Can ‘Fat Shaming’ Be Defended?
Defining the fair bounds of humor in the internet+ age.
When it comes to justifying offensive jokes, you must have heard the irony argument.
It’s the intellectual twist that has brought the world such politically incorrect characters as David Brent in The Office (“I don’t care if you’re black, brown, yellow - Orientals make very good workers”) and Peter Griffin in Family Guy (“Oh come on Lois. A woman driving a car. Hahaha”).
The idea is that racism, sexism and all manner of sins can still find a place as long as we are actually laughing - ironically - at the abuser themselves. It’s all very post-modern: jokes within jokes.
Many of us find that enough to make such humour just about acceptable - perhaps thrillingly so - and we laugh along too.