The Line
I started to write a comment in T's blog about a post where she wrote about an inappropriate T-Shirt she saw and as I started to write I realized that this deserved a post rather than be relegated as a comment.
As my comment started in her blog, I can't say that I thought it was completely wrong. Yes, it was inappropriate, but that doesn't necessarily mean it did not make me laugh. Do I agree that "Shooting the Bitch" is the cure for PMS? No, but I am guilty of a little giggle after I read that. Why? Because my name is Duncan.
Group replies, "Hi Duncan"
I sheepishly shuffle my feet, "and I have enjoyed inappropriate humour for 12 years."
The group gazes back, "Don't worry Duncan, we are here to help you."
Well, what is inappropriate humour? Well let's break it down.
Dictionary Definition:
Inappropriate: 1: not suitable for a particular occasion etc; "noise seems inappropriate at a time of sadness"; "inappropriate shoes for a walk on the beach"; "put inappropriate pressure on them." 2: not conforming with accepted standards of propriety or taste; undesirable; "incorrect behavior"; "she was seen in all the wrong places"; "He thought it was wrong for her to go out to work." 3: not in keeping with what is correct or proper; "completely inappropriate behavior."
Humour: 1. message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter. 2. a normal functioning bodily semifluid or fluid (as the blood or lymph) b : a secretion (as a hormone) that is an excitant of activity
Ok, so definition #2 for humour doesn't seem to help, so you can choose to ignore that one. So what are we looking at then? Inappropriate Humour is looking like it is defined as "something that has the power to evoke laughter but is not suitable for a particular occasion." or loosely defined as, "I know I shouldn't laugh at that, but man, that shit is funny." It is just something about humour that may offend that is dangerous and exciting and gets my blood flowing, like adrenaline, or a brisk walk. Do I feel bad if I offend people by mistake? Of course!
So that brings us to the "line". That imaginary line in the ground that is drawn to give everybody reference to what is appropriate or not. In my home, or actually, any social situation with friends, the line can be non-existent. The warning I put out to the reading public is, "The line can be very different from environment to environment." For example, something that is funny to your potty mouth friends, may not be appropriate for Grandma's house (but probably is OK for my Grandma. She loves dirty jokes). I may think "Jesus" jokes are funny, but the Church crowd doesn't always appreciate them. Sometimes blonde jokes are funny, but around blondes they can be confusing. So as you can see, just be careful.
In closing I will say again "laugh at everything you can but watch your feet as not to trip on the line." Hey, that reminds me of a few inappropriate jokes:
How does a man load the dishwasher?
He gets his wife drunk.
What do you say to a kid with two black eyes?
Nothing. You have already told him twice.
How do you kill a fox?
Cut off his leg and make him run across Canada.
and one of the most inappropriate T-Shirts I have ever seen.
Now laugh, and then be appalled.
As my comment started in her blog, I can't say that I thought it was completely wrong. Yes, it was inappropriate, but that doesn't necessarily mean it did not make me laugh. Do I agree that "Shooting the Bitch" is the cure for PMS? No, but I am guilty of a little giggle after I read that. Why? Because my name is Duncan.
Group replies, "Hi Duncan"
I sheepishly shuffle my feet, "and I have enjoyed inappropriate humour for 12 years."
The group gazes back, "Don't worry Duncan, we are here to help you."
Well, what is inappropriate humour? Well let's break it down.
Dictionary Definition:
Inappropriate: 1: not suitable for a particular occasion etc; "noise seems inappropriate at a time of sadness"; "inappropriate shoes for a walk on the beach"; "put inappropriate pressure on them." 2: not conforming with accepted standards of propriety or taste; undesirable; "incorrect behavior"; "she was seen in all the wrong places"; "He thought it was wrong for her to go out to work." 3: not in keeping with what is correct or proper; "completely inappropriate behavior."
Humour: 1. message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter. 2. a normal functioning bodily semifluid or fluid (as the blood or lymph) b : a secretion (as a hormone) that is an excitant of activity
Ok, so definition #2 for humour doesn't seem to help, so you can choose to ignore that one. So what are we looking at then? Inappropriate Humour is looking like it is defined as "something that has the power to evoke laughter but is not suitable for a particular occasion." or loosely defined as, "I know I shouldn't laugh at that, but man, that shit is funny." It is just something about humour that may offend that is dangerous and exciting and gets my blood flowing, like adrenaline, or a brisk walk. Do I feel bad if I offend people by mistake? Of course!
So that brings us to the "line". That imaginary line in the ground that is drawn to give everybody reference to what is appropriate or not. In my home, or actually, any social situation with friends, the line can be non-existent. The warning I put out to the reading public is, "The line can be very different from environment to environment." For example, something that is funny to your potty mouth friends, may not be appropriate for Grandma's house (but probably is OK for my Grandma. She loves dirty jokes). I may think "Jesus" jokes are funny, but the Church crowd doesn't always appreciate them. Sometimes blonde jokes are funny, but around blondes they can be confusing. So as you can see, just be careful.
In closing I will say again "laugh at everything you can but watch your feet as not to trip on the line." Hey, that reminds me of a few inappropriate jokes:
How does a man load the dishwasher?
He gets his wife drunk.
What do you say to a kid with two black eyes?
Nothing. You have already told him twice.
How do you kill a fox?
Cut off his leg and make him run across Canada.
and one of the most inappropriate T-Shirts I have ever seen.
Now laugh, and then be appalled.