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19 tweets,
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1/ With so many people condemning "cancel culture" and screaming about how over-sensitive folks are -- to racist humor, for instance, or other forms of bigotry, or other personal transgressions -- a few thoughts, because it seems like some important points are being ignored...
2/ First: most of those complaining do not, themselves, ever speak out & condemn these kinds of things in less 'cancel culture' ways. It's not like the Adam Carollas of the world regularly challenge racism in responsible, less judgy ways & merely disagree w/style of "SJWs"...
3/ Those upset over cancel culture tend 2b people w/ no track record of challenging bigotry or bias or doing anything related to lessening hatred or mistreatment of others in the world. Chappelle is an exception. Most are like Carolla and the douche bro culture he represents...
4/ So these complaints arent in good faith. These are not people who "agree w/what you're saying, just not the way you're saying it." They think racism, sexism, etc are funny & no big deal & everyone should get over it, bc of course they think that. Bc they aren't the targets...
5/ Secondly, yes, forgiveness, 2nd chances & mercy for transgressions are progressive concepts (and I endorse them fully). After all, it is typically we on the left -- the so called SJWs -- who believe in these things even for people who have committed serious crimes...however...
6/ The notion of forgiveness and restorative justice (RJ) (as opposed to punishment & canceling folks, so to speak) is predicated on the idea of accountability. In short, those who transgress must acknowledge the harm they did, apologize sincerely & make amends to the injured...
7/ RJ is not a "get out of jail free card," so to speak. Not for a violent criminal & not for a casual misogynist on the internet. Cheap grace is not the deal. Problem is, those who hurt others w/their comments and bullshit "edgy" humor, behave like sociopaths when called out..
8/ Rather than listening and acknowledging the hurt, they double down, accuse others of not being able to take a joke, and play victim (of PC, cancel culture, etc). They show no empathy. Which again calls into question their motives in condemning cancel culture...
9/ If they were really saying, 'hey listen, we need to challenge racism, etc but we need to do it in a way people can hear,' they wouldn't feel the need to defend their own bad actions bc having contributed to pain they would feel shitty about it and wanna make things right..
10/ By acting like they did nothing, or only apologizing "if you were offended," (which amounts to challenging the other person's rationality), they basically are saying, "whatever brah..." This is the issue. The initial transgression is bad but can be handled w/humility...
11/ But these folks have none. Or they hide behind comedy as some intrinsically transgressive thing, where the only issue is, "does it make people laugh?" But this is absurd too...Yes, comedy is transgressive when it punches up, but it's bullying when it punches down...
12/ I know it's cliche but its true. And yes, I know some people say "but SJWs are up now...y'all are the power structure!" But seriously, that's crazy talk. The people "SJWs" defend sure as shit are not the power: POC, trans folk, women, etc. Donald Trump is president FFS..
13/ When the court jester would come to the palace and make fun of the Royals, THAT was comedy, and that was edgy. But imagine he came and his set began w/ "Those peasants are so stinky!" and the King said "How stinky are they?"...not edgy, not funny, just asshole behavior...
14/ The point is, if you're a comic and can't fill out a set with jokes that don't rely on racial stereotypes or other content that relies on making already-marginalized people the punch line, you're a shit comic, or just being an asshole bc u could do better but choose not to...
15/ There are many things 2b funny about and there are even ways to tell jokes ABOUT race, sex, gender, sexuality, etc that are funny bc they aren't taking aim at folks harmed by those things. Humor that is self-deprecating (rather than other-deprecating) is a place to start...
16/ Even comics I don't much like (like Jeff Foxworthy) can b commended for doing redneck jokes bc he's a southerner. If he told those jokes w/a thick Jersey accent it wouldn't b funny. He'd b an asshole. It's like Jewish comics who made names 4 themselves telling Jewish jokes..
17/ If those same jokes wind up in the church bulletin, someone needs to have their ass kicked...When Margaret Cho does bits about her family its one thing. When Shane fucking Gillis mocks Asian speech (to say nothing of using blatant slurs) that shit is just being a dick...
18/ But even when someone fucks up and hurts another person with their words or actions, in comedy or online, there's an easy way to not get canceled. Just apologize sincerely, show some humility and willingness to grow. Make amends and do what those who were hurt ask of you...
19/ We have to give people second chances (and third ones and more, in most cases), because we all screw up and hurt people. But maturity is being able to say you're sorry, mean it, and really strive to do better. Forgiveness, like laughter and applause, has to be earned...
