Are people really so sensitive? Is humour on the way out?

I think that it is on it's way out. My heart is broken over that. We as a whole wide world are allowed to whine and cry over anything that has offended them at some point or another. People are allowed to create lawsuits to get back at the other guy who offended them. I would love to know what happened to letting it slide of the shoulder or "turning the other cheek". I am blonde, my mother is stupid, and we are of German decent, dutch, scottish, and Irish. Does that mean I am retarded and ride the DUI shortbus(mind you there is a joke about that). No, I don't find anything offensive unless you are cruel to my dad or my kids. People need to toughen up a bit and get over the stupid stuff. Those who cannot live life fully are often destroyers of life--I live by that quote.

First, yes people can be too sensitive. The reason for it is that they have reason to be. Either they have experienced some sort of discrimination or they are carrying around some other internalized hurt that makes them behave as though they are in need of immediate anger management. Second, the comment may have seemed innocent but these is actually a very complex situation with a few different things going on. You have European colonization of other cultures and the way the indigenous people have been treated and after centuries of oppression and all the resulting conditions it is just never going to be appropriate for a "white" person to publicly make jokes at the expense of a non-white person. It isn't just about whether or not somoone is thin skinned. It is about responsibility and being accountable in the world community at large. It is about the resulting fallout that can and does occur after an incident like this happens. The people who were listening to the radio that day are going to repeat what they heard. Some will repeat the joke; some will ask their friends and relatives "is this funny?" Some will get into arguments over it and some of those arguments will be physical. Other media agencies are going to broadcast the details and rehash the incident to the enth degree and there will be further reactions to those actions. If a Pakistani comedian had told the joke almost everyone would have laughed and almost no one would have made an issue of it. It always ok for us to laugh at ourselves yet it is never ok for us to be the butt of other people's jokes. More often than not these jokes are made in a mean spirited manner and because we all know this there will always be a question in the back of our minds when someone makes a comment where we wonder if they are actually making some kind of racial slur. It will always make us look at them in a different light and wonder if they are someone we should trust. I have to admit that bit about the wire would be funny no matter who was fighting over the penny but I wouldn't want any one Scottish to be offended because I thought so. The refrigerator joke doesn't make sense to me. I am well aware of how Scots and Brits clash from time to time but if you take the think about your parents and grandparents and their experiences interacting with other cultures, would they share your ability to easily shake off those Scot jokes? I am "African-American" in the United States in the heart of the deep south where racism and bigotry are still very much alive and well and yet I have plenty of "white" friends and almost always have as weill as friends of all other cultures. I have heard all the stories from older family and community members and their peers on both sides of the color lines and while my experience has been vastly differnt from those elders I am still affected by it. They still react to life based on their perspective based on their experiences and their pain is very real. It doesn't matter that I am not affected the same way by the same occurances. I understand the reason these people feel the way they do even if I am sometimes a little impatient and wondering when things will change. Tolerence begins by being sensitive to all members of the global community and showing respect for all cultures.

Some people just have no sense of humour and if they happen to be black or Muslim or whatever then there is hell to pay. Life must be sooooo dull without a sense of humour! My wife is from the Lothians and she took an old contraceptive back to the chemist to see if they could repair the hole in it.

I would agree with what you say a lot of people have become way to sensitive. I would agree with what you say a lot of people have become way to sensitive. I think it is worse now after the Russell Brand, Jonathan Ross incident, the media brought that to everyone’s attention and gave viewers or listeners a certain power. After the Manuel-gate fiasco look how many things were taken way too seriously, such as Jeremy Clarkston and the trucker joke and Chris Moyles and his Will young joke. Comedians may become a dying breed if this trend continues. Humour is very subjective and will be different to everyone. I'm Irish and I do see the funny side in most situations. I am sure you have heard all the Paddy jokes. Paddy Englishman Paddy Irishman Paddy Scotsman Am I offended by any of it ? No

I always get dumb blonde jokes. For instance, if a blonde, a red-head, and a brunette jump off a roof who would land last? The blonde, because she has to stop and ask for directions. Sorry if that joke offended any other blondes here, it's just the first example of the jokes people insist on telling me for some reason. Laughter is very healthy, keeps you young.

At the moment in England you have to be very careful to be "politically correct". The government is saying we should not say this or that yet the person the joke is aimed at says yes that was funny. Madness. and David Jason is one Gentleman.

some people are but not all, sometimes it's hard to break a joke, because you don't know their background,which would offend them or not.

I've noticed a delcine in humor from people over the years. People should lighting up.

Just laugh at it, its no good to feel your heart aching because of this jokes. Every country has its own jokes too.

Hi, Enjoying a joke always depends on who the listeners are. It must be understood that each and everyone have their own way of viewing things and when someone says something, it is always the right thing for them, cause its the way they view that particular thing. It is not necessary that a particular joke which you enjoyed will be something that much digestible to another. That happens. Things get worse when such jokes are particularly pointing to some community. Those mature people in the society are not ready to take a joke as a joke. Never mind, if you like it, just keep laughing.

Since is the joke.should not be must go intentionally to offend anything! Since is the joke. that lets us joke it away. is willing the joyful health to be good! However has many friends to be very sensitive. so long as we attention in the language are good.

I think people are offendid too easily these days, a joke is a joke, it doesn't mean anything, it just makes you smile/laugh. That joke certainly wasn't what I would call "offensive", it didn't actually say anything racist about the Pakistani, some people need to lighten up, 'take a chill pill'.