https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueAskReddit/comments/1hywfkz/when_is_a_joke_not_a_joke/
created by R3dF0r3 on 11/01/2025 at 13:59 UTC
0 upvotes, 6 top-level comments (showing 6)
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1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
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Comment by Canuck_Voyageur at 11/01/2025 at 15:52 UTC
12 upvotes, 1 direct replies
When it's source of humour is based on humiliation, ridicule, embarrassment, pain or suffering of anther person.
When the victim of the joke doesn't laugh with you.
"I was just joking" Sometimes my efforts to be funny go astray. When they do, I apologise both in public, and privately.
But I see others use this as an excuse to put people down, to be cruel and mean without being called out for it.
Comment by thegimboid at 11/01/2025 at 15:33 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I've contemplated the concept of humour quite a bit and come to a few realizations.
One thing is that I came up with the theory that there's a number of ways comedy works. It can be unexpected, anticipated, or expected.
Unexpected is when it comes out of nowhere and you laugh because it was so random.
Anticipated is when all the pieces are set up and the comedy moment just puts them together. Sometimes you can see the joke coming, but it's not fully formed until the end.
And expected is when you can see the joke from a mile away and already know the punchline but it's still funny. This one is tricky and only works in certain scenarios - like hearing a funny joke that you've heard before.
In addition to that is that in order for something to be a joke, there needs to be an element of untruth. In many situations the audience must assume that the joker teller doesn't actually believe in whatever the punchline espouses, and is merely saying it for comedic effect.
It's the element that changes a comedic set complaining about (men/women/politics/etc) from being a hateful rant to being funny. The disconnect between what the person would actually say versus what they said is what causes laughter.
If the comedian actually believes what they're saying, it stops being a joke, and starts being either sad, angry, or merely confusing and upsetting.
Of course some of this lies in the eye of the viewer - I might not find one person funny, simply because I subconsciously don't believe their comedic persona is fake.
Comment by nizzernammer at 11/01/2025 at 21:41 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
When the joke maker punches down.
When there is an ugly truth behind the sentiment.
When you threaten the sovereignty of another country, or disregard another party's consent.
Comment by _vercingtorix_ at 13/01/2025 at 13:11 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
There was a good ted talk a few years ago that points out that basically *everything* that makes us laugh is actually a "softened threat".
Even primal things that cause laughter like tickling are "funny", because they represent non-threatening touches to areas that are pretty vital on the body.
Same for verbal jokes -- you're more or less making a "softened" threat.
Something is thus not funny under two conditions:
1. there is no threat at all. because of this, there is nothing to soften and thus no "punchline". The joke is just corny and not funny to begin with.
2. the threat isn't sufficiently softened by the punchline. In these cases, the joke becomes offensive.
Comment by hhairy at 11/01/2025 at 17:38 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You described my ex. He loved being at gatherings and saying something that almost sounded like a compliment, but would really be demeaning, then laugh and say, " I'm just kidding!".