Tuesday, March 29, 2005
What is the Difference between a Joke and Abuse?
Could someone please explain the difference to me? I imagine there is a line somewhere. Where is it?
Somewhere in Britain someone called his car park a "porking yard". Apparently this is offensive and antisocial behaviour and he was ordered to take the sign down (for details see Clarity & Resolve).
It seems to me that whether something is offensive is very subjective and is dependent on your perspective and your attitude. I can see how you could interpret the sign as a deliberately provocative and offensive gesture. I can also see how it could just as easily be a harmless joke.
Personally I just assume that no one wants to offend me...and what do you know...no one offends me.
Somewhere in Britain someone called his car park a "porking yard". Apparently this is offensive and antisocial behaviour and he was ordered to take the sign down (for details see Clarity & Resolve).
It seems to me that whether something is offensive is very subjective and is dependent on your perspective and your attitude. I can see how you could interpret the sign as a deliberately provocative and offensive gesture. I can also see how it could just as easily be a harmless joke.
Personally I just assume that no one wants to offend me...and what do you know...no one offends me.
// posted by suze @ 4:52 PM 
