Schadenfreude by proxy? September 16, 2007 3:50 PM Subscribe
What are the limits to absolute hilarity when "in bad taste" comes into play before posting something to the blue? I ask because I'm itching to share this video with everyone. It's wholly repugnant, but ridiculously high on the Unintentional Comedy Scale.
Also, it would qualify as the anathema that is a "one-link youtube post," but there's really nothing else I could add to increase the post's value. Anyway, I consider it "best of the web" because it has me consistently welling my eyes shut with tears from laughter, as well as people I've shared it with. Comments from the video (albeit a shitty indicator) and other places I've seen it linked seem to share my adoration.
So I'd like to put this video as a sort of bar to understand what qualifies as acceptable before impulsively posting similar things to the blue in the future, because, yes, stuff like this amuses me and I feel others could benefit from a good chuckle (despite at others' expense).
And yes, I know I'm already going to hell.
Also, it would qualify as the anathema that is a "one-link youtube post," but there's really nothing else I could add to increase the post's value. Anyway, I consider it "best of the web" because it has me consistently welling my eyes shut with tears from laughter, as well as people I've shared it with. Comments from the video (albeit a shitty indicator) and other places I've seen it linked seem to share my adoration.
So I'd like to put this video as a sort of bar to understand what qualifies as acceptable before impulsively posting similar things to the blue in the future, because, yes, stuff like this amuses me and I feel others could benefit from a good chuckle (despite at others' expense).
And yes, I know I'm already going to hell.
You have to ask yourself: Would a retarded person think this was funny? Because that seems to be the bar for 80% of MeFi posts.
posted by Eideteker at 4:00 PM on September 16, 2007 [7 favorites]
posted by Eideteker at 4:00 PM on September 16, 2007 [7 favorites]
this sucks
posted by pyramid termite at 4:01 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by pyramid termite at 4:01 PM on September 16, 2007
It's not really that funny.
And it will annoy and offend a lot of people.
So please do not post it to the blue.
posted by jason's_planet at 4:02 PM on September 16, 2007
And it will annoy and offend a lot of people.
So please do not post it to the blue.
posted by jason's_planet at 4:02 PM on September 16, 2007
Well, I figured it'd get thrown to the gray either way. Just eliminating the middle man and attempting a higher level of discourse aimed squarely at the merits of this style of post.
posted by Mach3avelli at 4:02 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by Mach3avelli at 4:02 PM on September 16, 2007
Are you asking if it is totally cool to laugh at people acting weird due to the disabilities they were born with? Because, no, it probably isn't.
posted by found missing at 4:02 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by found missing at 4:02 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
It would take a very special member to make something FPP-worthy out of that.
posted by dhammond at 4:03 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by dhammond at 4:03 PM on September 16, 2007
I'm the last person to stick up for 'pc,' but IMHO, poking fun at the mentally disabled is somehow worse than even racial, ethnic, and religious humor since in those cases the targets are able to fight back on a more or less level field. Here, not so much.
posted by jonmc at 4:05 PM on September 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by jonmc at 4:05 PM on September 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
I don't really care about the politically incorrect aspects of it, but it's just not funny. Also agree with soundofsuburbia, either post it where it belongs or don't post it, but kinda sorting posting it in metatalk is lame.
posted by doctor_negative at 4:07 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by doctor_negative at 4:07 PM on September 16, 2007
Damn Eideteker's petard-hoising-proof history of quality FPPs!
*Shakes fist, browses*
Also, if you need to ask MeTa if a link is appropriate or good, you shouldn't, because the very act of canvassing this dank pit means it isn't.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:07 PM on September 16, 2007
*Shakes fist, browses*
Also, if you need to ask MeTa if a link is appropriate or good, you shouldn't, because the very act of canvassing this dank pit means it isn't.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:07 PM on September 16, 2007
Hmm, one caveat I didn't prepare for was that there's probably a higher contingency of the PC police who roam the gray. So yeah, a lot of you will probably be offended.
