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Why do some people get upset and resort to death threats when comedians crack jokes about certain subjects?
A lazy opinion #thread.
A lazy opinion #thread.
Comedy is about finding humor in places where it's least expected.
A joke is basically a twisted form of tricking your brain into thinking about something, letting it process the information and come to a conclusion about how ridiculous the whole thing is.
A joke is basically a twisted form of tricking your brain into thinking about something, letting it process the information and come to a conclusion about how ridiculous the whole thing is.
When someone cracks a joke, there is a lead up to the punchline which lays out the scenario. The storyteller ensures the audience is glued to it till the last moment.
Then, there is a well timed punchline.
The person is caught off guard, forced to THINK and then LAUGH.
Then, there is a well timed punchline.
The person is caught off guard, forced to THINK and then LAUGH.
In a split second, without warning, beliefs are challenged by the performer. These routines are *supposed to* make the audience uncomfortable first and then see the humor in it.
That's the premise.
Now, there are two kinds of people who react to jokes in very different ways:
That's the premise.
Now, there are two kinds of people who react to jokes in very different ways:
(1)
Person hears joke.
Person gets increasingly uncomfortable as situation builds up.
Person hears punchline.
Person processes it.
Person's discomfort vanishes and the release is in the form of a laugh.
Person goes, "Yeah that was funny" and moves on.
Person hears joke.
Person gets increasingly uncomfortable as situation builds up.
Person hears punchline.
Person processes it.
Person's discomfort vanishes and the release is in the form of a laugh.
Person goes, "Yeah that was funny" and moves on.
2)
Person hears joke.
Person gets increasingly uncomfortable.
Person hears punchline.
Person processes it.
Person's discomfort vanishes and the release is in the form of anger.
Person goes, "It wasn't funny! Why are OTHER people laughing?" and doesn't move on.
Person hears joke.
Person gets increasingly uncomfortable.
Person hears punchline.
Person processes it.
Person's discomfort vanishes and the release is in the form of anger.
Person goes, "It wasn't funny! Why are OTHER people laughing?" and doesn't move on.
Person (2) feels worse because he/she sees that there are so many People (1) who are laughing at something that made (2)... angry.
Anger builds up. And builds up. And anger needs an outlet.
Where is the outlet?
Lo and behold, the comedian is right there up on stage.
Anger builds up. And builds up. And anger needs an outlet.
Where is the outlet?
Lo and behold, the comedian is right there up on stage.
Person (2) can either go up to the comedian after the show and give him/her a piece of their mind. But that would involve interactions with People (1). Which is not ideal because there were a LOT of those.
So Person (2) goes for the next best option.
INTERNET BASED #OUTRAGE!
So Person (2) goes for the next best option.
INTERNET BASED #OUTRAGE!
Person (2) is confident that he is not alone in this feeling of anger. Person (2) already has a network of similar minded angry people, who he/she is *sure* will get pissed at this comedian.
So yeah, video gets shared with this angry bunch and collective hatemongering begins.
So yeah, video gets shared with this angry bunch and collective hatemongering begins.
After #outrage by (2) begins, Comedian and People (1) are ultra-confused.
They're like, "But that was funny! WTF is happening? Everybody in the audience laughed!"
Sure they did.
But the stage of the internet is a weird place. People find solidarity in the strangest of things.
They're like, "But that was funny! WTF is happening? Everybody in the audience laughed!"
Sure they did.
But the stage of the internet is a weird place. People find solidarity in the strangest of things.
Angry people like (2) can choose to be angry alone and let it die in a day or two. Or they can express that anger and let it multiply online.
The validation (2) gets from other angry people online -- something he didn't get during the show -- is like a drug.
The validation (2) gets from other angry people online -- something he didn't get during the show -- is like a drug.
#Outrage is a sweet sweet drug which is based on replication and intensification.
Person (2) himself might just share a video saying, "Didn't find this funny! I'm angry!
"
But there will be 10 People (2) who will share it like, "THIS PERSON DESERVES TO DIE! HOW DARE SHE!
"
Person (2) himself might just share a video saying, "Didn't find this funny! I'm angry!
" But there will be 10 People (2) who will share it like, "THIS PERSON DESERVES TO DIE! HOW DARE SHE!
"
5 other People (2) will make a video sitting in their cars and cursing away, "I AM GOING TO KILL THIS PERSON! YOU BETTER WATCH OUT M&@#&(@. THIS IS HER NAME! AND WE (2) PEOPLE ARE PISSED! 
"
100 other People (2) will see the video and it will all snowball into insanity.
"100 other People (2) will see the video and it will all snowball into insanity.
Out of all of these People (2) there will be that one person who actually has some power.
He/she will express his anger and that's it, authorities get involved, FIRs get filed, news channels amplify that shit and the actual point of the performance of COMEDY, gets lost.
He/she will express his anger and that's it, authorities get involved, FIRs get filed, news channels amplify that shit and the actual point of the performance of COMEDY, gets lost.
Moral of the thread #1: If you are Person (1) who laughed and moved on after hearing an uncomfortable joke, don't be surprised that there is ALWAYS a Person (2) in the audience who is angry.
And the #outrage is coming soon on an SM platform near you.
And the #outrage is coming soon on an SM platform near you.
Moral of the thread #2: If you are a comedian, keep away from SM when #outrage begins. Don't read the comments, play board-games and hang out with friends for a few weeks.
People (2) will move on to the next thing they need to get angry about for their personal validation.
People (2) will move on to the next thing they need to get angry about for their personal validation.
Moral of the thread #3: If you are Person (2).... don't be a dick.
