If one is able to joke about it, are they capable of doing it?

Question

When it comes to serious issues, I mean. Just the mere entertaining of such thoughts...

(I play devil's advocate here)

Answer 1

We are human beings. Therefore nothing human can be alien to us. Meaning each of us is capable of the heights and depths of the human existence. Are we LIKELY? No. If we can joke about it are we MORE likely? Slightly. Illustrate it with the opposite extreme; Somebody that cannot bring themselves to even joke about it are probably less likely.

Answer 2

People are capable of doing all sorts of things given the right circumstances for that individual. But that doesn't mean they would seriously consider doing those things otherwise.

People laugh not just because they find a thing funny, but also to relieve tension concerning their perspective of a subject. Joking about something can be done for the same reason, because they find the subject unnerving and they are trying to come to some term with it so that they won't be so bothered by it.

Answer 3

Well they may be CAPABLE of doing it. Whether they would or not, is another issue. People often joke about or say things without even realizing what they're saying. Case in point: I went out on a date with a fellow recently. Upon seeing a group of people who's skin was a different color than his, he made an extremely offensive remark. I'm not one to keep my opinion of this issue to myself, so after a strong verbal lashing on my part, he admitted he said the remark only because his co-workers talk that way, and he doesn't really know what his own opinion is. I found that to be strangely sad, and very weak of him. Another less intense example would be the simple and often used, "I'm gonna kill you...!!!". Most likely, untrue...lol

Answer 4

No, I spent 6 years in the Navy and on the long night watches aboard ship we would stand around and joke about everything. And I mean everything, no subject taboo. And you can imagine the language that comes out of sailors mouths. I am still good friends with a lot of those guys and I know that none of them are capable of the things we discussed. It was just entertainment.

Answer 5

"Joking" about violence is a form of human theater. We oftentimes use theater, such as puppetry with abused children, to allow our "super-ego" to cognitively examine and psychologically feel out many issues that perplex us and tangle us up in consideration for awhile. It is during the silence after the joking has stopped in which the "ego" of us, the doer, actual considers committing true violence, or not. While working with criminally violent psychotics as a nurse, I always dreaded when the joking stopped. The more rational resources that one has, the less likely one gets tangled up on fundamental issues of human coexistence and the less likely one is to resort to the theater of joking about violence.

Answer 6

Actually I think most people joke about the things they are not capable of doing. It is a defense mechanism that kicks in. Call it embarrasment or pride or whatever, it just seems easier for people to joke about something rather than to admit they don't have the ability to do it.

Answer 7

That depends on what "it" is. I don't know what your definition of "serious" issues is? "Entertaining thoughts" is all the difference in the world from acting them out. You might entertain thoughts of having a torrid affair with your handsome next door neighbor who is married, but never act on it.

Answer 8

My husband and I are unable to have kids. I joke about just stealing someone's baby when they aren't paying attention or driving down to Mexico and taking a baby. I would never do it because it's wrong and would be breaking someone else's heart to cure mine. I think if you have a conscience, you can joke but have the good sense to never do it if it harms others.

Answer 9

yes and no.
who knows what any of us are truly capable of?
i've been reading a series of books on WWII lately, written by actual soldiers. in society, none of these men were 'killers', but the war environment brought out survival instincts they didn't even know they had.
in the right situation, any of us could be capable of anything.

Answer 10

In general, no. But sometimes jokes lead one on to think about doing the thing and then one just goes ahead and does it. I gues if one jokes about something and it ends there, that's that. But if the joke lingers, continues and is repeated and expanded, then one starts translating it into reality and before you know it, you doing it!!!