by Gary Wunder
There are many different takes people have on humor. Some suggest that in our humor we should be very circumspect. Never tell a joke that might offend someone. Never tell a joke that tends to reinforce a stereotype. Never tell a joke we would not tell our grandmother. Never tell a joke if we would be uncomfortable as the object of its punchline. These seem like very common sense guidelines, though I admit that I have not always followed them religiously.
But it actually gets much more complicated. A few folks have said to me that there is nothing funny about blindness and that people who relate humorous incidents about blindness are showing a lack of respect for themselves and other blind people. Some say that jokes are considered acceptable only if told in certain groups. A few blind people tell me that they are perfectly comfortable relating a blindness experience that generates a laugh, but they are only willing to share it with other blind people. This they refer to as “blindness moments,” ones we dare not share with the sighted public because they would likely not understand. I assume we make an exception for those sighted people who have joined our movement and are considered blind at heart. This is an opinion I understand, but I think it does a disservice to the sighted people I know who learn a little more each day about blindness or at least my perspective on it.
At the other end of the spectrum comes my grandson and a whole host of comedians who believe that there is nothing so sacred that it is beyond a joke. The comedians he has introduced me to would contend that, if you want to be offended, go ahead, but their freedom of speech and their audience’s right to laugh takes priority. Although I am uncomfortable with this unbridled take on humor, I have to admit that a search of the internet and looking at the work of some of today’s popular comedians makes me think I may be in the minority.
I am writing to find out how readers of the Braille Monitor feel about this. Are there any funny incidents that arise from the fact that one or more people in a story are blind? If you have such stories, would you share them only with other blind people or with the wider public? If indeed there are blindness moments that should only be shared within the community, what makes them so, and can you provide me with examples? Are there humorous incidents you would find acceptable in these pages and are willing to contribute?
As a final thought, how do we act wisely in deciding when to register objections to humor and when to leave the objectionable material alone? Morally it feels as though we have an obligation to speak out any time blindness is portrayed negatively and in a way that is inconsistent with our experiences. But given how often registering objections can add to the wider dissemination of information we do not like, it is hard to view this as a clearcut obligation to object to the objectionable. Again, I do not write this to state a firm opinion but to ask for yours. Write to me at [email protected], and be as specific as you can about the way you would have us make these difficult judgments.