Just looking for general opinions about a point of view I heard last night, really...?

Question

It's about offense. I've been a big South Park fan since series 1, so I was chatting two guys from work about one of the episodes and I was saying how astonishing some of the lines that Trey Parker comes out with are. They asked for an example, so I quoted the line where Butters says, 'Aren't you worried about... going to "Heck"?' [meaning Hell], to which Cartman replies in a really blase fashion, 'I'm not going to Heck, Butters - I'm not black'.

Of course, the room turned silent at this moment, and no-one laughed. At first I thought it's because they don't share my sense of humour, but then someone said, 'I can't believe you find that funny.' What he didn't get is that I find it funny because of the nerve that TP has to say things like that - things that people don't really say on a day-to-day basis. The same guy then said, 'People choose to watch SP if they like it - they don't have a choice when they're listening to you.' I think this is interesting, if silly. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Cartman is the evil character, not Trey Parker. The South Park boys are two of the greatest satirists around. Trouble is people go with their knee jerk response and assume the programme is promotes race hate when in fact characters like Token are a comment about how racist it is to have a 'token' black character. Token himself a successful and well adjusted boy, as opposed to Cartman who is obese and insane.

It is very important nothing remains off bounds to comedians if freedom of speech is to be upheld and our government, for instance, is to stay in check. If politicians had the power of censorship they'd gain far too much control. The first thing Hilter did was to censor the press and i don't know about you but having seen Team America, Kim Jong il is totally belittled in my eyes. That film would be a powerful tool for liberals in North Korea and Parker and Stone would be executed for making it.

Similarly programmes like Fawlty Towers are funny because its unbelieveable what Basil comes out with. Just because a character does/says certain things its not necessarily the point of view of the maker. Your colleague just a bit too narrow minded to appreciate more than the obvious (unless of course you identify with Cartman and think black people go to heck. Then you got problems!)

Answer 2

Papeche (an Answerer above) is right: it's not what you find funny. It's how sensitive you are about sharing it with others.

In your question detail, you seemed to be very careful about how you repeated what you heard to your friends. It seems you were trying to get the say how astonishing it was that a TV character would say such a thing.

But for some reason, they just didn't quite hear you. They heard the offensive remark, perhaps, and not necessarily your thoughts about it --- or that you were asking them for their thoughts about it.

SP is intended to be offensive in order to raise and see how people address stereotypes, and sometimes just to be cruel (which is viewed as childish behaviour). How you play that out with friends should possibly be ---- VERY -- carefully considered?

Just a suggestion!

Answer 3

The thought police are everywhere, society is brainwashed by the PC brigade and careless talk costs aggravation, loss of job, beatings etc. Humour is subjective and unless a conversation is intrusively loud, I would normally ignore the content. I think that on anything in the least controversial, prudence should prevail in public discussion.

Answer 4

I think its funny and I don't think people should take offence so quick and easy. I worked on building sites in the 70's, 80's and 90's. If I had taken offence at every "offencive" remark made to me through those days. God only knows where I'd be now probably dead through beatings. Or sacked for causing trouble.

Answer 5

my freinds and faimly may call me fat, or any of a number of insults meaning the same, and its ok, becuase of our relationship.
ifa total stranger walked up to me and said the same, it would be offensive.

a lot of what words are funny, and are offensive depends on the relationship of the person speaking and listening.

I personally think sp is grotesque, and irrevant.
I would not watch that short of being restrained and drugged.
If you want to put that into your mind, Its none of my buisness,
if you want to repeat it to me, I will take strong offence.

But as far as you not having a choice when you watch it, thats bogus,
Personal responsibilty.

watching tv is like visiting a restraunt.

some dishes are healthy, some are not.

if I sit and order something spicy that disagrees with me( no matter how good it tastes) , and it makes me ill,
its not because I didn't have a choice,
its because I made a bad choice.

if you watch a show, and it offends you, its not because you don't have a choice, its because you made a bad choice.

Answer 6

My Son used to let my eldest Grandson watch this rubbish and I used to dispair. However, my son had the right idea he explained to my Grandson that it was all make believe and should not be taken seriously. And so 10 years on my Grandson is the most polite and well adjusted of human beings. And would not watch this sort of programme now.

You see it is all about parental control and so you must have not had that control when you were young otherwise you would not watch such garbage now.

Answer 7

To be honest I would have to agree with this person, you see the humour and shock value no doubt and so do others but at the same time they are seeing the racial offence of the (joke). wrong time wrong place perhaps. hope this helps.

Answer 8

yes people watch it to be entertained but i think that there should be a cut off point at some stage lot of young people watch it and it is very funny , but lines like that seem to make it acceptable to be racist,

Answer 9

I CAN SEE WERE YOUR WORK MATES ARE COMING FROM, ALTHOUGH YOU WERE ONLY QUOTING FROM THE SHOW, I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS VERY FUNNY, THE TROUBLE NOWADAYS IS NOBODY CAN SAY ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT ANYONE WHO IS BLACK,THEY ARE CLASSED A BEING RACIST. IF THEY HAD SAID I'M NOT GOING TO HELL BECAUSE I'M WHITE ,NOBODY WOULD HAVE PASSED ANY REMARK AT ALL.

Answer 10

People are scared to laugh in public these days in case people call them un p.c. They should be honest as they probably would laugh if they were on their own. i think that is called hypocrisy.