Otherwise, no, I don't personally feel it's wrong to laugh at the misfortune of others. I feel bad, sure, but I can't help but laugh.
posted by Mach3avelli at 4:07 PM on September 16, 2007
Otherwise, no, I don't personally feel it's wrong to laugh at the misfortune of others. I feel bad, sure, but I can't help but laugh.
posted by Mach3avelli at 4:07 PM on September 16, 2007
It would take a very special member to make something FPP-worthy out of that.
Are you talking about jonson?
posted by carsonb at 4:10 PM on September 16, 2007 [2 favorites]
Are you talking about jonson?
posted by carsonb at 4:10 PM on September 16, 2007 [2 favorites]
The only funny part is when the guy with the computer voicebox says "I fight vampires."
posted by Falconetti at 4:13 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by Falconetti at 4:13 PM on September 16, 2007
Um yea. I mean, no. No no a thousand times no. Not because it's rude and immature to laugh at someone's disability (which it is) but because there is nothing to laugh at. The only thing mildly amusing is a comment on the page:
So fake.
You can tell it's not a real werewolf movie because that one kid is retarded.
Other than that, no.
But maybe there is a really hysterical video of a group of Alzheimer's patients trying to recite the Gettysburg Address.
posted by The Deej at 4:17 PM on September 16, 2007 [5 favorites]
So fake.
You can tell it's not a real werewolf movie because that one kid is retarded.
Other than that, no.
But maybe there is a really hysterical video of a group of Alzheimer's patients trying to recite the Gettysburg Address.
posted by The Deej at 4:17 PM on September 16, 2007 [5 favorites]
a higher contingency of the PC police who roam the gray.
Either PC now stands for pugnaciously crusty, or you really don't have your finger on the pulse 'round here.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:20 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Either PC now stands for pugnaciously crusty, or you really don't have your finger on the pulse 'round here.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:20 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Mach3avelli, the only thing that I find offensive about this is the context in which you present it.
If you could find some socially relevant context and additional links, this could be really cool.
A few years ago I went camping some special needs kids, and we did skits around the campfire that were just incredible. So yea, they're funny, but they are also fun, and it's more fun when they are in on the joke. (As was mentioned above.)
posted by snsranch at 4:20 PM on September 16, 2007 [2 favorites]
If you could find some socially relevant context and additional links, this could be really cool.
A few years ago I went camping some special needs kids, and we did skits around the campfire that were just incredible. So yea, they're funny, but they are also fun, and it's more fun when they are in on the joke. (As was mentioned above.)
posted by snsranch at 4:20 PM on September 16, 2007 [2 favorites]
What are the limits to absolute hilarity when "in bad taste" comes into play before posting something to the blue?
Picture someone that you love more than anyone else in the world, someone you would do anything for, someone you would die for. Imagine this person suffered a traumatic brain injury in a traffic accident. Imagine that this brain injury was so severe that it affected their speech centers, their capacity for logical thought, and their ability to learn. Imagine that this accident also left them confined to a wheelchair,.
Imagine that, after years of therapy, they were able to recover some ability to talk and express themselves. One of their group activities includes a dramatic presentation about werewolves, something they have practiced a long time for. Its not the greatest bit of theater in the world; in fact, parts of it are quite terrible. But its something that they put a lot of work into and are proud of and, in its own way, its something that you are proud of too.
Now imagine that someone you don't know posts this video to a website saying "I know this is in bad taste but LOL RETARDED PEOPLE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS TOOOOOO FUNNY! WHAT A BUNCH OF 'TARDS!!!!!!"
If you'd feel totally OK with this, then go right ahead and post it. If not, then perhaps you should think twice about doing so.
posted by googly at 4:23 PM on September 16, 2007 [18 favorites]
Picture someone that you love more than anyone else in the world, someone you would do anything for, someone you would die for. Imagine this person suffered a traumatic brain injury in a traffic accident. Imagine that this brain injury was so severe that it affected their speech centers, their capacity for logical thought, and their ability to learn. Imagine that this accident also left them confined to a wheelchair,.
Imagine that, after years of therapy, they were able to recover some ability to talk and express themselves. One of their group activities includes a dramatic presentation about werewolves, something they have practiced a long time for. Its not the greatest bit of theater in the world; in fact, parts of it are quite terrible. But its something that they put a lot of work into and are proud of and, in its own way, its something that you are proud of too.
