# Why do Dopers start contests regarding grave matters? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159 "2022-10-13T02:25:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/61 "2022-10-13T14:08:19Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > > [@solost](#): > > > > when I read the thread title I thought you meant the death pool, > > As I said before, my OP does not exclude death pools. That is just not the example I chose. You may certainly include death pools in this conversation if you like. It’s just another example of the phenomenon. Well, your specific OP example was the Senate pool thread, and I was making the point that it seemed like an odd choice to take this particular stand on, since it’s in much less bad taste than say, the death pool, which I could understand being upset about. And your example of betting on whether a kid is starved or beaten is a spurious comparison to betting on Senate elections. The result of an election is not a crime or a tragedy, no matter how much you may disagree with the outcome. And you can take steps to try to influence the outcome of the election, but you can’t stop it from happening. The child abuse, if you are aware of it you don’t allow it to happen so you can bet on it, you call the police or take whatever action you can to stop it. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/62 "2022-10-13T14:09:18Z")
Well, for me personally I submitted my entry in that “contest” in order to provide one person’s (relatively limited) insight into the likely outcome of the fall elections. Perhaps others will provide different insight that may enlighten me in some way. Collectively, perhaps, we will arrive at some sort of consensus regarding the likely outcome which may or may not be better than other “expert” forecasts. For example, I hadn’t realized how far Mandela Barnes had fallen off over the last few weeks - that may encourage me to focus some of my efforts on WI (or, perhaps, NV) this fall. It’s certainly not going to reduce my propensity to vote (not that it matters in MO) or work to get others to vote. It’s really just another form of punditry, masked as a contest. You could argue that punditry isn’t useful (which I might agree with). But we have plenty of threads that are simple punditry (including one on the Senate 2022 elections). Death pools are different, as we can have no impact on what individual people die. And the only possible informational value is in knowing what famous people are sick, which is of rather limited value. Those are pretty basic gallows humor. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/63 "2022-10-13T14:09:57Z")
I have a certain amount of empathy for the OP’s position. While I’ve been (justifiably) accused of having a certain amount of gallows humor (which is, more than anything else, probably a coping mechanism), I’ve never had any interest in participating in any sort of contest related to real-world events, like speculation on elections, death pools, etc. In particular, I find the idea of a death pool a little morbid; however, it doesn’t offend me or bother me that others engage in something like that – I simply don’t share in the interest. Similarly, I don’t care to watch “real crime” television shows (something that my wife is addicted to), nor do I care to participate in conversations here which focus on speculation about murders and the like (such as the Gabby Petito thread). All of that is just something that engaging in, from an “entertainment” standpoint, doesn’t appeal to me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/64 "2022-10-13T14:20:28Z")
> [@solost](#): > > in much less bad taste than say, the death pool, which I could understand being upset about. Feel free to offer “more bad” examples. I just posted after seeing the thread that prompted the idea. I didn’t say it was definitive or exclusive. I said it was an example. > [@solost](#): > > The result of an election is not a crime or a tragedy, no matter how much you may disagree with the outcome. My OP explains that this is not true, in my opinion. Elections today _are_ matters of life and death or possible tragedy, and they have often been so, at least in American history. It would be rare m, privileged times in which an American election was no more consequntial than a parlor game. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/65 "2022-10-13T14:22:24Z")
To me, the examples offered about fictional entertainment are inapplicable. Fiction is fiction. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/66 "2022-10-13T14:23:17Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You don’t need to gamble on an outcome in order to engage in gallows humor. The two things are very distinct in my mind. If people were _actually_ gambling, and there were people winning and losing money, I’d agree. But since there is nothing on the line, it’s not really gambling. Calling it gambling at all is _part_ of the gallows humor. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/67 "2022-10-13T14:23:24Z")
