I think there's a difference between using a bit of light humour in an awful situation, to the kind of humour that was rattling around in texts after the likes of diana and steve irwins deaths, the tsunami, the 9/11etc.
I don't want to go back to the steve thread, but just want to use it as an example in that a lot of people don't know the guy, probably weren't that upset by his death, but are jumping on the band wagon to get a crack out of the poor guys death with childish sick jokes. Same goes for all the other jokes in these situations.
Thats when I think galllows humour is wrong, its not being used as a coping mechanism there, what coping does someone have to do to 'come to terms' with the death of a celebrity they don't know?
I understand the need for this in situations such as those the emergency services come across on a day to day basis, (not that i have ever noticed it or used it myself when working) but ! don't think there is any place for these kinds of sick text message jokes.
Agreed Dammi
The two are often poles apart, but often so close as to be almost indistinguishable.
During the Second World War the principle allied tank was the American made Sherman. It was a petrol engine machine, notoriously prone to bursting into flame when hit.
The allied tank crews who had to fight and live in the Sherman christened it “The Ronson†after the Ronson petrol lighter that was advertised at the time with the slogan “Lights every time†Gallows humour, a joke made by men to help them with the reality of their daily lives?
The Germans Christened the Tank “The Tommy cooker†because if you hit it, it would cook the crew inside.
Not passing judgement one way or the other, but most people seem to be confusing two very different arguments.
Stormwalker
I don't think the gallows humour is just a british thing.... but i think you have to be a bit detached from it all to make real sense of it all.
for example.... i heard jokes about 9/11 for example that would make my toes curl.... but you wouldn't hear the same jokes about 7/7 because people are too close to the situation....
Having done motorcross cover we have used humour to get through the day just as others have said. I also know a number of paramedics and we share a 'dark' sense of humour, and the occasional opening up and sociable drink when we are more serious. It all helped, them and me.
As for bad taste humour this is part of the world we live in, there will always be people on the fringe. Yes it offends those deeply involved, and I would uphold their right to complain. However I also uphold the right of people to be in bad taste. It is part of life, certainly seems british (my american friends cant even get Blackadder and that is not particually dark), and end of the day is one of those things.
TBH from Steve Irwin's published life (as I don't know him personally) the current spate of jokes would have tickled his sense of humour in my opinion. Live and let live peeps, you may diasgaree with the dark side of some peoples humour, but look at what some people call art... Even to strike a closer home truth look at what a lot of people say about us swingers...
is it my imagination or has someone deleted a post...........
and id just got the popcorn
:cry:
Having read through this thread with some interest I am going to stick my twopenorth in again.
Gallows, Black, Dark humour call it what you will is a valid mechanism for coping with traumatic conditions. It just helps you function. Nothing to do with being callous or uncaring and generally the most extreme varieties are kept 'in house'.
There is a time and place for this sort of stuff and most people are well aware of the boundaries of acceptability put in place by social standards. The people who use this humour in general public tend not to be those who are exposed to situations where it is needed. I is kept for those times when like minded people are gathered Black jokes are exchanged as part of a sort of unofficial group therapy.
When ‘Sick’ jokes about deceased celebrities do the rounds it is hardly surprising, but do people who courted publicity whilst alive expect to suddenly become exempt in death? Think of a dead Celeb and there were jokes doing the rounds, generally speaking they peter out in a few days.
Dark humour is a fact of life, do we really want the PC brigade to go all Po faced over it? If it’s not to your taste walk away, it’s easy really.
Being a farmer's daughter, I like sheep, so leave them alone.
I think the majority of posts hold with the gallows humour approach to tradgedy.....unfortunately some people have obviously had a sense of humour by pass
all of us have been touched by tradgedy in our lives that does`nt mean we can`t find humour later, if it helps ease the pain......without giving away too much my family has been devasted by the drug scene.
if your religious or even if your not .....there but by the grace of god , go I
SO COME ON LIGHTEN UP BUD
No rob, what sassy said - that IS gallows humour, text message jokes to get a cheap laugh are very different and that is where my lack of humour is.!
When I read Sassys post there, it brought a little smile to my face, i did find it funny, in a comforting kind of way, however, I found the steve irwine 'jokes' turned my stomach and thought they were in very bad taste.
But as we say, each to their own! Den probably laughed at them.
m xx
seems to be a bit of a persecution complex rolling about in this thread :cry:
get over it, you don't like my sense of humor, I do - end of.
. Should we be grateful to have you among us minions who you obviously don’t rate as being able to hold opinions of our own or to voice them where we feel necessary ? 