Now imagine that someone you don't know posts this video to a website saying "I know this is in bad taste but LOL RETARDED PEOPLE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS TOOOOOO FUNNY! WHAT A BUNCH OF 'TARDS!!!!!!"
If you'd feel totally OK with this, then go right ahead and post it. If not, then perhaps you should think twice about doing so.
posted by googly at 4:23 PM on September 16, 2007 [18 favorites]
I don't find it funny, even in a non-PC way. The idea's interesting in sort of a "hey, say the first thing that comes to your mind when I say werewolf". Maybe if it was in a post with series of different videos where people sit in a room and talk about a random word?
I did snicker a little at this comment on YouTube:
So fake.
You can tell it's not a real werewolf movie because that one kid is retarded.
posted by Secretariat at 4:24 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
I did snicker a little at this comment on YouTube:
So fake.
You can tell it's not a real werewolf movie because that one kid is retarded.
posted by Secretariat at 4:24 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Oops, The Deej beat me to it.
posted by Secretariat at 4:25 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by Secretariat at 4:25 PM on September 16, 2007
Go ahead and post it. You'll get flamed to hell and back which should be entertaining.
posted by puke & cry at 4:29 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by puke & cry at 4:29 PM on September 16, 2007
I'm itching to share this video with everyone
Sharing is overrated.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:30 PM on September 16, 2007
Sharing is overrated.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:30 PM on September 16, 2007
It's posts like this where I wish that we could have a negative favorite as well as a positive favorite. I mean, people are using favorites as popularity yardsticks anyway; may as well allow people to voice their displeasure, as well as pleasure, with the post.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 4:36 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by SeizeTheDay at 4:36 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
So I'd like to put this video as a sort of bar to understand what qualifies as acceptable
Look, you already understand that this video is offensive.
You posted it here because you recognize that if you posted it on the front page, you would have your ass handed to you. So you post it here with and mix in a bit of insincere fig-leaf rhetoric about starting a dialogue on community norms and acceptability and all that hoo-hah.
The word "disingenuous" comes to mind.
posted by jason's_planet at 4:36 PM on September 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
Look, you already understand that this video is offensive.
You posted it here because you recognize that if you posted it on the front page, you would have your ass handed to you. So you post it here with and mix in a bit of insincere fig-leaf rhetoric about starting a dialogue on community norms and acceptability and all that hoo-hah.
The word "disingenuous" comes to mind.
posted by jason's_planet at 4:36 PM on September 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
At first I thought you had misused "Schadenfreude" because who would take pleasure in that kind of misfortune? Upon reflection, you might be that kind of dickhead. As someone with a very immature and sophmoric sense of humor, I'm lost here. If you're finding "unintentional comedy" in it, that suggests you find the mere idea of retardation funny.
Also, the Boston Sports Guy stopped being entertaining about 5 years ago, so please stop aping him.
posted by yerfatma at 4:37 PM on September 16, 2007
Also, the Boston Sports Guy stopped being entertaining about 5 years ago, so please stop aping him.
posted by yerfatma at 4:37 PM on September 16, 2007
Posting this on MeTa is like giving people an opportunity to trash you personally, without even derailing the thread.
That said, if the vomit that is Uncle Muscle manages to stick to the wall, why shouldn't this? I hope we aren't moderating taste to that degree around here.
posted by phaedon at 4:37 PM on September 16, 2007
That said, if the vomit that is Uncle Muscle manages to stick to the wall, why shouldn't this? I hope we aren't moderating taste to that degree around here.
posted by phaedon at 4:37 PM on September 16, 2007
There are better places to post this kind of thing than MeFi. Unless you like being judged.
posted by smackfu at 4:38 PM on September 16, 2007
posted by smackfu at 4:38 PM on September 16, 2007
No, this sucks for the blue and it's actually pretty lame here as well. MeTa really isn't for your "I'm gonna get busted if I post this in the blue but let's all LOL at the retarded guy" antics. This is the second one of these today. If we need to have a MeTa thread on these "I'm pretending to ask a question but really pretty much just posting a questionable MeFi thread to the grey instead" questions, then someone else can open one up.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:45 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:45 PM on September 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 3:58 PM on September 16, 2007