From: LizR <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2015 1:54 PM
Subject: Re: Why is there something rather than nothing? From quantum theory
to dialectics?
On 12 January 2015 at 14:46, 'Chris de Morsella' via Everything List
<[email protected]> wrote:
I believe the wise way to evaluate whether something is funny or not; whether
it is satire or just a slur is to see how members of target feel when exposed
to it. If a person of color feels insulted by some cartoon, a white person does
not have the right to say that it’s just all in his head and that only a fool
would see it in any other way.
Wise words. Someone who insults someone else then expects them to laugh at
themselves is known as a playground bully, pure and simple.
Seeing the imagery of those cartoons I really don’t think that anyone would be
able to find a lot of French of Arab or African descent laughing along with the
“ironic intent”; rather more likely that they would feel humiliated, insulted,
and certainly *unwelcome*
I certainly felt a bit queasy from the two supplied, but I don't consider
myself able to judge, especially with my very limited French.
By that metric, by the metric of the effect those cartoons had on the targets
of its “irony” the merit and intent of that published work should be judged.
Perhaps this is a uniquely American view and sensitivity not shared in Europe,
but it is a necessary behavior in order for any
multicultural/multi-racial/multi-sectarian/multi-ethnic society to work.
>>Certainly not uniquely American. Indeed America has a reputation of being
>>culturally insensitive, of thinking that its own viewpoint is the only right
>>one. Not all Americans of course but that's the impression one gets from
>>outside, from simple things like Bill Gates pretending that there is a
>>difference between "UK English" and "New Zealand English" to invading
>>countries to "enforce democracy" it's all cultural imperialism to the
>>non-American.
Point taken. The USA is a boorish super power that throws its weight around the
world stage -- just as other dominant powers have done during their heyday. And
yeah there is a grain of truth in the stereotype of the Ugly American.
What happened to the Golden Rule?
It got left in the Golden Age? No, seriously, I don't know what you mean here,
is this a do unto others thing?
Yes.... it helps us be, at least a little, human to each other.-Chris
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