Posted by Dinah on April 2, 2005, at 16:40:04
In reply to Re: Pfizer link offensive » ed_uk, posted by Larry Hoover on April 2, 2005, at 15:48:58
((((Lar))))
FWIW, I think everyone's experience should be respected. What's humor to one person is frequently hurtful to another, and while that shouldn't stop humor in its tracks, I think the hurt should at least be acknowledged.
We all bring our own experiences into any given situation, and I for one have been told to lighten up one or two times too many. So feel free to express your displeasure to me.
When I saw it, I remembered it was April Fools Day, and while I didn't find it particularly amusing, I also didn't find it particularly offensive. But tons of people Love Lucy, while I usually have to change the channel because I'm writhing in embarassment.
One of my least favorite attitudes toward jokes is that they need to have a target to be funny. I've even quit laughing at lawyer jokes. And I'll stop laughing at pdoc jokes really soon, I promise. :)
I find Dr. Bob one of the funniest guys alive (other than my husband and Rowan Atkinson and Weird Al and Lemony Snicket and a few other professionals), but I've had a few people tell me they find his humor hurtful. And I *think* it's been my experience that he apologizes if he discovers that his humor has offended.
Which is my long winded way of saying humor is not just humor. And that the receiver of humor can interpret it in as many ways as it can be meant, and not necessarily the way that it was intended.
So Lar, I'll put a comradely arm around your shoulders and tell you "No need to lighten up! You're entitled to your reaction.", just as I'd tell Emmy she doesn't need to stop laughing. I understand why you're upset, even if I'm not upset myself. And I understand why Emmy finds it funny, even if I didn't.
(But poofing tho. If Dr. Bob is disappointed that the gated communities didn't drive me from Babble, he could try again with poofing. My therapist is trying to teach me that the best way to deal with discord in a relationship is to respectfully address it, anger and all. But I think I prefer my family of origin where anger was expressed disrespectfully and clung to forever to a family where discord got poofed. That's just me. I wonder if there have been any studies on the matter. But for those who like an anger/discord poofed environment, that's cool too. We all have our ways of dealing with things.)
poster:Dinah
thread:478484
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050330/msgs/479027.html