Post-tolerance humor is no laughing matter
It began with separate but equal — our war against the politically correct.
Those who were ignorant were blissful, and those who weren’t found whatever solace they could in their ceaseless pleas for change. Of course, their efforts were not in vain; a few decades ago, it seemed like the majority of people had chosen tolerance, acceptance and maybe a little psychedelic love. Fast-forward to 2010, I’d argue that racism and general prejudice toward anything short of homogeneity have once again come to the foreground.
Now before you think that I managed to start running with a pack of outlandish bigots that flew under the USC radar until this moment, hear me out. Discrimination has once again entered common dialogue through today’s liberal irony. The Millennials, of course, are sitting at the epicenter of post-tolerance.
Society is nothing if not cyclical. We do our best to learn from our mistakes, but as the saying goes, we’re only human.
Not many people used to be politically correct, and that was fine because the phrase hadn’t yet defined right and wrong. Soon after came the age of carefully worded, politically correct eggshell terms as we began to tiptoe around each other to keep the peace and warm fuzzies abundant. No longer. Today, it’s hip to wax offensive for the sake of ironic banter. It’s as if our entire society’s skin thickened and we can now slur away because everyone knows it’s just for giggles.
Of course it’s not a full circle; I wouldn’t say that the norm has once again become to tolerate the intolerant. But there is without a doubt an alarming trend we encounter more and more every day. On game day, I could not count the amount of times I heard the N-word dropped on McCarthy Quad. It’s raucous and wild and no one stops to think about it during a jungle juice toast to victory, but sometimes this pseudo-harmless verbal fun does actually spiral into hate crimes.
Take for instance the incidents that occurred on the UC San Diego campus in February, when the poorly-themed “Compton Cookout”party serving fried chicken and watermelon escalated into a noose hanging in the library. I would like to hope that we are conscientious enough to draw the line, but that’s not always the case.
No more than a decade ago, it was a struggle for gay and lesbian students to have a confident voice on college campuses. Today, some gay students are comfortable enough with public opinion to have reclaimed an offensive moniker or two — even using “that’s so gay” to describe something they themselves thought was stupid. Confidence and comfort are wonderful and all, but we can’t forget how recent this progress was made — and how volatile the public can be.
We make jokes every day targeting racial stereotypes, disabilities and gender — the list goes on. We let these jokes fly with a knowing wink of enlightenment, as though making them was a badge of hip post-tolerance. What we should be doing is proactively making steps toward political correctness and common verbal courtesy, not taking steps backward.
The media fosters this same style of reflexive politically incorrect irony (South Park, anyone?), and, of course, it sells. Believe me, I find it just as hysterical as the next person; look at Stephen Colbert or the comedic styling of writers at 30 Rock. Or perhaps you’re more jazzed about the satirical Broadway sensation Avenue Q, in which Gary Coleman gleefully proclaimed, “Everyone’s a little bit racist!”
But what they all plead for is a world that’s a whole lot less politically correct, which is supposedly something that can give way to cultural harmony. I’m not so optimistic.
Certainly it can be argued that we ought not to take ourselves so seriously — “sticks and stones”, etc. But I think that’s a fairly narrow-minded perspective. It’s excellent that in the last half-century we’ve made strides toward acceptance that hasn’t been present in Western world culture in a disturbingly long history. But we now have to take advantage of those advances. Its time to show some appreciation — the sincere kind — for the diversity by which we are surrounded, not view them only as a source of teenage humor. I have faith that ironies can be found elsewhere and they’ll be other self-deprecating laughs to come.
In the meantime, each time we start up a gag aimed at someone who is even the slightest bit different from the man in the mirror, we should keep in mind that the kid beside us might not be so ironically enlightened.
Allegra Tepper is a freshman majoring in print and digital journalism. Her column, “Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation,” runs Tuesdays.
Some times the most effective medicine is the bitterest to swallow.
While my advice for Tepper may seem harsh, or angst fueled, it is not. It is intended to help. Sorry kids, but people use racy humor, especially in college. It has always been like this, and it always will be. Anything you may write on this page will not change that.
Have fun trying to nibble at my arguments, but these efforts are lame and really only reinforce my main points. You all may not comprehend my points, but believe me, there are many people in the newsroom and outside of it who do, and they are enjoying this exchange. Many of my experienced journalist friends have enjoyed reading these responses and disguised pleas from the fragile freshman. They have researched and confirmed my assumptions, and have volunteered to respond, but I have held them back; it is obvious that she is not ready for that experience yet. One has to have thick skin and tenacity to survive as a journalist, and hopefully Tepper and her little friends will soon learn this.
