"by making our enemy small, inferior, despicable, or comic, we achieve in a roundabout way the enjoyment of overcoming him" (Freud)
The rest of the context is good too: it says,
"Why do we laugh at another person's humiliation and embarrassment? According to Freud, aggressive jokes allow the expression of impulses ordinarily held in check. Although we may have unconscious urges to attack certain people or groups of people, our egos and superegos are generally effective in preventing outward acts of violence. But an insulting joke allows us to express these same aggressive desires in a socially appropriate manner..."
It sounds like a lot of people we know, doesn't it?
Maybe this is why I don't trust people who tell racist/sexist/mean jokes.
No comments:
Post a Comment