Someone else on the StraightDope nailed it in Cafe Society one day when the issue of rape jokes came up. ‘‘What makes the joke funny is not what it’s about, but how it is about it.’’ This is my stance on pretty much everything when it comes to humor. Sometimes a joke just hits too close to home for me to be personally amused, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t understand why someone else found it funny. Other jokes are just offensive because they pander to stereotypes or harmful beliefs about rapists or rape victims or because the person telling them is obviously just a douchebag.
So what exactly is the subject of this thread?
I laughed.
Is this a whoosh? That song was using the word in it’s archaic sense, as a synonym for abduction.
This thread takes me back…
Myself as a teenager: “Rape jokes aren’t ever funny!”
**
My teenaged brother: **“Imagine Porky Pig raping Donald Duck.”
I thought so, too. That poll is bizarre–like some kind of surrealist interpretation of one of Skald’s polls that aren’t really polls.
No, rape isn’t the worst thing that could happen. But it is very, very, very rarely a funny subject for jokes, and given the prevalence of sexual assault and how seldom people talk about it, your odds of telling said joke in front of a victim are fairly high.
On rape and sexual assault: it’s prominent because it’s very bad, and also very prevalent. It combines several very bad things into one. But also, it may do many people a disservice to call it “the worst thing ever” as emphasising that may help some people deal with it, but may make it harder for other people who would rather just get on with their lives. And it’s not literally true: while it can be painful, degrading, etc, there is generally worse things out there (like having everyone you know be raped or tortured to death – and yes, this happens to some people).
On jokes: “funny” and “deeply offensive” are not completely contradictory. It’s generally wise to avoid jokes which will commonly hurt people, even if some people find them funny, but that doesn’t mean those people don’t find them funny, or even that there’s anything wrong with people finding them funny – they just don’t happen to have personally experienced things that make them painful, even if they’re aware that other people have. Jokes about “really bad personal things” are typically somewhat offensive to everyone, and very very offensive to some people. Ones that are purely shock value are pretty worthless. Ones that are actually funny, and don’t make the bad thing seem more normal or acceptable, are not inherently wrong, but shouldn’t be told to an unsuspecting audience.
You know, I’ve heard quite a few funny jokes that involve rape. That has never been one of them. Maybe I’m the wrong generation, but I just don’t get it.
As for the OP, as almost everyone has mentioned, it does not line up with the poll in question. And it was done very, very recently.
Joining the plurality as of this post: rape is not necessarily universally the worst possible event ever; and jokes can be made about some painful or deplorable event, whether they should be made at a certain time or place and around certain people is another story.
Huh. I thought the poll was clear. My answer is something else is the worst thing in the world, and I do not believes jokes about “something else” are automatically offensive. Also, I’m the only one who voted “Jokes are never funny.” If you include a dummy option in your poll, I *will *select it.
Been raped, no, it’s not the worst thing ever (or even the worst thing that’s happened to me), and no, jokes about The Worst Thing Ever are not automatically offensive.
That doesn’t mean they’re always funny. I’ve heard rape jokes, but I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a funny rape joke. Not because I’m offended by it, but because that particular joke(s) didn’t tickle my funny bone. I can imagine that someone could write a funny rape joke, but I don’t recall ever hearing it.
Oh, wait…there’s a *statutory *rape/pedophile joke ("…that’s an awfully big word…") I find quite hilarious, if it’s delivered right.
Worst thing ever I can’t imagine and don’t want to. But I voted wrong, because the wording of the pole. Yes to something else is worse but I don’t really know if a joke is worst. thing. ever. (anyone else hearing Comic Book guy?) until I hear it. Female here.
Was your teenage brother George Carlin?
Somehow it feels like a link to Peter Wyngarde’s classic “Rape” is required here.
I think dying slowly of torture or a horrible disease like ebola would be worse than being raped. But I think that for most people that I’ve ever known (native-born Americans), being raped IS the worst possible thing that will actually happen to them.
I discourage people from telling rape jokes, even though I have occasionally found them funny. Although, as I get older and grow out of my pathological need to be offensive for offensiveness’ sake, the offensive jokes I find funny are fewer and further between.
Because rape is so underreported, it’s very likely your audience contains at least one victim (even if your audience is exclusively male).
Move on. it was a long time ago.
Rape isn’t the worst thing ever, but as far as I can see it’s pretty damn bad. Compared to the number of things that are better than rape, there really aren’t many that are worse.
I’ve been known to laugh at some “terrible” things (presented the right way, you know), but I can’t really recall a funny rape joke.
I couldn’t figure out how to answer the poll to represent all the above.