No laughing matter

Nowadays,  especially at parties, I hear more and more people joke about things like AIDS, rape, and even murder.  Sometimes, I even pretend to laugh along so as not to appear unsocial.  However, deep down I feel disgusted that people make light of these things and even more disgusted with myself for tolerating their antics.

Although  joking about rape will not necessarily cause people to go out and commit the crime, it desensitizes them to an act that should be greeted with disgust and revulsion at all times, even in a rowdy and boisterous setting.  Just as being drunk is not an excuse to commit a heinous crime, alcohol is no excuse to joke about categorically evil acts.

Although I’m no psychoanalyst, I think to trivialize a morally objectionable act by joking about it at least partly reflects a subconscious penchant for the act.  Joking about rape, for example, reveals one’s misogynistic side. Similarly, making fun of someone suffering from AIDS reflects one’s lack of respect for life.

I understand that when guys get together they tend to talk about women, sometimes not in the most respectful ways.  However, we should draw the line somewhere and not allow these unbecoming thoughts from getting out of hand.  Just as good, healthy thoughts  lead to good acts,  so could bad ones.