Making fun of the Dead

[Togs]

Different people cope differently, to some death means you gotta sit around and be serious and solemn, to others its time to crack tasteless jokes and remind yourself that your still alive.

And whats more, the sudden resurgence of people quoting Nielsens stuff after his death is the ultimate sign of respect- celebrating the mans life by reminding people of what he did best.

 

[cameron196789]

I think it's bad that most people find it ok to make fun of someone whose alive, but not when they're dead. Because you can only deal them emotional harm when they're alive.

 

[Lukirre]

I don't think it ever goes too far. People are always dying, and we all die someday. I say get over it and get some laughs out of it before it's your turn.

I agree with this. Humanity has kind of glorified death as some sort of unknown, unstoppable, and malicious force. Only one of those three descriptors is true, and I feel like people want to search for something that isn't there in regards to the death of a loved one. Yes, it's tragic, and yes, you have every right to grieve, but when all is said and done death is a simple, unavoidable thing.

Hell, when I die, I hope people aren't intentionally forcing themselves to be upset over it. I'd much rather they get a laugh out of my death than grief.

 

[C95J]

I agree with George Carlin on this subject... Nothing is too sacred to be immune from humor and satire.

Personally, I found the super effective joke hilarious.

Yep, fully agree, you laughed, I laughed, and I bet some of the staff would have laughed when they saw that post as well.

 

[Kair]

I think it's bad that most people find it ok to make fun of someone whose alive, but not when they're dead. Because you can only deal them emotional harm when they're alive.

This is what I was going to say.

 

[cfb_rolley]

I thought it was a little bit funny. Maybe I'm just twisted, but cheap shot or lame pokemon always tickle my fancy. I tried to think about how much of a horrible person I am for laughing at that joke, but it didn't work, I just started a giggle loop on myself.

 

[trollnystan]

OT: Wait until someone you love gets cancer. Then ask yourself if you'd be okay with people calling their cancer super effective when they die.

My mother died of cancer. My favourite aunt died of cancer. I still cracked a omfg-that-was-so-bad-it-was-almost-funny smile at the joke in question. But yeah, I can see why the fella was given a warning what with the forum rules being what they are.

 

[rmb1983]

As has been pointed out, your example of choice really doesn't work out all that well.

But in all seriousness, it boils down to this:
Whether or not you enjoy black humour really makes no difference (I do, but it's moot). Once you watch someone you care about die from something you're powerless to stop, it tends to make that pain jump out every time the cause of death in question is poked fun at.
No, I am not sharing my personal example. Needless to say, any jokes on the matter, I can still laugh at (that is, if they're actually funny), but it still makes me think of the pain and suffering that person endured.

That being said, the "Super Effective" meme was never really all that funny to begin with, because it was so long after the fact. We all drove that joke into the ground 15 years ago by naming a Metapod "Penis".
Also, the "joke" was even weaker given that he was rolling two memes into one.

 

[anthony87]

Personally I'm of the mindset that it's okay to make the jokes. Why shouldn't it be okay to make light of a situation? It's not like we personally know the person who died, our jokes don't have any consequence.

You know what also has no consequence? Posting "You'll be missed" or "R.I.P" or some crap like that on the internet with regards to someone you don't know personally.

Both things are opposite sides of the coin and both things have the same amount of effect on the people who are ACTUALLY personally involved with the death in question, that is to say, no effect at all.

What really gets to me though is that we make one little joke and then suddenly we're being judged or reported or talked and looked down upon. It's not that we don't care about people or life, the universe and everything. It's that we know that nothing we say will have the smallest, teenyist, tiniest effect to the people who have the right to mourn and feel sad.

Or to reiterate the same point much more bluntly:

It's a JOKE! It's WORDS! Please lighten the hell up!

 

[anthony87]

I don't think it ever goes too far. People are always dying, and we all die someday. I say get over it and get some laughs out of it before it's your turn.

I agree with this. Humanity has kind of glorified death as some sort of unknown, unstoppable, and malicious force. Only one of those three descriptors is true, and I feel like people want to search for something that isn't there in regards to the death of a loved one. Yes, it's tragic, and yes, you have every right to grieve, but when all is said and done death is a simple, unavoidable thing.

Hell, when I die, I hope people aren't intentionally forcing themselves to be upset over it. I'd much rather they get a laugh out of my death than grief.

Damn straight dude.

The majority of family related funerals I've been to have always had one or two people cracking light jokes about the situation during the ceremony.

Hell I've said to my Dad before "If I die before any of you and you do that whole "Lying about what a great person I was" thing, I'm gonna haunt the shit out of all of you"

I would really like to know what this whole "Reverence for the Dead" thing we've got going on is all about.

 

[Brandon237]

Depends, but I read that one and laughed... I don't think they should have gotten a warning.

Some people deserve it extra hard though, evil people do not suddenly become sacred again because they are dead, they are just dead. I hate it when people say "You can't insult evil dude X, he is dead, shame".

 

[Jonluw]

I've never noticed this double standard, but I don't think it should exist.
I make fun of the living all the time; why should I act differently towards the dead?
Hell, at least the dead aren't around to be hurt anymore.

 

[Audio]

I also like to mock zombies. Specially when i shoot off their legs when they're trying to climb up to me.
*blam* har har..awww look at him fall on his face :3

 

[rmb1983]

I don't think it ever goes too far. People are always dying, and we all die someday. I say get over it and get some laughs out of it before it's your turn.

