more important than others' interpretation. If someone legitimately had no ill intent in something they said or did then I think it should be easy to forgive or not even consider what they did problematic in first place.

[Grams]

What Kavik said. Be cautious of the atmosphere and cater to the audience. Don't make autism jokes in front of someone whose sibling is autistic and don't make rape jokes in front of rape victims. Otherwise, like most of you said previously, humor is subjective; anything can be funny. Although, I think there is a point at which most people would come to a general consensus amd say a specific subject would be disturbing to find amusing e.g. snuff films etc etc

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