An African leader makes an official trip to Russia. At the end of the trip, the Russian leader tells the
African that in Russia they have a custom performed
at farewells called "Russian Roulette" to demonstrate
one's courage.
The Russian whips out a revolver, loads one chamber,
gives the cylinder a spin, puts the gun to his head and pulls the trigger...CLICK...empty chamber.
He then hands the revolver to his African guest, and says: "Your turn..." Not to be outdone, the African repeats the ritual...CLICK...empty chamber.
The following year, the Russian visits the African's
country.
At the end of the trip, the African tells his Russian peer that he was very impressed with "Russian Roulette" and that he had spent the previous year devising an African ritual to also demonstrate one's courage.
The African then disappears through a door only to
re-appear a few minutes later smiling, and says: "Your turn..."
The African escorts the Russian through the door.
In the room are six of the most beautiful, naked women he has ever seen.
The African explains that the Russian is to choose one of the women, who will perform oral sex on him.
Absolutely dumbfounded, the Russian asks: "What kind of test of courage is this?"
"One of them's a cannibal" - replies the African...
African that in Russia they have a custom performed
at farewells called "Russian Roulette" to demonstrate
one's courage.
The Russian whips out a revolver, loads one chamber,
gives the cylinder a spin, puts the gun to his head and pulls the trigger...CLICK...empty chamber.
He then hands the revolver to his African guest, and says: "Your turn..." Not to be outdone, the African repeats the ritual...CLICK...empty chamber.
The following year, the Russian visits the African's
country.
At the end of the trip, the African tells his Russian peer that he was very impressed with "Russian Roulette" and that he had spent the previous year devising an African ritual to also demonstrate one's courage.
The African then disappears through a door only to
re-appear a few minutes later smiling, and says: "Your turn..."
The African escorts the Russian through the door.
In the room are six of the most beautiful, naked women he has ever seen.
The African explains that the Russian is to choose one of the women, who will perform oral sex on him.
Absolutely dumbfounded, the Russian asks: "What kind of test of courage is this?"
"One of them's a cannibal" - replies the African...
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コメント(27)
Part of me finds this joke to be racially offensive, too. OTOH, a lot of jokes are like that by nature. We have blonde jokes, Irish jokes, Polish jokes, and all. They are all discriminatory in a similar fashion, if not to the same degree.
I'm curious how people from Africa will take this joke. If there's a line to draw, has this crossed that line?
I'm curious how people from Africa will take this joke. If there's a line to draw, has this crossed that line?
It's kind of interesting...some people take offense at the African part, but nobody complains about the Russian playing Russian Roulette...
Anyway, it didn't strike me as being all that offensive. It's not making a statement about all people of that culture, but of a couple of leaders having a pissing contest with each other...
Anyway, it didn't strike me as being all that offensive. It's not making a statement about all people of that culture, but of a couple of leaders having a pissing contest with each other...
テレサ，
I personally don't think you owe any of us an apology unless someone from Africa tells you he/she has been offended by the joke. Just that this is a very sensitive issue, especially in the U.S. where you'd be better off being extremely careful. I'm sure I have posted jokes that can be considered racist without thinking too much about it.
I personally don't think you owe any of us an apology unless someone from Africa tells you he/she has been offended by the joke. Just that this is a very sensitive issue, especially in the U.S. where you'd be better off being extremely careful. I'm sure I have posted jokes that can be considered racist without thinking too much about it.
Yes, I need the laugh too...It's the only thing to make sure that i am still alive....haha....
CJ
Thanks for your comments.....
And I agree with you too, playing race card is really tiring for me too........I think if a person is confident enough, he/she dont need to care about what race he/she is as he/she is a unique person.
And I am going to post another funny stuff here later...
CJ
Thanks for your comments.....
And I agree with you too, playing race card is really tiring for me too........I think if a person is confident enough, he/she dont need to care about what race he/she is as he/she is a unique person.
And I am going to post another funny stuff here later...
I *think* some people, including myself, took this more seriously than others, and possibly more seriously than necessary, because of the perception of cannibalism. It's not my intention to be a kill-joy, nor is it to turn everything into racism. OTOH, it is a good idea to be careful so you don't accidentally step over the line. :)
Is someone seriously equating Russian Roulette with cannibalism? Not all stereotypes are equally offensive.
The perception that cannibalism is strongly associated (or more strongly than other parts of the world) with Africans is factually unsubstantiated.
In the modern context, it would appear more factually accurate if the joke replace Africans with Asians, as Papua New Guinea is home to the most widely acknowledged group still frequently practicing cannibalism, and because Asia is about as geographically vague as Africa as used in the context of the joke. Or we might use Central and South America, because that is where the etymology of the word cannibal derives from.
