Are jokes about mental illnesses and phobias acceptable?

[Hellena Handbasket]

I like dark, irreverent twisted humor. Satire and things that poke fun at themselves, but its all about context, timing and knowing your audience.

 

[prplchknz]

this is an example of mental health humor i don't find offensive. (ps i've dealt with depression most of my life so...and it looks different from person to person I don't eat and i sleep and cry all the time and feel guilty i'm just tired when depressed. )

 

[Yuurei]

I very much enjoy laughing at my own problems.

Someone was offended by an ADHD joke I once told- I learned it from my Mother who is very ADHD- they asked
“ How would you like it if someone made a joke about your genetic disease.?”

After some serious thought and this was my answer:

“ How many Cystanosis patients does it take to screw in a light bul- NO DON’T! “ ( We are very light-sensitive.)

 

[tony_goth]

What do you mean by "acceptable" ? Some mentally-ill people accept such jokes and others don't. So they're technically acceptable and non-acceptable.

As a mentally-ill, I would accept such jokes from friends, and even strangers if they asked me permission. But I wouldn't accept them from my superiors, my parents, or the police.

 

[1487610420]

hi xann

 

[Mole]

What do you mean by "acceptable" ? Some mentally-ill people accept such jokes and others don't. So they're technically acceptable and non-acceptable. As a mentally-ill, I would accept such jokes from friends, and even strangers if they asked me permission. But I wouldn't accept them from my superiors, my parents, or the police.

Are you as mad as a cut snake? Or perhaps you have a screw loose? Or do you carry on like a pork chop?

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

You must know that the occurence of mental illness upon a person decreases the amount of respect they recieve

 

[rav3n]

I dunno. It's pretty obvious that Kanye West is a joke.

 

[notmyapples]

It's subjective to who you're telling the joke to. There are some people that I can poke fun at and joke about anything I want with and others that I know aren't okay with that kind of humor. It's also circumstantial, if someone just had a miscarriage then it can be expected that a dead fetus joke would be immensely distasteful. If a politician is expected to discuss a serious issue and cracks a dark joke while doing so, it's understandable as to why they would receive backlash even if the joke would be considered socially appropriate in another setting. The same would apply to any jokes about mental illness and phobias.

 

[misfortuneteller]

Yes if it is funny. People have joked about 9/11 countless times and that's heaps more offensive.

 

[Nomendei]

Jokes are made to make other people happy. I think there is no subjects where jokes shouldn’t be acceptable. What is to be considerate are the people suffering from it present or not. If they are, well, then you have to discuss with them if it is okay or not. If they aren’t then everything is allowed.
The problem consists of hurting others. In my opinion, what is harmful is not the joke itself, but the people who are present. You ask yourself what they are thinking of you. Is it told to discriminate you or to take you into the group? Jokes can be used to break that uncomfortable feeling between you and the person suffering from it. In my opinion, if you are in a group and it is someone you trust who is telling it, it’s good. Then, when it comes to cartoons, it’s different. I think they should be allowed to joke about everything. The readers are often alone when they read it, so there is no direct discrimination possible.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Humor is an imperfect process, but having a kind motivation like [MENTION=36264]Nomendei[/MENTION] describes is a good foundation. It's a matter of trying to be aware of the feelings of others, and then if one does make a joke that hurts someone, just apologize and have some consideration for their feelings in the future.

I think the problem comes when people feel an unbridled entitlement to say anything they please without any regard for consequences or other people's feelings. It is also reasonable to not go the other extreme and walk on eggshells all the time feeling like you can't every say anything. When we make mistakes we can apologize and then show the person that their feelings are relevant. It's okay for it to be an imperfect process where feelings are sometimes hurt and good jokes are sometimes left silent by mistake.

 

[Abcdenfp]

There is a kind of feeling imo with jokes based on vulnerabilities that there is a kind of issue with timing and credibility. This is also connected to your comments about the author not getting the concept correct. When dealing with mental illness or any vulnerability it means something if the person making the joke has had to live with it. Such people tend to make more apt jokes that reveal both an understanding and a way to cope. Both of my parents are in dementia units so it's a part of my life and pain. I will admit that my siblings and I have at times made jokes to cope, so the motivation is love and understanding rather than anger or trying to hurt someone or make someone feel like less. Some of our jokes are geared towards our own possible demented futures rather than demeaning anyone with dementia, but it really does help to laugh about pain.

Spot on. I wish we could just download this into every other human beings brain.
Well said.

 

[wildcat]

Only if you are a co-sufferer.

 

[The Cat]

I tend to align with this...

 

[wolfnara]

I've also heard a lot of 9/11 jokes. Thought it was pretty inappropriate to joke about that, also don't see the humour in it.

Some jokes i've heard aren't great, because it's about something very serious that actually affects people. For example i've heard jokes and statements about clinical depression which are belittleing to people who actually suffer from it ("crippling depression" "this will cure your depression" clickbait, saying you want to die for the sake of being dramatic) and also people joking about having PSTD flashbacks. I don't mind words like "triggered" because most people probably don;t even associate that with PTSD. But joking about the flashbacks isn't funny.

 

[mgbradsh]

I really like this thread. It’s making people explain their own sense of humour through the lens of a more challenging form of humour to deal with.

I would say the two cartoons in the OP are objectively funny. They are silly, but aren’t mean or hurtful.

They could be mean or hurtful, but that’s where context comes in, which might be the crux of humour, or really a lot of things we do as humans. So, if the Agoraphobic Association put those cartoons up on their website it comes off as a little bit self deprecating and a group of people that have that condition making light of it. On the other hand, if AA’s long standing rival, the Clausterphobic’s Society of America posted that on their website it might come off as hurtful and mean.

Are jokes about Mental Illness acceptable? I guess the answer depends on who is telling the joke and who they are telling it to.

 

[Amberiat]

I think it's perfectly acceptable, but it's pretty situational. I like and am open to any kinds of humor, from the usual to the darkest/most offensive, but some people aren't and some of them may have good reasons for taking it badly.

It's all about choosing the right time, place and individual(s).

 

[Dreamer]

Strictly speaking, I don't see any area that is off limits for jokes mostly because joking and humor is simply some people's means for dealing with a tough area in their life, to try and make ought of it perhaps. As many have already said though, you must know your audience before spewing just any jokes anywhere. Some areas aren't objectively open for humor and it's good to know the boundaries of others.

 

[LightSun]

Making jokes over someone’s else misfortunes shows lack of empathy. I from a personal standpoint would question the person’s character. In our society there is more than enough stigma and erroneous assumptions about people dealing with mental illness. It is a serious issue that should not be so cavalierly made the butt of a joke.

I’ve had a qualm on the part of late night performers who showcase and poke insults and jokes over some celebrities misjudgment or a mistake made on their part. Are we not all human and has not each of us done something that was perhaps not so wise. This clearly is showing a lack of moral sensitivity.

But by the same token we negatively reinforce such behavior by tuning in and laughing at someone else’s misfortune. It is akin to those whose gather at the sight of an accident and gawk. Whatever the reason may be apparently it brings some sick comfort by viewing the misfortunes of others.