Humor: When does comedy cross the line and turn into bullying?

[9thRequiem]

Intent isn't what matters, either. If I flail around and hit you in the face, you'll still get angry and I'm still an idiot for doing that, even if I didn't intendo.

True, but it's part of it. If you flail around and hit me in the face, I'll be angry because you were reckless and didn't think. But much less angry than I'd be if you deliberately hit me in the face.
In the same way, the law regards recklessly causing something as lesser than intending to cause it.

Personally, I think the line between Comedy and Bullying is pretty simple - it's crossed when the target isn't laughing along. It's much more than what's said; the tone and situation matter a lot too.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

What do I think?

I think people need to get the sticks out of their arses and crack a smile once in a while.

Being overly sensitive helps nobody, if something bothers you, be as the duck, and the water that glides of it's back.

 

[Bertylicious]

If someone calls me a twat then they aren't bullying me, they're insulting me. It's a different problem. If someone threatens me if I do/do not do something then they are intimidating me. The people in the video mentioned by the op where being belittled, not bullied.

I think the real question here is whether we have the right to offend others.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

It's about power, actually. Guys making jokes about rape are always assholes, as simple as that.

Intent isn't what matters, either. If I flail around and hit you in the face, you'll still get angry and I'm still an idiot for doing that, even if I didn't intendo.

Why are you guys always so quick to excuse it when stuff hits other people? You wouldn't do this on things affecting you.

Dude, if you hit me without intending to I'm not going to get angry. Sure, it's clumsly, but I'd forgive you. Intent always matters.

 

[josemlopes]

I actually reported Lisa's post for being offensive as it did cross the line and become bullying. Not everyone has the time, money, or materials to make perfect costumes so to make a video just to mock those people is just mean.

^^^THIS^^^

That video was tasteless at best, and downright hurtful at worst.

Those people spent a lot of time and effort, and put their self-esteem on the line. No reason to belittle them.

Because none of those were for the lulz...

A fat guy with a beard dressed as Sailor Moon (halloween much?). Thats a joke and he fucking knew it.

 

[shootthebandit]

Unless you are getting physically assaulted theres no such thing as bullying. Yeah sure we all get teased but you have two options you can give it back or you ignore it. If you are getting bullied for a lifestyle choice eg you come to school/collage (maybe even work if your employer doesnt sack you) in cosplay then you should expect insults. Infact if you do something like cosplay in the first place expect people (yes i hate to admit it) like me to give you a bit of grief but at the end of the day if thats your thing you should be proud of it and not let it get to you

If you think that video was offensive or "bullying" i genuinely feel sorry for you. I laughed at how tame that was. If you worked as a tradesman or in a factory or warehouse i can garuntee you wouldnt last a day. Heres some advice someone calls you fat call them a gym wanker or something similar its called banter

Tldr: sticks and stones

 

[unindexedsearchengine]

Here's the thing, whether or not it's bullying does not actually depend on the actual thing you say, but on the intention. If what you say is intended to be offensive and hurtful it's bullying. If you intended it to be a joke, with no purpose other than comedy and humor, it isn't bullying.
Once we get past this, as far as I am concerned, you're more than welcome to say absolutely fucking anything. Even all these big "srs bznz" topics are fine by me, as long as you're not serious about it.
I think people get offended much too easily these days.

 

[Jux]

Agreed with Pohaturon, it becomes bullying with intent. That isn't to say that certain humor can't be offensive without also being bullying. It can. As for the video that kickstarted this, I don't see it as bullying. My interpretation of her delivery was that of humor.

 

[shootthebandit]

I actually reported Lisa's post for being offensive as it did cross the line and become bullying. Not everyone has the time, money, or materials to make perfect costumes so to make a video just to mock those people is just mean.

^^^THIS^^^

That video was tasteless at best, and downright hurtful at worst.

Those people spent a lot of time and effort, and put their self-esteem on the line. No reason to belittle them.

Those people spent a lot of time and effort? seriously? ive put more effort into some tough shits than some of those people put into their outfits

No reason to belittle them... did you see the size of him?

Spoiler: watch this if you think that video was offensive

 

[Lieju]

In the end this discussion on "going to far" is stupid, because if you make a joke about X someone somewhere will stand up and complain about how that joke about X isn't funny. You can't please everyone with humor.

Yes, but on the other hand, you can't just justify any kind of hateful speech with 'it's just a joke', or avoid criticism when people call you out on your attitudes (like if you make a joke about how rape is funny if it's female-on-male)

I think with humor it's important to look at what the joke is on and what kind of attitudes it reveals.

South Park depending on who you ask goes too far, or is brilliant satire on the subject matter.

Or, if you ask me, is pointless, doesn't really have anything insightful to say, and fails even in being offensive because it has no point.

 

[smithy_2045]

If it's not funny, it's not comedy. People who think saying something offensive is somehow funny need to learn the difference. I haven't seen the video so I'm not going to comment on the particular example given.

 

[Wintermute_v1legacy]

I know I don't post that often here, but this is, by far, the most sensitive community I've ever seen. Everyone here is so offended by everything. Every little thing is offensive and Oh my god! Reported! That person should say he is sorry! In fact, the high levels of sensitiveness here is pretty much the only negative aspect I can come up with right now.

And this is coming from someone who was bullied his whole life in school. It only stopped when I went to college.

I just saw that video and the only offensive thing about it is that it's only a Top 5. It's like the guy who changes his name to Masterchief Thunderballs expecting everyone to think that's a great idea.

 

[BarkBarker]

When someone ribs me and I don't mind, I take it with the punches, when someone says something with or without intent and just starts thrashing down on me, I get pretty fucking upset and start lashing back or make a statement about how it has gone too far. That cosplay shit is fun for them, and she REALLY tore into them, you don't know them, you don't know if they were proud of their efforts, when something is universally agredd as bad, yes it is bad, but it can also be painful to have someone diminish your efforts, even if they aren't top notch.

 

[theSteamSupported]

When does comedy cross the line and turn into bullying? Well, first of all, the joke has to be funny. Confirming stereotypes does not count as funny.

 

[loc978]

Comedy is very subjective, and bullying takes more than one instance of a joke at someone's expense. This whole debacle just comes off as whining to me. A single hurtful remark from someone you don't know about someone else neither of you know should have no appreciable effect on anyone involved... and the subject in question wasn't even being hurtful.

Grow thicker skin, people. Sailor Bob did long before he ever dressed up for a convention.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

If it's not funny, it's not comedy. People who think saying something offensive is somehow funny need to learn the difference.

That doesn't even make sense, people find different things funny. So if 100,000,000 people laugh at "Anchorman" and 5 people don't, it can't be considered a comedy?

I know I don't post that often here, but this is, by far, the most sensitive community I've ever seen. Everyone here is so offended by everything. Every little thing is offensive and Oh my god! Reported! That person should say he is sorry! In fact, the high levels of sensitiveness here is pretty much the only negative aspect I can come up with right now.

And this is coming from someone who was bullied his whole life in school. It only stopped when I went to college.

I just saw that video and the only offensive thing about it is that it's only a Top 5. It's like the guy who changes his name to Masterchief Thunderballs expecting everyone to think that's a great idea.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, glad I'm not the only one who has noticed this.

 

[Reeve]

Lisa's video is hilarious. People are only getting pissy because she's a girl. If it was Jim Sterling doing that video or Yahtzee then they'd be celebrating the comic genius of it.