I agree with this. Humanity has kind of glorified death as some sort of unknown, unstoppable, and malicious force. Only one of those three descriptors is true, and I feel like people want to search for something that isn't there in regards to the death of a loved one. Yes, it's tragic, and yes, you have every right to grieve, but when all is said and done death is a simple, unavoidable thing.

Hell, when I die, I hope people aren't intentionally forcing themselves to be upset over it. I'd much rather they get a laugh out of my death than grief.

Damn straight dude.

The majority of family related funerals I've been to have always had one or two people cracking light jokes about the situation during the ceremony.

Hell I've said to my Dad before "If I die before any of you and you do that whole "Lying about what a great person I was" thing, I'm gonna haunt the shit out of all of you"

I would really like to know what this whole "Reverence for the Dead" thing we've got going on is all about.

The example you're using is still showing respect. You're not actively mocking the person for suffering and being taken by a terminal illness; you're deflecting grief with humour by making light of death in general.

Note that the person in question only got the warning because someone actually reported him, and by all means, the quote is question is effectively offensive. I wouldn't have reported him myself, but that's only because I really have better things to do with my time than see someone be warned that if they continue being an idiot in the future, they're going to be banned from participating in a forum. Asshattery tends to work itself out; I don't need to go through extra clicks when all I want to do is watch a video, play a game or go get some exercise.

I also like to mock zombies. Specially when i shoot off their legs when they're trying to climb up to me.
*blam* har har..awww look at him fall on his face :3

Cute comments in the direction of monsters, creatures, zombies and so on, however, are comedy [color=CD7F32]GOLD[/color].

 

[anthony87]

I don't think it ever goes too far. People are always dying, and we all die someday. I say get over it and get some laughs out of it before it's your turn.

I agree with this. Humanity has kind of glorified death as some sort of unknown, unstoppable, and malicious force. Only one of those three descriptors is true, and I feel like people want to search for something that isn't there in regards to the death of a loved one. Yes, it's tragic, and yes, you have every right to grieve, but when all is said and done death is a simple, unavoidable thing.

Hell, when I die, I hope people aren't intentionally forcing themselves to be upset over it. I'd much rather they get a laugh out of my death than grief.

Damn straight dude.

The majority of family related funerals I've been to have always had one or two people cracking light jokes about the situation during the ceremony.

Hell I've said to my Dad before "If I die before any of you and you do that whole "Lying about what a great person I was" thing, I'm gonna haunt the shit out of all of you"

I would really like to know what this whole "Reverence for the Dead" thing we've got going on is all about.

The example you're using is still showing respect. You're not actively mocking the person for suffering and being taken by a terminal illness; you're deflecting grief with humour by making light of death in general.

Note that the person in question only got the warning because someone actually reported him, and by all means, the quote is question is effectively offensive. I wouldn't have reported him myself, but that's only because I really have better things to do with my time than see someone be warned that if they continue being an idiot in the future, they're going to be banned from participating in a forum. Asshattery tends to work itself out; I don't need to go through extra clicks when all I want to do is watch a video, play a game or go get some exercise.

You say that my example is not actively mocking the person for being dead.

However from my point of view neither was the comment that got reported. Then again this isn't really one of those things that can be construed "right" or "wrong" to begin with.

 

[rmb1983]

You say that my example is not actively mocking the person for being dead.

However from my point of view neither was the comment that got reported. Then again this isn't really one of those things that can be construed "right" or "wrong" to begin with.

Then that's where we'd have to agree to disagree, I suppose.

As far as I'm concerned, suggesting that a disease is particularly effective (whether or not trying to be as shoddy an actor as David Caruso is included doesn't matter) against someone's body and resulted in her death comes across as: "Haha, you got cancer and died." No matter which way you slice it, if you're looking at it in that light, that's pretty damned rude. Not enough for me to really give much thought to it over "You are a rude little thing, aren't you." and move on with my life, but still a bit off the mark nonetheless.
Again, if the "joke" had actually been funny in the first place, and wasn't making a direct snap at her cause of death during which she likely endured a prolonged amount of time suffering, it wouldn't have caused a stir.

 

[anthony87]

You say that my example is not actively mocking the person for being dead.

However from my point of view neither was the comment that got reported. Then again this isn't really one of those things that can be construed "right" or "wrong" to begin with.

Then that's where we'd have to agree to disagree, I suppose.

As far as I'm concerned, suggesting that a disease is particularly effective (whether or not trying to be as shoddy an actor as David Caruso is included doesn't matter) against someone's body and resulted in her death comes across as: "Haha, you got cancer and died." No matter which way you slice it, if you're looking at it in that light, that's pretty damned rude. Not enough for me to really give much thought to it over "You are a rude little thing, aren't you." and move on with my life, but still a bit off the mark nonetheless.
Again, if the "joke" had actually been funny in the first place, and wasn't making a direct snap at her cause of death during which she likely endured a prolonged amount of time suffering, it wouldn't have caused a stir.

I'm actually really glad you answered my question the way you did because it gives me a chance to ask this one question, something which I'm genuinely curious about mind you:

Why do you care enough to be offended?

And I'm not saying that in a smartass why or anything. I'd actually like to know.