So for you all defenders, instead of getting into a huff, just relax, believe that Tepper is strong enough, breathe and take a hit of the Mary Jane. You may need it more then she does.
Little Donnie. I read your first commentary which was entertaining. Your second is less so. The article is about words that are expressions of bigotry or anger. Your second comment is filled with personal anger and bigotry toward those whom you suspect have been sheltered or privileged. I re-read the article twice looking for the references you say the author made -attempting to equate you to swastika wearing punk rockers. They are no where to be found in the actual article. In your attack on the writer or the writer’s style you are losing factual accuracy and making references to commentary rather than the actual article. You speak from a position of being the authority on “unsheltered” saying that they” develop a thick skin quickly” and are “glad to identify bigots”. I can tell you this is not in fact the case.
How cute!
it looks like Tepper has called all her little friends together to support her. I was expecting a few good points that possibly could have eroded my earlier argument, but if anything, their ramblings confirm and validate my initial assessment.
One of my first points, was that her initial article was half baked. If you reread it, you will quickly find that she writes with many references and metaphors that are assumed and half fleshed out, a hodge-podge of ideas that are confusing because half of the points never make the journey from her brain to the screen. Most of the Daily Trojan has clear writing, but this article does not. I hope an editor takes her aside and helps her develop to the Trojan standard. Put her piece next to any other, and you will see a difference not in her favor.
Another point that validates my assessment is that neither Tepper, nor her friends, deny their love of naughty humor on TV. In her article, Tepper only worries about how others could get hurt from this language, an insinuation that she is not rattled by it, but oh, the others without her experience and savy would be traumitized by such humor! This is part of her arrogance, which is in no doubt spawned from her indulgent and sheltered upbringing. The fact that she may be claiming to be from New York and California is more evidence of the correctness of my assumption, and validates my assessment. To be bi-coastal, is to be privileged, and to be privileged is to be sheltered.
Sheltered kids are more likely to protected from hearing homophobic, racist and graphic language. Unsheltered kids grow up around this language and develop a thick skin quickly, and never cry about it like sheltered kids do, when they first hear it. It’s not even an issue, it’s something that is actually helpful to street kids. Harsh language reveals a lot about the people who use it, and unsheltered kids are glad to identify bigots, racists and weirdos, so that they can treat them accordingly. So Tepper, you and your friends have clearly exposed yourselves and your background. Thanks for confirming it ; )
Another part of my validation is that Tepper bears an arrogance that can only be forged from a spoiled and sheltered upbringing. This is also shown in the name of her column (Talking ’bout my Generation), as if she is an authority of the whole group, and not really just an authority of her own opinion. Does the whole Daily Trojan staff believe that Tepper is more of an expert on the students on campus then they are? Wow, either Tepper is a freshman with more savy and insight than the whole Daily Trojan Staff, or she is more arrogant.
Her assumptions about this DT reader couldn’t be more wrong. Her attempt to equate me and other Trojans who don’t fret about naughty humor on campus, to swastika wearing punk rockers, is also hilarious. It smells of desperation. I hope she can clean up her act and humbly see these flaws in her work and focus her energies into improving her writing. As for her friends, well I understand that they had to support her with their half baked comments, but if they were real friends, they would tell her how to clarify and improve her argument instead of just coddling her pubescent outrage. I will acknowledge the wit of Little Donnie’s Mom, this was a clever if not hollow, rebuttal. Perhaps if Tepper hung out with her more, she could infuse her writing with such wit.
Well, I hope these words help and heal, and even though the truth can heavy to bear, I believe that If Tepper chews upon my advice, she will improve and strengthen her writing style. Tepper, feel free to respond, but your energy would probably be better spent on your next article.
I’ll be waiting and reading.
It’s fun to watch you summarily dismiss everything of substance in my comment in favor of spouting off more condescending but meaningless prattle. First of all, as it appears your reading comprehension skills are as lacking as your writing ability (and yet you deign to tell someone getting PAID for her words that you know her craft better than she does!), let me clarify this for you: I AM NOT ALLEGRA TEPPER. Yes, I KNOW Ms. Tepper (who, by the way, is professional enough to know better than to address your idiocy herself–since this is not my article, however, I am bound by no such rules of propriety), but we are different people with entirely different personal backgrounds, and that you choose to assume my comment came from her suggests that you really are entirely incapable of fathoming that encountering a person with a worldview different from your own could be anything other than a one-time fluke.
