A lot of people, even people who are quite morally rigorous, assent in practice to the norm that an off-color joke being hilarious can make it acceptable.
The value of the joke isn't just redemptive, it's evidence that the joke-maker made the joke for reasons other than the bad ones we're likely concerned about. If you create or repeat a funny off-color joke, you may or may not have done so to advance the inherent humor of it, but if you create or repeat a terrible off-color joke, all that you can be advancing are the twisted values that make the joke off-color.
Anthony Jeselnik and Jimmy Carr fan here; Louis C. K., et cetera... I do think it has gotten rarer; I remember ethnic jokes and dead baby jokes from 70s playgrounds and schoolrooms.
The value of the joke isn't just redemptive, it's evidence that the joke-maker made the joke for reasons other than the bad ones we're likely concerned about. If you create or repeat a funny off-color joke, you may or may not have done so to advance the inherent humor of it, but if you create or repeat a terrible off-color joke, all that you can be advancing are the twisted values that make the joke off-color.
Thanks, I've added this comment to the post and attributed it to you.
Thank you, gracious bear!
May I suggest an additional type of humor for inclusion in your discussion: Monty Python’s goal of being so funny that no one dares laugh.
Anthony Jeselnik and Jimmy Carr fan here; Louis C. K., et cetera... I do think it has gotten rarer; I remember ethnic jokes and dead baby jokes from 70s playgrounds and schoolrooms.
Some thoughts:
The jester terrifies authoritarians.
My mother always laughed and always with tearful empathy wished I hadn’t made her, but in the end frogs with no legs are deaf.
Also, check out robin Williams explaining why Germans aren’t so funny.
I think we can tell when a joke is being told from a place of hate, but that’s not necessarily verifiable or common ground.