I see absolutely nothing wrong with making fun of stupid people. And nerds. And a variety of ethnic groups. And pretty much everything.
That’s an odd view. I’m presuming that you would see something wrong with, say, a popular kid in high school who made a habit of beating up disabled kids. But you see absolutely nothing wrong if the same person doesn’t physically assault the kids but instead simply ridicules them publicly for being disabled? In both cases, it seems pretty clear that the bully is doing harm to the kids, although the nature of the harm differs.
Could you clarify what the morally relevant distinction is between these two situations, why causing one form of harm is bad and the other isn’t? It wouldn’t just be a distinction that makes the second option less bad than the first option; it would be a distinction that makes the second option not bad at all, if I take your words literally.
Or maybe I’m misinterpreting what you mean by “making fun”?
Or maybe I’m misinterpreting what you mean by “making fun”?
Yes, you do. I am not talking about power games, or domination/submission, or even simple malice.
The opposite of “making fun of X” is “taking X very, very seriously”. With a serious expression on one’s face, according to the instructions and forms carefully collected in a three-ring binder, while being conscious of one’s self-importance, and certainly not tolerating any deviation from the proper procedure or, God forbid, disrespect (of oneself, the proper procedure, and the three-ring binder).
That’s an odd view. I’m presuming that you would see something wrong with, say, a popular kid in high school who made a habit of beating up disabled kids. But you see absolutely nothing wrong if the same person doesn’t physically assault the kids but instead simply ridicules them publicly for being disabled? In both cases, it seems pretty clear that the bully is doing harm to the kids, although the nature of the harm differs.
Could you clarify what the morally relevant distinction is between these two situations, why causing one form of harm is bad and the other isn’t? It wouldn’t just be a distinction that makes the second option less bad than the first option; it would be a distinction that makes the second option not bad at all, if I take your words literally.
Or maybe I’m misinterpreting what you mean by “making fun”?
Yes, you do. I am not talking about power games, or domination/submission, or even simple malice.
The opposite of “making fun of X” is “taking X very, very seriously”. With a serious expression on one’s face, according to the instructions and forms carefully collected in a three-ring binder, while being conscious of one’s self-importance, and certainly not tolerating any deviation from the proper procedure or, God forbid, disrespect (of oneself, the proper procedure, and the three-ring binder).