[Tyler]

Chicken Pox and Name Statistics
2 February 2018, 5:00 am



Source: xkcd.com

[Korrelan]

But... but...

I'm pretty sure if you cross referenced the data against who's parents were vegetarians (Sarah's & Brian's)...

The answer would become apparent.. greens are bad for you...

 

[Art]

Did you know that the word, "Vegetarian" is old Indian word for "Bad Hunter".

[WriterOfMinds]

Did you know that joke is old, tired, and completely unfunny?

Mocking people who display altruistic behavior = not cool.

[Korrelan]

@Art

lol… the old ones are the good ones.

@Wom

Humour is a topic of study for me at the moment, I think it gives vast insights in to the inner workings of the brain.

It is interesting how something simple like adopting a belief/ life style/ diet can affect a person’s sense of humour, or even just their ability to accept/ allow someone else’s humour… it’s a very complex topic.

 

[Art]

It is also amazing how a simple joke or pun can upset people. There was no disrespect intended toward anyone.

I strongly dislike Politically or Religiously projected opinions/views but humor is as old as a slip on a banana peel, yet a lot of us still chuckle.
While there is no urgency nor requirement to laugh, it is part of what makes us human.

Sorry if my old, tired, and completely unfunny, wait...have you been talking to my wife? 

On a serious note, I happen to be a very Altruistic person. I have unselfishly given of myself, my time, energy and talents to other, often less fortunate people, as well as friends and families throughout my life for over 50 years. You do not know me. Therefore do not judge me by my posting of one funny-to-most, line of text.

Thank you.

[WriterOfMinds]

I didn't judge you, Art ... I judged your "joke." I think I'm allowed to do that.

Dietary choices are literally a matter of life and death for animals, and therefore not something to laugh or tease about.  The fact that many people would find that joke funny is just an indication of how callous society is toward the suffering and loss experienced by animals in a human-dominated world.  These are issues that cause me genuine grief, therefore I'll thank you not to laugh at my grief by using them as humor fuel.

[Art]

Your point is taken WOM but on the same hand, how are any of us to know what might be a sore spot or offensive area with you or anyone? It's not like we go around broadcasting our position or wearing a sign that says, I don't laugh at jokes that are about my car, food, kids, pet frog, religion, cattle, politics or any other thing I find troublesome. If that were the case, there would be a lot of comedians out of work and any attempt at humor would be outlawed for fear of hurting someone's feelings.

Yes, I do see your issue but in the same breath, please take a moment of tolerance to understand mine and others who try to inject a bit of humor into this already politically correct saturated and troubled world.  While I also understand that this forum is not a stage for satire, I offer my humble apology if I caused you any grief as it was certainly not my intention.

Please enjoy the remainder of your day.

[WriterOfMinds]

@Art: the only concession I really want is that you will understand why your joke might be an issue, and not make the same sort of joke again. I am not interested in blaming you, just educating you.

Whether you intended this or not, the joke communicates that people who make the compassionate and selfless decision to abstain from meat are silly for doing so. Such communication discourages lifesaving, positive behaviors that would be a net benefit for society. That's a practical problem, not just something that offends.  I hope you can understand that, and also understand that what happens in a slaughterhouse, or when a hunter locates his quarry in the woods, isn't something that anyone should find amusing.  The animals certainly aren't amused.

[Zero]

EDIT: self-censorship

-1

[Freddy]

Just my 2 pennies...

The context of the joke revolved around an old Indian hunter. It did not make me want to go out and kill animals unnecessarily.

Nor does it make me feel negative about vegetarians (I was one for a few years) or similar life styles. In fact that entire modern day ethos never entered my mind.

The butt of the joke was the Indian hunter; who lived at a time when I doubt he had much option to do otherwise in order to stay alive. He failed - and so ended up eating his greens.

Let's just chill people, this is escalating way too much for what it is.

[ivan.moony]

WriterOfMinds, let go.

The day will come, but not today. Maybe our grandchildren would be smart enough to understand the pain. These days... all of this horror is still a joke to some of us. Please forgive us and stick around.

Here and here is something to cheer you up. It already started. 

[Korrelan]

I apologise to Art, I started this joke and unfortunately you took the brunt of the fallout.

I’m opposed to any group or individual trying to impose their personal belief system or morel judgements on any another person/ party… period.

We are supposed to be intelligent adults, part of that premises is having the wisdom to accept that your peers might not have your personal beliefs; this is a public AI forum, not a personal morel vindication outlet.

I’m personally offended by anyone who presumes they have the morel high ground and audacity to ‘educate me’ on what I’m allowed to think/ write… or laugh at... what gives you the right?

Ok someone was ‘triggered’/ offended… that doesn't make them right.

Peace people… it was just a joke...

 

[WriterOfMinds]

I’m opposed to any group or individual trying to impose their personal belief system or morel judgements on any another person/ party… period.

So you're against carnism, then? People impose their personal beliefs and moral systems on animals every time they eat one. And as impositions go, being killed for consumption is quite a bit worse than simply being scolded, *I* think.  You ask what gives me the right to reprimand Art, but you don't ask what gives him the right to make light of vegetarianism in the first place. The irony here is very deep.

Yes, it was just a joke. Just a rude and potentially harmful joke. I tried to explain to Art why I found it rude and potentially harmful -- that is all I meant by "educate." And I thought I was fairly nice about it. I will re-emphasize that I am not mad at Art, I do not blame him, and I do not think he meant to be rude. He noted that people don't wear signs to indicate what bothers them ... well, this is me hanging out my sign. I let him know that something upset me instead of hiding it.  If some of you don't care whether your jokes are upsetting or rude, then I guess that is on you.

Humor is nice and all, but I do not believe it is sacrosanct, or that anything-and-everything is justified as long as you say it to be funny. There are such things as inappropriate jokes. Saying that no one is allowed to complain about a bad joke is about as ridiculous as saying that no one is allowed to joke, don't you think? While no one is obligated to agree with me about dietary issues, isn't part of being an intelligent adult the ability to disagree without mockery and insults? I have trouble seeing that joke as anything but mockery of vegetarians.

I didn't want to cause a huge ruckus over this, and Freddy I'm sorry if I contributed in any way to giving you a bad day. But there are serious issues behind this little spat, even if it seems trivial, and I can't apologize for defending animals or the people who care about them.

Thanks, bye.

[Freddy]

WriterOf Minds,

You didn't spoil my day. In my post I was just trying to explain the way I interpreted the joke, which is clearly different to the way you did. I can see your reasons and respect them - I now see why it caused you issues due to how you identified with it. Perhaps if I was still a vegetarian I would have reacted the same. My point though was that the joke itself doesn't necessarily read as a slur on vegetarians. It's open to interpretation.

As happens on forums, we don't have the benefit of seeing social cues and all the things we were to see if we were having dinner together or something (with a veggy option of course). As admin I've learnt to douse the flames from time to time for those reasons, which is what I tried to do here.

At the end of the day, however contrary things may seem to us, we at least learn something about each other or some subject, so it's not all bad. I had never heard of carnism by the way...