The joke is perceived to be offensive because cannibalism has implicit associations with barbarism and therefore "primitiveness".
Given that cannibalism is not restricted to Africa, and that ritiual cannibalism and cannibalism during times of famine have been reported globally, assigning what is perceived as a morally unacceptable practice to a particular race does seem inappropriate.
Racism isn't a question of intent. Indeed, unconscious and engrained stereotypes are equally if not more dangerous - and unwittingly reveal a lot about a person.
I don't mean to be a kill-joy either, but it is easy to get a cheap laugh from exploiting factually inaccurate but widely engrained stereotypes but some of us find the exploitation distasteful, and I don't think this really reflects that well on the poster for telling such jokes in public.
Although I personally wouldn't really approve of such jokes in private either, it may be better to tell risque jokes to a group of people who you know well, so that people don't judge you on the basis of one or two less well advised posts in a public forum.
There are plenty of funny jokes which don't rely on racial stereotypes, so why bother with the risk of controversy?
The perception that cannibalism is strongly associated (or more strongly than other parts of the world) with Africans is factually unsubstantiated.
In the modern context, it would appear more factually accurate if the joke replace Africans with Asians, as Papua New Guinea is home to the most widely acknowledged group still frequently practicing cannibalism, and because Asia is about as geographically vague as Africa as used in the context of the joke. Or we might use Central and South America, because that is where the etymology of the word cannibal derives from.
The joke is perceived to be offensive because cannibalism has implicit associations with barbarism and therefore "primitiveness".
Given that cannibalism is not restricted to Africa, and that ritiual cannibalism and cannibalism during times of famine have been reported globally, assigning what is perceived as a morally unacceptable practice to a particular race does seem inappropriate.
Racism isn't a question of intent. Indeed, unconscious and engrained stereotypes are equally if not more dangerous - and unwittingly reveal a lot about a person.
I don't mean to be a kill-joy either, but it is easy to get a cheap laugh from exploiting factually inaccurate but widely engrained stereotypes but some of us find the exploitation distasteful, and I don't think this really reflects that well on the poster for telling such jokes in public.
Although I personally wouldn't really approve of such jokes in private either, it may be better to tell risque jokes to a group of people who you know well, so that people don't judge you on the basis of one or two less well advised posts in a public forum.
There are plenty of funny jokes which don't rely on racial stereotypes, so why bother with the risk of controversy?
しんのすけ>
Okay, I can appreciate what you are saying, and also I can see how there might be a difference between the russian roulette bit and the cannibal bit.
But it still seems like people might be reading too much into this. I mean, we do not even know that the woman is African. Just the joke is that the guy thought for a year to create an African version of the test.
Yeah, I can see how the "African version of the test" bit can be offensive. But when I read the joke initially, I didn't think "cannibal = African", I was just thinking the African guy was trying to one-up the Russian guy with something even more frightening.
My major was Anthropology, and I work in an International Affairs office at a university, so I can certainly appreciate being sensitive to other cultures. I just worry that people over-analyze, which can oddly enough make people of other cultures just as uncomfortable. I mean, I read the joke to one of my African friends and he thought it was pretty funny. I told him people were worried it would be offensive, and he found THAT to be offensive. :P
Anyway, let's just replace "African" with "American" and let it lie~
Okay, I can appreciate what you are saying, and also I can see how there might be a difference between the russian roulette bit and the cannibal bit.
But it still seems like people might be reading too much into this. I mean, we do not even know that the woman is African. Just the joke is that the guy thought for a year to create an African version of the test.
Yeah, I can see how the "African version of the test" bit can be offensive. But when I read the joke initially, I didn't think "cannibal = African", I was just thinking the African guy was trying to one-up the Russian guy with something even more frightening.
My major was Anthropology, and I work in an International Affairs office at a university, so I can certainly appreciate being sensitive to other cultures. I just worry that people over-analyze, which can oddly enough make people of other cultures just as uncomfortable. I mean, I read the joke to one of my African friends and he thought it was pretty funny. I told him people were worried it would be offensive, and he found THAT to be offensive. :P
Anyway, let's just replace "African" with "American" and let it lie~
I can see how this would be a bit embarrasing:
"I read the joke to one of my African friends and he thought it was pretty funny. I told him people were worried it would be offensive, and he found THAT to be offensive. :P"
I think sometimes people do not always appreciate the stereotypes which they are labelled with, until they are pointed out, and then it dawns on them and they take offense (but it is awkward when you're the messenger and you get shot)...
I think the bit that set alarm bells off for me as the characterisation of the cannibal routine as an "African ritual".
Best not to over-analyze... need to keep that in mind...
"I read the joke to one of my African friends and he thought it was pretty funny. I told him people were worried it would be offensive, and he found THAT to be offensive. :P"
I think sometimes people do not always appreciate the stereotypes which they are labelled with, until they are pointed out, and then it dawns on them and they take offense (but it is awkward when you're the messenger and you get shot)...
