(no subject)

[lollardfish]

Can anyone more knowledgeable than I point out any examples of the Vilification Tennis show doing productive social satire - that is, making fun of something in order to demonstrate its impropriety or nonsensical nature?

I'm seeing excuses that I shouldn't be offended at their upcoming show because it's productive social satire.

I think it's just an excuse and the show isn't about satire, it's about getting laughs by being as mean as possible. They are really good at it. They get a lot of laughs. I think they're kidding themselves about the satire, but I'm not that familiar with their shows.

Comments

[mamajenzie.livejournal.com]

I'm repeating part of my blog. I don't like doing so, but you have stated that I made comment about raising awareness through the show. Like I have said, I should not be seen as the end all be all of vilification. For that matter, neither should Mark. The only person that can truly represent Vilification Tennis is Tim, the "guy in charge."

The one insult I would have loved to have thrown was "you're so stupid, you thought retard was a noun" and then looked to see who got it. And then maybe those that didn't would ask. I have always been a fan of increasing awareness through wordplay, satire, sarcasm, and irony.

Look! I even included the insult you liked. :)

And the reason you liked it was because you "got" the joke. You *know*. Someone who didn't get the joke wouldn't *know.* If they knew, they'd get the joke, whether they liked it or not.

In not getting it, my hope would be that they would ask someone. At the very least, they would know they don't know. And that is raising awareness. Not an in your face, do or die raise of awareness. Just a slight bump in that there is something else out there. What else do you call awareness?

And m entire post was about how MY awareness was raised but this show that hasn't even happened yet, having to focus on what is and isn't funny about the topic presented. So there's two.

My post was about how we didn't talk about the elephant in the room growing up, and how little I knew because of that. Just by talking about the subject, one raises awareness. So have a third.

And Mark is right about one thing. The focus of the show is on being funny. We are billed as an offensive show, but the goal isn't to offend. It's to be funny. And there is nothing funny about insulting someone for the sake of being offensive. I would never go up to you and call you a r_____ daddy (hell, I wouldn't do it to someone I didn't like). That is not funny.

There is a part of me that has always found you to be a bit difficult. You haven't been with me thus far, and I feel it's led to some rather productive sharing, if not acceptance.

But I do need to point out that I have heard that many of our mutual friends have been hurt by direct attacks from you to them for being in the show, going to the show, or supporting the show, even when you haven't been able to give examples of what has been directly hurtful or why. You have resorted to name calling. You have been directly hurtful to people you feel are being indirectly hurtful to you and those you love.

It's hypocritical, and I feel it should be beneath you. I know you get frustrated when you feel attacked or defensive, but it's not okay behavior, and certainly does not add credence to your case.

I was going to end there, but your follow up comment just popped up, so I will respond to that as well (I hate doing that multiple threads thing)...

Huh. Honestly, the only further response I have to that is that yeah, it is kind of abstract. If you can't feel the sarcasm in that tag, I have no way of convincing you otherwise.

And I think that is where I'm going to have to end. I am now a couple hours behind on my design work and really need to get back to it. I wanted to take the moment to comment on here, because I do think fondly of you, and I do care that you are hurting. I just think much of the offence that you are seeing simply isn't there.

Take care, hon.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I am difficult. I try not to be. But I get abrasive and angry, especially when people attack those dear to me. I only became aware of this show when my wife was in tears and I responded with a post, friends locked, that attacked the event without naming any names.I feel that was pretty restrained under the circumstances. Moreover, I later sent out emails apologizing for not contacting individuals directly. I'm not frustrated. I'm angry. I'm still angry.

I agree that the focus of the show is being funny. That's what I've been saying. But when I have expressed my feelings about this particular show's title and theme, I have been told, "it's satire." I still don't see it.

I do take your points about awareness in your experience. That all makes a lot of sense to me. I suspect everyone involved in this issue will, at least, think about it before they use the word retard pejoratively in this type of context. They may do it anyway. They may mutter, "fuck that asshole Lollardfish" under their breath. They may mutter, "Fuck politically-correct bullshit." Maybe they'll self-censor just to keep me from ranting at them, not through any acceptance of my perspective. I dunno. But they'll think about it for an extra second or two, and that pleases me. I'm going to be spending a good part of my life fighting to make the world a better place for my son, and if fewer people like me for it, I can live with that, though I'll regret it.