Please tell me whence you hail, my dear, aware, oh-so-enlightened Donnie. I will repeat myself: I come from New York. You might choose to call me bicoastal on the basis of my residence here at USC, but if that’s all it takes to be bicoastal then there are a bucket-ton of SC students FAR from “privileged” or “sheltered” who would qualify for the word. Back home, I myself live in a neighborhood my friends persist in referring to–in spite of my protestations–as “way ghetto”, so although I will freely acknowledge that I come from a relatively privileged background I find your dismissal of me as sheltered completely risible. YOUR privilege continues to show; you clearly don’t know diddly squat about how cultural baggage works.
You’re right about one thing: “unsheltered kids are glad to identify bigots, racists and weirdos, so that they can treat them accordingly.” Here I am identifying you as a bigot, and here I am treating you accordingly: by calling you on your BS.
Um…Little Donnie’s mom has got it going on.
In actuality, it’s Stacy’s mom who has it going on, but I appreciate the sentiment, dear.
You may join my family for freshly baked generic sugar cookies while we watch reruns of “Family Ties.”
This is a really important article. Little Donnie is certainly comfortable making a lot of assumptions. Little Donnie speaks of a muzzle. Maybe he needs one. Telling the writer she is suffering from liberal guilt or overly sheltered because she finds racism rearing its ugly little head in her world intolerable is absurd. Tepper deserves credit for pointing out a disturbing trend.
LITTLE DONNIES THE MAN WRECK SHIT HOMIE!!!
Little Donnie is making ridiculous generalizations. This is an awesome column. I don’t know if I agree with it, but it made me think. Good for you for writing what many people doubtless think but are afraid to say aloud.
Hmm, I think this article could have used a little more time in the oven before publishing. Tepper spends a lot of time trying to complicate an issue that is pretty simple. Basically, she is growing uncomfortable on campus because she is hearing a lot of racist, homophobic and dirty talk and she is worried about other people taking offense. This is called liberal guilt, and it sounds like Tepper has a belly full of it. Why? Probably because she enjoys the naughty humor, which is why she quotes it and cites it, but never fully attacks it.
Relax Tepper, breathe, things will be okay. I see you are a freshman, so this would explain your shock at being exposed to such edgy jokes. You probably came from a safe place, where your parents sheltered you from all the crazy things in life, and this new world on campus is giving you a little culture shock. Well, just so you know, this is common on all college campuses. It’s one of those things that happens in the tumultuous years of college. Using this language is a form of rebellion, and many young people enjoy saying such things because mom and dad aren’t around to muzzle them or shush them harshly. Actually, if you compared USC to other schools, it is pretty tame in the Non P.C.language department.
So now that you know that things are as they ought to be, relax, breathe, and if you are still feeling liberal guilt, you can always get a medical marijuana card.
Welcome to California ; )
Dear Little Donnie,
Before I make my point, I will take the liberty of informing you that I am from New York City and thus in fact probably had an upbringing exponentially less sheltered and more diverse than you did. The only culture shock I myself have experienced coming to USC has been inspired by the sheer number of whites, Christians, and other such people with privilege, so what I’m about to say certainly doesn’t come from a place of naivety–unless you’re counting naivety about how bigoted people with privilege can be.
I’m going to hazard the following guess: you are male, heterosexual, cisgendered, probably white, and possibly Christian. Whatever un-PC jokes you make with your friends probably include words you have never heard directed at you in a purely malicious (rather than “post-bigotry” or ironic) way. You have probably never experienced slurs at all, in fact, because you are steeped in privilege, which is exactly why you feel compelled to pull out BS phrases like “liberal guilt”–the idea of actually being held responsible for taking advantage of your privelege to make jokes at the expense of people who do not get to live their lives as oblivious to bigotry as you do terrifies you. There is a marked difference between a minority “reclaiming” an offensive word and a member of the majority that oppressed them with words like those in the first place trying to glom onto the repurposement of the epithet, and if you can’t see that I marvel that you were able to get into USC to begin with.
Using offensive words the destructive power of which you have never actually had to deal with yourself, just because you feel like being WILD AND EDGY!!!, strikes me as extremely similar to the manner in which punk-rockers of the 1970s bore swastikas not as emblems of their political ideologies but as “a form of rebellion”–blithely unaware or maybe just uncaring of the pain they could be causing others by doing so.
Let’s be real here, Ms. Keely. Donnie forgot to take his anti-ignorant and anti-dumbass pills the other morning. :( I forgot to remind him. I’m sorry he was so rude! He didn’t even pause to consider that the writer of the article may very well be from Los Angeles or – gasp – not have been brought up in a sheltered home like my Little Donnie was.
Donnie, I expect you home at 6 o’clock tonight. We need to watch Fox News so we can be really well informed about the world.