No Ireland,

It has lately become the hipocritic oath,
A strict but admittedly subconscious devotion to same is the general rule.

M

The point was that immorality and indecent talk was being encouraged, for the sake of one-upmanship and some idiotic ego games. — Posty McPostface

No more idiotic than pretending to be a chicken or a pig I would have thought. It's not exactly cutting edge social commentary is it? What you do is express yourself in your own idiotic way. Which is totally fine, but how we do that does vary across personalities and the Shoutbox is a limited area where that is acceptable.

Would you want to fly with drunk pilots flying your plane had you witnessed them taking a drink in front of everyone before the flight? — Posty McPostface

Nobody's drunk and making a dirty joke does not indicate stupidity or an inability to carry out the job of moderation (any more than pretending to be a pig would). Get a grip, Posty.

Not at all! You have made a new line, and people have not just fallen, but jumped in it. Congratulations! Viva la revolution! — unenlightened

And Chez Guevera must be jumping up and down for joy in his grave. I hope he doesn't impale himself on his cigar. Is that a dirty joke? Mea Culpa.

When it is used as a vehicle for thought the depth or significance of the thought is more often proportional to the crudity of the delivery: When this is not the case, genius (as in the case of Zizek) may often be at the table. It is a loss if one misses genius because ones gentle sensibilities are being molested. — Marcus de Brun

Apart from exhibiting some level of genius and having a potty mouth, Zizek also talks in detail about how dirty jokes function. I can't find the video right now (in fact there are probably several where he mentions this somewhere) but the basic idea is that they allow, and in some cases are even necessary, for a certain from of friendship and comradeship to flourish. I basically share his view that they can function in that way, but then there's a balance of when and where and with whom it's appropriate to engage in them (and it's at least arguable that the shared space of the Shoutbox is not an appropriate place). Anyway, it's not just the simple case that anyone who regularly engages in dirty jokes is stupid and crass and those who object are of a higher more refined moral character. It's far more complicated than that. And some people just need to get out more, frankly.

Yeah, yeah. We do it because we can. And, the fact that other members have requested in this thread and in the Shoutbox that you refrain from such jokes and you ignore those requests, well I don't know. I guess you are invested in making these quality jokes after all?

That's non-responsive to what I wrote. If you are just going to sulk instead of actually engaging, fine. I'm not going to indulge you.

(E.g. You totally ignored this:

I basically share his view that they can function in that way, but then there's a balance of when and where and with whom it's appropriate to engage in them (and it's at least arguable that the shared space of the Shoutbox is not an appropriate place) — Baden

And Chez Guevera must be jumping up and down for joy in his grave. I hope he doesn't impale himself on his cigar. — Baden

And if that level of dirty joke actually offends you @Posty McPostface then the problem does lie with you, I would say. Fucking mothers and so on is a different level, which I'm more sympathetic to people being offended by, but still don't personally think should be censored when it's limited to a particular area on a philosophy forum orientated towards adults (even though it's definitely arguable it should be).

In all truth, much of what I have currently read in the Shoutbox are really poor attempts at humor, with a current trend with the posters acting as if they were all animals. That discussion is non-offensive sure, but it's right out of Romper Room. — Hanover

Still a billion times better (and more fresh, too) than your unending Aristocrat jokes.

I laugh at both but would elevate neither. There are occasionally good examples of real humour and sometimes quite sophisticated humour around the forum but neither of those is it.

@Posty McPostface
I am sorry for offending you and for my part in giving you any reason to feel uncomfortable or unsafe here at TPF. :heart:
Many wise members have spoken on this thread about not taking things personally but I am not very good at it, at all.
But there is a way to cut through the bullshit and that is by being you and remainig gentle. Remaining gentle against the occasional White tower opinions, remain sensitive against those who say no one cares what you say, remain you and be proud of being sensitive! Be proud to care about others and how we all work to get along! Meet anger with kindness and greet those who judge with unconventional love and apply it lavishly as maybe some of it will stick. Or not. And if it is the latter? Then that is their problem, not yours.

I laugh at both but would elevate neither. There are occasionally good examples of real humour and sometimes quite sophisticated humour around the forum but neither of those is it. — Baden

I'm not a prude, far from it. Aristocrat style jokes, tho, which consist of nothing but offensive insalubrities stringed together... There's nothing funny in there. At least dead baby jokes tend to have a punchline. :confused:

At least dead baby jokes tend to have a punchline — Akanthinos

That's the type of thing that would offend me actually. We all have our lines, I guess.

Remaining gentle against the occasional White tower opinions, remain sensitive against those who say no one cares what you say, remain you and be proud of being sensitive! — ArguingWAristotleTiff

To be fair, Posty has shown he's not above not being gentle or particularly sensitive even when some concessions are made in his favor. In the end, it all comes down to posters employing strategies to get what they want and make the forum in their image. Anyway, on this issue, the debate is open and we're listening. I've given my opinion but I'd like to achieve some kind of consensus if possible.

