• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Cleese Thinks 'Woke' Culture Is Killing Comedy

Chomsky said:
Oh, I 100% agree! Without a doubt.

But as to some of the recent public subject matters (Covid, Floyd), I'm thinking they're simply beyond joking around for many. Too much suffering & bitterness, to make light of it.
Click to expand...

I agree if we hyperfocus on intense negativity, there's not much left to kid around about. But this taking yourself so seriously all the time is a big part of the problem. This kind of intolerance is suppressing the ability of others to lighten up and find the humor in tragedy.
 
grip said:
The 'woke' are PC fanatics about restricting freedom of expression. I find both parties guilty but the liberals have weaponized their disapproval of intolerant opinions much more effectively.
Click to expand...

Remember, the true goal of the "woke" is to grab power. They don't care about the consequences, or who they harm in the process.
Call them out, they will gang up on their target and actually label them weak, a victim. People like that are absent of ethics and morals.
 
People who think stand-up comedy doesn't exist anymore aren't really worth talking to about a subject like this.
 
grip said:
We used to write satire and make fun of politicians perceived weaknesses, now we take everything said so seriously that it makes conversing with others an anxious act of overly filtering and conforming. We should be able to disagree with each other's opinions on issues and policies without hating each other?

I remember growing up there were three subjects that you didn't discuss, politics, religion, and money (personal finances). Our parents were smarter than us.
Click to expand...
So... The solution to people getting upset about racism, sexism, white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia and so on is... to not discuss politics, religion or money at all? :confused:

Anyway. Yes, Cleese is a crotchety old man, whose bitter streak occasionally comes out. No one should be particularly surprised by that.
 
danielpalos said:
Want to be a smart ass and get in my face about it?
Click to expand...

I can be anything I want. This is the United States of America. Don't like that I am purple with pink polka dots, well, that ain't my problem. ;)
 
grip said:
I believe the 'cause' of this new tribalism is social media.
Click to expand...
"New" tribalism?!? Seriously?

Identity has been a driving force in humanity since day one... if not earlier.
 
trixare4kids said:
Some are predicting the anti-woke will become the new woke. I say it's already happening. The author says the new anti-woke aren't any better than the woke when they also become warriors taking on the alleged PC "woke"

Go ahead, "woke ones", make fun of the source and the messenger. IMO, he nails it.


For rest of article: Is Anti-Woke Becoming the New Woke? – Areo
Click to expand...

I like it. I too have become one who views this pc thing as an attempt to stymie free speech or should I say speech and voicing of opinions different, opposite at times of those the pc folks hold. I think those of the pc movement who now cheer the shutting down of those who have different views, ideology, view things differently will sooner or later find that their views, ideology and being able to voice their opinions will also come to an end.
 
Irredentist said:
Some jokes are funny and some aren't. You have to judge each one individually. There are certainly "woke" jokes. Whether you'd laugh at them or not is another question entirely.
Click to expand...

Some subjects are simply too serious to fool around about and some of the material is often crass but people are unfortunately becoming conditioned to respond dishonestly to avoid conflict. It's almost like mass brainwashing.
 
Visbek said:
So... The solution to people getting upset about racism, sexism, white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia and so on is... to not discuss politics, religion or money at all? :confused:

Anyway. Yes, Cleese is a crotchety old man, whose bitter streak occasionally comes out. No one should be particularly surprised by that.
Click to expand...

The problem is, the "woke" don't discuss anymore. They talk down and at anyone who gets in the way of their agenda; to seek power and dominance over the "unwoke". Even desperate Hillary tried to do this before and after the election. No, it couldn't be that half of Trump's base was simply against her politics.. It had to be we were all tagged sexists, racists, misogynists, homophobic, anti-science, and more importantly, irredeemable. These are labels meant to marginalize so that the power grabbers win the debate or in her case, win the WH.
 
Last edited:
trixare4kids said:
Remember, the true goal of the "woke" is to grab power. They don't care about the consequences, or who they harm in the process.
Call them out, they will gang up on their target and actually label them weak, a victim. People like that are absent of ethics and morals.
Click to expand...

Power is important, and it is never conceded without a fight.

People who don't think that the bigots who oppose the woke want to keep their power tend to see the oppressor's power as normal and right, and thus, somehow ethical and moral. A world turned upside down.
 
trixare4kids said:
I can be anything I want. This is the United States of America. Don't like that I am purple with pink polka dots, well, that ain't my problem. ;)
Click to expand...

See, right wingers think this is some kind of master trolling. Don't realize how weak it makes them look.
 
Visbek said:
"New" tribalism?!? Seriously?

Identity has been a driving force in humanity since day one... if not earlier.
Click to expand...

Not on this level, in the US, since the Civil War.
 
grip said:
I agree if we hyperfocus on intense negativity, there's not much left to kid around about. But this taking yourself so seriously all the time is a big part of the problem. This kind of intolerance is suppressing the ability of others to lighten up and find the humor in tragedy.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

There's a reason so many great comedians in the post-war decades of the 50's & 60's, were Jews. And it wasn't because they grew-up, as kids, during peachy-keen times!
 
trixare4kids said:
The problem is, the "woke" don't discuss anymore. They talk down and at anyone who gets in the way of their agenda; to seek power and dominance over the "unwoke".
Click to expand...

"Power and dominance" :lamo

Sure, sure. Anyone who criticizes what you say is trying to "dominate" you.
 
Chomsky said:
Agreed.

There's a reason so many great comedians in the post-war decades of the 50's & 60's, were Jews. And it wasn't because they grew-up, as kids, during peachy-keen times!
Click to expand...