I think the bit that set alarm bells off for me as the characterisation of the cannibal routine as an "African ritual".
Best not to over-analyze... need to keep that in mind...
しんのすけ>
Actually, it says that he was busy "devising an African ritual", meaning that there wasn't one already in existence. Maybe the African was trying to imply that the Russian was an over-sexed maniac, and he was trying to use that to attack him.
Anyway, the exchange I had with my African friend was rather a bit different than I think you are imagining...He is well aware that there is a stereotype, and at no point was the messenger shot. :D
I guess as much fun as it can be at times to over-analyze, sometimes we end up creating problems that were never actually there to begin with. :P I guess that was the point I was trying to get out, albeit in a roundabout and rather obtuse and sloppy manner. -_-;
Actually, it says that he was busy "devising an African ritual", meaning that there wasn't one already in existence. Maybe the African was trying to imply that the Russian was an over-sexed maniac, and he was trying to use that to attack him.
Anyway, the exchange I had with my African friend was rather a bit different than I think you are imagining...He is well aware that there is a stereotype, and at no point was the messenger shot. :D
I guess as much fun as it can be at times to over-analyze, sometimes we end up creating problems that were never actually there to begin with. :P I guess that was the point I was trying to get out, albeit in a roundabout and rather obtuse and sloppy manner. -_-;
文，
I understand what you're saying, too. The one thing I'd like to point out is that not everyone can take the stereotypes directed at them well like your friend from Africa. Japanese people have been the subject of jokes stemming from the stereotypes such as wearing thick glasses, teeth sticking out, and cameras hanging from their necks. I personally wouldn't mind jokes like that, but I won't blame those fellow Japanese who find them offensive, either.
I understand what you're saying, too. The one thing I'd like to point out is that not everyone can take the stereotypes directed at them well like your friend from Africa. Japanese people have been the subject of jokes stemming from the stereotypes such as wearing thick glasses, teeth sticking out, and cameras hanging from their necks. I personally wouldn't mind jokes like that, but I won't blame those fellow Japanese who find them offensive, either.
だいはど>
Well, I'm actually the sort of person that always tries to err on the side of caution, so I agree with what you are saying completely.
My point though was actually about whether this joke is representing a stereotype in the first place.
My friend didn't think so. The reason he got mad wasn't because he realized there was a stereotype in the joke, but because some people were trying to see it as such. And I think it's a valid point. Sometimes by being OVERsensitive to these things, we can be offensive in the inferences that we draw from something.
Sorry, I think I am not very good at explaining my point...
Well, I'm actually the sort of person that always tries to err on the side of caution, so I agree with what you are saying completely.
My point though was actually about whether this joke is representing a stereotype in the first place.
My friend didn't think so. The reason he got mad wasn't because he realized there was a stereotype in the joke, but because some people were trying to see it as such. And I think it's a valid point. Sometimes by being OVERsensitive to these things, we can be offensive in the inferences that we draw from something.
Sorry, I think I am not very good at explaining my point...
文，
From my standpoint, there's an obvious association between Africa and cannibalism in the joke. It might be different if most people knew more about cannibalism like しんのすけ wrote. The truth as I see it is, most people still link cannibalism with Africa, and jokes like that would only reinforce that stereotype.
I agree with you that being oversensitive does sometimes create a problem that doesn't really exist. I personally don't think that applies to this case, but we all have different opinions. :)
From my standpoint, there's an obvious association between Africa and cannibalism in the joke. It might be different if most people knew more about cannibalism like しんのすけ wrote. The truth as I see it is, most people still link cannibalism with Africa, and jokes like that would only reinforce that stereotype.
I agree with you that being oversensitive does sometimes create a problem that doesn't really exist. I personally don't think that applies to this case, but we all have different opinions. :)
だいはど>
Yeah, I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. :) For what it's worth, I don't think I would tell this joke as it is written. Well, I'm not good at telling jokes anyway...
It's definitely interesting to see what people find offensive, and also who finds it offensive. It can be a very fine line to walk sometimes, especially with jokes. Even the day-to-day language we use can unintentionally offend people. Sayings like "He gyp'ed me" and "indian-giver" are actually really offensive, but I think most people don't even think about it.
Yeah, I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. :) For what it's worth, I don't think I would tell this joke as it is written. Well, I'm not good at telling jokes anyway...
It's definitely interesting to see what people find offensive, and also who finds it offensive. It can be a very fine line to walk sometimes, especially with jokes. Even the day-to-day language we use can unintentionally offend people. Sayings like "He gyp'ed me" and "indian-giver" are actually really offensive, but I think most people don't even think about it.
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