The humor of these sexist jokes (and any other stereotype jokes) in fact spring from such lack of serious content. The humor resulting from the phrase "women should make me sandwiches," which is often used as a sexist joke by people is from this very lack and in fact points out the absurdity in such a comment, much like how sarcasm can point out a comments absurdity. Humor lies with the absurd and unrealistic.
If I said this joke in any serious manner, there would actually be no humor in it to me whatsoever, since I would be stating it as a perceived fact. By interpreting the joke as something the speaker seriously believes, consciously or unconsciously, undermines the humor to such a joke.
You make your point clear, but look at it from the perspective of the target class, and you can see how it could get really tiresome.
ReplyDeleteAnd please turn off your 'word verification' function, which is tiresome indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe narrative structure of a joke usually relies upon the tension of building a pattern of expectation and then breaking it. Sexist and racist jokes rely on an expectation that there is a shared understanding/acceptance of an established hierarchy in the reality of the audience. By relating these jokes you are supporting that reality construct and in turn alienating those who don't share your position. It is cowardly to present (and by doing so: support) an oppressive perspective (especially one that supports your own position in the world) and then hide behind the banner of "it's only a joke" once someone expresses that they feel alienated/offended by it. Jokes often support the status quo by establishing the parameters of normalcy and then ridiculing people/actions that fall outside of those parameters. Conservative talk show hosts, political commentators and comedians have built their careers upon this approach and their monologues often reflect sexist/racist/homophobic and otherwise oppressive sentiments however they are the first to cry "censorship!" and declare themselves rebels for being "politically incorrect". They are not rebels in the slightest in that they are supporting and expressing the same tired old oppressive construct that elevated their position in the first place.
ReplyDeleteOh Griffin, thank you for having the intellectual courage to open up this discussion. I am very glad to have this opportunity to seriously discuss sexist jokes with you.
ReplyDeleteYou might think you're mocking stereotypes, but in my view you're reinforcing them. Humor is an excellent way of minimizing something harmful/painful - I think that this may be what Jacob references when he says that he often invites people to make fun of the situation he's in. However, one must be very careful about what one is minimizing and mocking through humor - one may think he or she is mocking sexism, but in fact may be making fun of those people who must deal with sexism.
Moreover, if it's possible that if one makes sexist jokes often enough, to the point where they make up the majority of what one in saying about women, it can start to shape one's worldview. When a women actually doesn't have her driver's license, or makes some kind of error, it becomes a confirmation of your worldview, rather than just a mistake she's made.
Additionally, I respect your desire to "point out the absurdity" of sexism through these jokes. However, if you really want to point out the absurdity of sexism, you might want to do it in a way that doesn't reinforce gender stereotypes. If you really want to flip the script, why not make a joke about how men can't ski because there's no snow on the way to the kitchen to the bedroom? (I don't advocate making sexist jokes at anyone's expense, I am simply pointing out the way these jokes reinforce stereotypes rather than mocking them.)
Lastly, I wish to parse what "offended" might mean here. I don't feel particularly offended when people make sexist jokes. I feel profoundly sad. There are still many parts of the world where women really aren't allowed much further than the bedroom and the kitchen, and it seems unjust to mock them for this.