When I read about the Japaneese mayor who was in an emergency meeting with his staff about the earthquake, and they were all swept away by the Tsunami, I laughed a most hearty laugh of the likes I've seldom done lately.
I mean, come on. Emergency meeting about quake. Get flushed by Tsunami.
It's pretty funny.
My colleague stared at me in disgust and did not find it amusing at all when I related the story to him. I am glad his wife was not in earshot.
The only way it could've been improved is if the meeting was about Tsunami prevention measures.
Is there something wrong with me, or is this actually a riot?
Caveat, there is nothing funny about the suffering of untold thousands. It's just the particular situation that amuses me. If I knew the man, I'm sure I would be sorry that he died.
I'd still laugh, but I'm sure I would be sorry.
It's not my field of expertise, but I'm of the opinion that humans developed humour to help them deal with tragic and uncomfortable situations.
The Japanese are apparently kings of laughing at uncomfortable times.
Not really sure how that is funny.
i got a chuckle. like you not about the actual deaths, but about the circumstances.
Good joke man...
Quote from: garbon on March 23, 2011, 01:45:26 PM
Not really sure how that is funny.
There is a certain irony there, though. Alanis should take notes.
Quote from: dps on March 23, 2011, 06:02:50 PM
Quote from: garbon on March 23, 2011, 01:45:26 PM
Not really sure how that is funny.
There is a certain irony there, though. Alanis should take notes.
It's like a free ride when you have already paid. :yes:
Incidentally, I commented at work that having the International Water Day (yesterday) and the Earth Day (on Saturday) this year is pretty tasteless and people found it funny. We make jokes and laugh at stuff like you, Slargos, at work all the time.
garbon is too much of a pussy.
Yes, not finding something funny = pussy.
So he messed up pussy with bitch :)
Quote from: PDH on March 23, 2011, 08:11:02 PM
So he messed up pussy with bitch :)
While I love compliments, does that even need to be stated at this point? :hmm:
It's not your sense of humour that is the problem. It's your lack of political correctness. Learn to laugh alone.
Quote from: garbon on March 23, 2011, 08:12:30 PM
Quote from: PDH on March 23, 2011, 08:11:02 PM
So he messed up pussy with bitch :)
While I love compliments, does that even need to be stated at this point? :hmm:
That was why the smilie, you needed a pick me up it seemed.
You're a Jew-hating wannabe Kraut. And that's just not that funny.
Quote from: PDH on March 23, 2011, 08:11:02 PM
So he messed up pussy with bitch :)
You think Martinus has ever messed up pussy?
As for the original question...
That kind of ironic event is at the core of a certain type of humour.
There's another kind of humour where the punchline is, essentially, that someone got hurt.
Seperate from that, different people have different levels of empathy with people in dire straits. The more empathy you feel for someone in a particular situation, the less likely you'll find the situation a good subject for humour.
The problem you ran into was that your level of empathy with the subject was at a level that while you acknowledge sympathy for the victims, it's still okay to make the joke; your audience obviously had more sympathy. This is perhaps compounded by the fact that you might have come across as thinking the death was the cause of the humour, not the irony.
If you enjoy that kind of dark ironic humour and want to share it with others, you're generally safer to make those cracks about things where you are the victim. Then people will think you have strength of character, laughing at your own misfortune. Laughing at other people's misfortune is generally not well thought of (outside the internet at least), even if there is a humorous element to it. Unless the victim is really thought to have deserved it, you'll be the jerk who laughs at other's misfortune.
I have a tendency to laugh at the wrong things & can certainly be a heartless SOB. But as much as I've tried to see the humor in this case, it just doesn't resonate with me.