Posted by Ritch on February 2, 2003, at 12:01:33
In reply to Re: FYI » Ritch, posted by Dinah on February 1, 2003, at 16:20:27
> Ritch, I hate to be overly sensitive, but doesn't it bother you that when someone says redneck someone else thinks of KKK and child beaters? Don't you think that jokes have a part in that? Jokes have traditionally been used to label groups and desensitize people to hatred.
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> I don't like to argue, really. But sometimes saying nothing seems like it's saying something.
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> I'm not talking so much now about IsoM's original jokes. I am sure she didn't mean to unleash what she did. And maybe it would have gone away quicker had Oddipus or I or Lou said nothing. But I've never been a big believer in peace at all costs.
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> I don't mean to offend you, or IsoM, or Jay, or anyone. I'm sure that a lot of this is just confusion over terminology.
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> I'm sorry that Oddipus was hurt by getting the impression that her values were being scoffed at. (I'm kind of used to it by now, but it used to hurt me.) I'm sure IsoM is hurt that her jokes were taken in a way that she never intended. And I'm sure that Jay is hurt too. So much hurt all the way around.
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> As for you, you never offended me at all. You have a different opinion about redneck jokes, that's all.
Dinah, yes it is unfortunate that oftentimes the first thing someone thinks about a certain group is a negative thing as you mentioned. *Malicious* jokes do exist and those kind do foster negative stereotypes. I would call what Jeff Foxworthy does a "non-malicious" form of humor. When you belong to the group of people you are satirizing it is much different. When folks (like Foxworthy), can laugh about their own group's peculiarities it makes them feel better. I did note your dictionary definition included the term "often disparaging", and since dictionaries are into *usage*, then it is probably accurate that that word is *often used* in a disparaging manner. When I hear some of these pecularities it triggers good memories, not bad ones, and that is because I am very *familiar* with that group. It is *true* (i.e.) that in the small town I lived in for many years (actually I lived in the middle of nowhere and the "small town" was 12 miles away) the most common jobs to be had were-truck driver, mechanic, rancher/farmer. I had three uncles who were truck drivers, and many cousins that were too. Most people couldn't make enough money on farming/ranching alone. The "cars in the yard" thing that Foxworthy talks about is accurate and there is a reason for it. You have to spend a lot of your time driving long distances, and those "extra cars" are sources of spare parts. I've known people (I've done some of this myself) that might have three pickups), and two of them are for spare parts in case they have a breakdown(and they are pickups not cars because you have to have somewhere to stash the feed/seed/pigs/etc. and kids are in the back of the pickup because there isn't anywhere else for them to sit-I've done a lot of riding in the backs of pickups ;)). You learn how to be a decent mechanic because you have to. The circumstances dictate the reality. It is just "peculiar" because many folks do not share the same circumstances. I think humor is as much of a way to "bridge" experience between different groups as it is a way of fostering negative stereotypes. I think all this relates somehow to the psychological truth about behavior tends to be ascribed to character rather than circumstances.
poster:Ritch
thread:35991
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030201/msgs/36182.html