Why Are You So Offended?

Why Are You So Offended?

Do you ever find yourself laughing at jokes not many others find funny? Do people say you make “crude” jokes, and that what you just said was messed up? Then you probably have gallows humor! (or you’re just mean).

Gallows humor is grim and ironic in a hopeless or desperate situation. It can be used to lighten heavy or glum moods- but a lot of the time, people get upset over it- or “triggered.” If gallows humor is being used to make a situation more positive or lighthearted, why does it sometimes receive a negative response?

There is a fine line between jokes and humor being inappropriate and tactless opposed to being classified as gallows humor. There have been many instances, especially on social media, where we see people getting “triggered” by something that wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. Maybe because it is difficult to decipher how the comment or joke is being made because we can’t actually hear it. Sophomore Connor O’ Bryan provides a possible reason for the reason it seems that everything is a touchy subject nowadays, “I just think because everyone is so aware of everything now it’s easier to realize the harm in what others say, so they get more offended.”

Sophomore Halle Carter says, “I think people get upset too easily. People think their opinions matter so much and when someone disagrees, people go into full on defense mode and few refuse to consider the other side.” Sophomores Shannon Sweeney and Gabby Weger say that it depends on who says it and the situation the joke or comment is being said about.

So is being able to lighten a dark situation is a good skill to have, or do we just keep our ironic jokes to ourselves?