Exactly, they had a lot of material to work with from a horrific event. I remember my father laughing at me from one of the worst episodes in my life. And I furiously demanded to know what he found funny? He grinned and said, would you really feel better if I cried with you? I, of course, said, no.
 
trixare4kids said:
Maybe the woke ought to stop mouthing off, and cease blaming the POTUS for Covid, Floyd or whatever bug happens to be up their woke behinds then?
Click to expand...
Well, we do have to put blame where blame lies. I know we differ on this ...
 
Irredentist said:
Why? He's the president, it's supposed to be his job to deal with things like this. To provide, you know, leadership?

So far, he's made a terrible go of it.
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing your opinion. While he's made mistakes, what president hasn't made mistakes anyway? .. I disagree that he hasn't dealt with the backlash to the murder of George Floyd. He is for peaceful protests, and is not against BLM. The media lies, and people swallow their swill. Whatever he has done to deal and combat covid is met with scorn, ridicule, lies, resistance, and baseless sensationalistic media headlines meant to polticize and get him removed from office. Yeah, whatever it takes. The "woke" thinly veiled as mob rule have tried to ruin his presidency.
 
grip said:
Exactly, they had a lot of material to work with from a horrific event. I remember my father laughing at me from one of the worst episodes in my life. And I furiously demanded to know what he found funny? He grinned and said, would you really feel better if I cried with you? I, of course, said, no.
Click to expand...
Yeah. It's good to laugh at ourselves from time-to-time. Your old man also had the benefit of perspective. That's the beauty of the living/aging process. You learn to separate the wheat from the chaff.
 
Chomsky said:
Well, we do have to put blame where blame lies. I know we differ on this ...
Click to expand...

If there was just one intelligent argument as to why the blame should be on the president for the death of George Floyd, I'd listen.
If there was just one day where there was an intelligent argument as to why the president is the anti-Christ when it comes to Covid, I'd listen.

IMO, the cray opinions shared on this forum are mostly vapid one liners sprinkled heavily with hate for him and his base.
 
Chomsky said:
Yeah. It's good to laugh at ourselves from time-to-time. Your old man also had the benefit of perspective. That's the beauty of the living/aging process. You learn to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Click to expand...

It's all perspective, timing, subject matter, and playing on the absurdity of life.

I was getting hammered at work one day with every problem imaginable. And I began to get so wound up that I couldn't function, so instead of freeze up from anxiety, I just started laughing hilariously. My assistant asked, are you okay, and I said, it was either laugh or cry.

Bottom line is that both parties want success and prosperity for the US but are miles apart on how to achieve it. That's not a reason to self implode or destroy each other, because then nobody gets helped.
 
Chomsky said:
I think what's happening now, is the political & institutional failures & poor behaviours have hit the point they have become gravely serious. So, it's hard to make light of them.

It's hard to joke about what the cop did to George Floyd. It's hard to joke about Trump or the Red State governors, when the deaths accrue, the economy is smashed, and the kids can't got to school.

That's my take on it. Improper behaviours have gone beyond 'laughing matters'. They've become seriously grave and even deadly.
Click to expand...

Who is joking about it though? Really? Who???
I noticed you left out the blue state governors while handing out the blame for covid, and the riots in those blue states.

Maybe the solution is to stop blaming and ask what we can do for our country? That's when the Democratic Party had a backbone. I miss those days.
 
trixare4kids said:
If there was just one intelligent argument as to why the blame should be on the president for the death of George Floyd, I'd listen.
If there was just one day where there was an intelligent argument as to why the president is the anti-Christ when it comes to Covid, I'd listen.

IMO, the cray opinions shared on this forum are mostly vapid one liners sprinkled heavily with hate for him and his base.
Click to expand...
I am blaming Trump for the state of the pandemic. I do not blame Trump for Floyd's death, but I do blame him for his mis-handling the subsequent unrest and adding to it.

There's reasons why the country is so terribly messed up. Leadership. I've seen it in the corporate world, and now I see it here.
 
grip said:
It's all perspective, timing, subject matter, and playing on the absurdity of life.

I was getting hammered at work one day with every problem imaginable. And I began to get so wound up that I couldn't function, so instead of freeze up from anxiety, I just started laughing hilariously. My assistant asked, are you okay, and I said, it was either laugh or cry.

Bottom line is that both parties want success and prosperity for the US but are miles apart on how to achieve it. That's not a reason to self implode or destroy each other, because then nobody gets helped.
Click to expand...

Deja vu. I said something very recently just like the above.
Nailed.
 
Chomsky said:
I am blaming Trump for the state of the pandemic. I do not blame Trump for Floyd's death, but I do blame him for his mis-handling the subsequent unrest and adding to it.

There's reasons why the country is so terribly messed up. Leadership. I've seen it in the corporate world, and now I see it here.
Click to expand...

You haven't given me the reasons as to why you blame Trump for all of the above. I can't comment if you won't.
You actually believe Biden will be a better leader? Why?
 
trixare4kids said:
Thank you for sharing your opinion. While he's made mistakes, what president hasn't made mistakes anyway? .. I disagree that he hasn't dealt with the backlash to the murder of George Floyd. He is for peaceful protests, and is not against BLM. The media lies, and people swallow their swill. Whatever he has done to deal and combat covid is met with scorn, ridicule, lies, resistance, and baseless sensationalistic media headlines meant to polticize and get him removed from office. Yeah, whatever it takes. The "woke" thinly veiled as mob rule have tried to ruin his presidency.
Click to expand...

What makes you think he is for protests and is not against BLM?

What has he done to deal with covid?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom