By: Kenleigh Black

Dave Chaplle will be used as an example to address the current climate of society and the ongoing conversations surrounding the sensitivity of today’s generation. This article is meant to discuss the limitations of humor, and question if we carry a responsibility to generate specific feelings, responses, and emotions in people when telling jokes as it is important in our interactions with others. 

“A brief history of humor: satire, sarcasm and trauma/dark humor 

“A short synopsis of Dave Chapelle”

Problematic jokes, people in comedy-the “canceled”

Limit 1: Who’s telling the joke, and who it’s being told to.

Limit 2: The tone and delivery-language  

Limit 3: Time and Place 

Limit 4: intention-goal-purpose of the joke, underlying meaning 

Limit 5: laughability- did anyone laugh 

Do comedians have a responsibility to filter their humor?

The joke is irrelevant if no one laughs…..

Questions: Do people have the right to be outraged about a joke that does not target nor apply to them, especially if the targeted person(s) is not offended?

Are there truly limits to humor? Or is everything off-limits?

Who has the right to joke about what? Are there certain things CERTAIN people can’t joke about?

Is today’s generation too sensitive?

Who decides what’s funny and what’s not? 

There is no specific argument or point to this article because I just wanted to bring this scenario to the forefront and have true discourse involving multiple perspectives and opinions. If anyone would like to further this discussion by adding their thoughts and opinions or answers to the questions posed, feel free to email me at kblack25@hb.edu.

If I get enough responses I may write a follow up article including the responses and my personal opinions.