I don’t participate in those threads, but I don’t see anything wrong with them. Perhaps it’s because in my heart of hearts, I’m an asshole. I’m perfectly okay with that. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/68 "2022-10-13T14:26:18Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Elections today _are_ matters of life and death or possible tragedy, and they have often been so, at least in American history (italics added). That’s your first clue that regarding the outcome of the upcoming election as Impending Apocalyptic Doom might be an overreaction. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/69 "2022-10-13T14:29:23Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > My OP explains that this is not true, in my opinion. Elections today _are_ matters of life and death or possible tragedy, and they have often been so, at least in American history. It would be rare m, privileged times in which an American election was no more consequntial than a parlor game. OK, an asshole being elected to Congress may be a tragedy, but it’s not a crime. And, other than voting and campaigning for your state’s / district’s candidate, it’s not something you can control. Maybe control is the central issue: a lot of bad things happen in life that we have little or no control over. Beloved celebrities die, and assholes get elected. We do things like bet on outcomes and engage in gallows humor as a way to cope with what we can’t change. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/70 "2022-10-13T14:53:31Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Doesn’t it strike you as treating with disrespect the lives of your fellow humans? No. > [@](#): > > Anyway, just a question. Fuck you with your “just a question”. I find it deeply disrespectful to not have the conviction of your mind to drop this flimsy fig leaf. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/71 "2022-10-13T15:05:56Z")
Gallows Humor is a lot like justice. Only some people get it. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/72 "2022-10-13T15:16:23Z")
I’ve heard that line, but with “food” substituted for justice. Even darker. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/73 "2022-10-13T15:16:35Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > Gallows Humor I reject the proposition that I’m delivering a broadside attack on gallows humor generally. I’m focusing on a very specific practice: Making a game, specifically a type of gambling, about potentially grave outcomes. So, I’m going to ignore anything that just generally talks about gallows humor. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/74 "2022-10-13T15:26:36Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You don’t need to gamble on an outcome in order to engage in gallows humor. No. But you can. > [@Acsenray](#): > > I reject the proposition that I’m delivering a broadside attack on gallows humor generally. I don’t think anyone’s saying that, they’re saying that’s why there are these types of thread - ie, it’s a form of gallows humor. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/75 "2022-10-13T15:30:58Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > specifically a type of gambling But, as has been stated, it’s not gambling, as nothing of value is wagered. > [@Acsenray](#): > > So, I’m going to ignore anything that just generally talks about gallows humor. Then you are going to simply ignore the explanations that you said you wanted. Making a game out of potentially grave outcomes is pretty much the only way to stay sane these days. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/76 "2022-10-13T15:35:08Z")
Doesn’t ‘gambling’ require payment of goods or services to the winner of a wager? Even when the Duke brothers bet on the result of young Winslow and a street hustler forced into trading their positions and status there was $1 at stake. What is at stake here? Are you suggesting that Dopers are violating the rule against actual betting in any form? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/77 "2022-10-13T15:47:11Z")
Could you clarify the difference between making a “game” about a dark subject and making a joke about a dark subject? Is one more acceptable to you then the other? Why? I have found that everyone has their own subjects that are not acceptable topics for joking or games. If someone you know tells you that a subject is off limits, then it’s polite to steer clear. But on a public message board almost everything is fair game (subject to the rules of the board). If you personally are offended by jokes or games about a particular subject, you can always just ignore that topic and move on. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/78 "2022-10-13T15:48:03Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Doesn’t ‘gambling’ require payment of goods or services to the winner of a wager? In casual settings it could be anything of value; it may be nothing more than the regard of your peers or bragging rights, or just a jolt of endorphins. If that’s not important to the exercise–if it is, for example, just to discuss a subject or to predict outcomes or to make morbid jokes–then why set the discussion in the form of gambling? That is specifically what makes it distasteful to me. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/79 "2022-10-13T15:49:11Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > you can always just ignore that topic and move on. I do ignore threads I’m not interested in. However, that doesn’t answer any questions. I want to have a conversation about it, not just ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159/80 "2022-10-13T15:49:27Z")
Jokes about death are only in poor taste when told by teens or immortals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dopers-start-contests-regarding-grave-matters/973159.md?page=5)