When Humor is Not Funny
I am very glad that someone brought this subject to light. All my life I have been ridiculed for being short. I have taken it in stride and laughed along with them and even made a few jokes myself about myself. Everyone thought I was a good sport and I always tried to live up to that impression but there were times when it was carried too far and hurt.
I recently went to visit a close friend of mine who lives with her new boyfriend. I had never met him before that visit. She had told me that he was a cut-up. He made a few remarks that I didn't particularly appreciate but I let it slide. After awhile I laughingly gave him back as good as sent. He later told her that he liked me because I had a sense of humor.
Then, I went back for a second visit. This time he was downright insulting. I now live in a small town but I was born and raised and lived the first 44 years of my life in a large city. Because I now live in the small town (although it is not a country town but a college and lake town) he began talking like a hick and said he was imitating me. His girlfriend is as country as they come, strictly small country town all her life, but I think he had already used up all his jokes on her. I was the new target. He found one insulting thing after another to say and laughed at his own jokes. Needless to say, no one else laughed. I took it as long as I could and then I asked her if he really thought I was a hick. She replied that he was just trying to be funny. Well, I told her that his effort had failed and I didn't appreciate it which she promptly relayed to him. He apologized, half-heartedly and said he didn't realize that I couldn't take a joke. Well, the joke is on him. He sat in front of a well educated group at dinner that evening and was talking about that fancy performing arts college in New York, Julian Art. (Julliard?) Now, who is ignorant? He said it three times Julian Art College in New York and obviously didn't notice the looks and hidden smiles on the faces of the other diners. That's a fine example of people pointing the finger at others and not paying attention to their own shortcomings and/or ignorance.
I am more and more aware every day of how easy it is to hurt someone's feeling as my daughter and son-in-law are raising my grandson to not say anything derogatory about anyone. They are adamant about the fact that he not call his friends names or point out any flaws or handicaps of theirs. Of course, being a child, he slips, especially when he hears other kids at school do it, but the bottom line is that when he grows up he will know not to think hurting someone's feelings is funny. He does, however, love to laugh and tease and even makes up his own jokes at the age of three so he is not lacking anything in the sense of humor department.
There is no excuse for rudeness and insensitivity and it certainly isn't funny.