Put it this way, if most of the mod team and most posters want to censor the dirty jokes to some degree, we could enact that and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I doubt that's the case though.

(One suggestion btw would be to have them hidden behind a reveal button like gifs should be.)

remain you and be proud of being sensitive! Be proud to care about others and how we all work to get along! — ArguingWAristotleTiff

:heart:

I've given my opinion but I'd like to achieve some kind of consensus if possible.

Put it this way, if most of the mod team and most posters want to censor the dirty jokes to some degree, we could enact that and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I doubt that's the case though.

(One suggestion btw would be to have them hidden behind a reveal button like gifs should be.) — Baden

Baden, you know me and the last thing I want to do is make anyone feel like the TPF is an unsafe place to explore the many paths we share in our pursuit of wisdom. I have personally made less than classy remarks in the shoutbox that have made Posty uncomfortable and he said so but I many times didn't really hear him.

So I too am listening but a concensus on something as simple as the color of the sky is unachievable with a group of 'thinkers' but that is what makes us good, as a group 'thinkers.

Having said that, if I am able to learn how to use the "reveal" button, I will keep my sassy remarks for only those that care to read them.

I think that is what I will do because I do not wish to have any censoring of the shoutbox because as silly as it is, it is a place where we can take a load off, let down our hair and speak easy and without fear of laughing too loudly, together. :heart:

On a side note, Thank you for being here for us, to engage with us and for staying up way past your bedtime to make sure the forum members were heard. :heart:

@Hanover
I personally appreciate your taking most of the heat here, though I want you to know, your humor has gotten me through a lot of dark times and for that I am Thankful for the shoutboxes existence. :heart:

I'm not a prude, far from it. Aristocrat style jokes, tho, which consist of nothing but offensive insalubrities stringed together... There's nothing funny in there. At least dead baby jokes tend to have a punchline. :confused: — Akanthinos

This isn't a who's funnier contest. The question was whether certain jokes should be censored. Until you say that aristocrat jokes must be censored, we have no point of contention.

Until you say that aristocrat jokes must be censored, we have no point of contention. — Hanover

Meh. Definitely not worth starting to censor anything here.

I also don't like the sexual jokes in the Shoutbox for some reason. — Posty McPostface

The main problem with dirty sexual jokes in the Shoutbox is that they are quite often not as funny or as dirty as we would have hoped for. Discriminating connoisseurs of dirty jokes should be in charge of censoring jokes which do not make it over the low bar established here.

Similarly, the thoroughness with which oxen are gored is unsatisfactory. Since posters are reluctant to perform seppuku, somebody else has to do it for them.

I hope these reforms will improve your user experience.

Thanks, Tiff, for your sensible and generous approach. :up:

The main problem with dirty sexual jokes in the Shoutbox is that they are quite often not as funny or as dirty as we would have hoped for. Discriminating connoisseurs of dirty jokes should be in charge of censoring jokes which do not make it over the low bar established here. — Bitter Crank

I guess I'm the philistine now as I almost always laugh and as with Tiff they often lift my mood (as with the animal stuff). What they don't do is make me think but that's not the function of this type of humor in my view.

This isn't a who's funnier contest. The question was whether certain jokes should be censored. Until you say that aristocrat jokes must be censored, we have no point of contention.
4 hours ago — Hanover

I don't remember that being the question. I thought it was some people moaning about the kids these days. Some people think you're a bit of a dick - get over it.

I respect Posty's feelings on the topic but I also love the vulgar jokes in the shoutbox. I admire those who can engage in "deep" philosophical conversation/debate one minute and then turn around with some locker room humor in the next. I like those sorts of contrasts.

I mean, even in Speakers Corner of Hyde Park it's requested that nobody insult the queen.

OK, so since it's been brought up. I started the animal jokes as a means to foster companionship and openness. Since, some people found it 'immature' or 'childish' even though it seemingly was is more fun and entertaining than the repetitive sex jokes, then I can withhold from engaging in such 'immature' and 'childish' means of communication, since being an adult around here seems to entail that one at least occasionally make the dangly part reference.

The main problem with dirty sexual jokes in the Shoutbox is that they are quite often not as funny or as dirty as we would have hoped for. — Bitter Crank

Hey, as long as I'm not the one being fucked over.

In the end, it all comes down to posters employing strategies to get what they want and make the forum in their image. — Baden

So true.

Hey, as long as I'm not the one being fucked over. — Posty McPostface

I find that kind of language offensive. Please do away with it in future. I thought you wanted a nicey-wicey, friendwee, safey placey? :heart: :vomit:

I have nothing to fight over here. My ego isn't hurt or anything since I don't identify with it.

I have nothing to fight over here. My ego isn't hurt or anything since I don't identify with it. — Posty McPostface

If you have nothing to fight over, then your request should be considered rescinded, and the play can continue. Hurrah!

*wallows*