![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
-hugs-
I'm so so sorry.
I agree that episode is horrible. There are a lot of people who liked the series,but hate that episode for it's mean spiritedness.
I think the episode was TRYING to do a thing on the "It's a wonderful Life " movie...but it was horrible and terribly done. I swear people really need to think about the messages their audience will get from something, especially when the audience is young people.
You are not useless. I'm sorry the episode made you feel that way.
edited 1st Nov '13 6:42:04 PM by JewelyJ
Avatar Sakaki Ignore cat
At first at least, when it's End Of Evangelion.
I'm so sorry that my avatar doesn't appear fully in the shot, but the cat was threatening the photographer.
United Earth
Usually it's the opposite standard; people will find it funny when it mocks 'them' and not 'us'. A majority will find it funny if it only mocks minorities. Which is why Subculture of the Week is a trope.
Nevertheless, I don't think kicking up is inherently virtuous, nor that kicking down is inherently wrong. When people used the Affair of the Necklace to attack Marie Antoinette, publishing pamphlets where she was drawn literally getting fucked up the ass by the guy who sold her the necklace, I think that was pretty damn wrong. When racists were mocked and ridiculed in Django Unchained, it was very much okay, even though nowadays they are a minority.
So, it's not really a question of "being funny", because that is utterly subjective; it is not a property of the thing, but of the viewer. No, it's a question of morality (does it harm the right people in the right way?) and artistic quality (is it actually witty, ingenious, clever, imaginative, or elegant? or are we just laughing because our enemies are hurt?).
edited 5th Nov '13 11:57:44 AM by TheHandle
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
When the satire or other attack-style humour is aimed at those who are few (rather than those who are the majority), or at those who are weak (rather than at those who have power).
At least I think that's a pretty good rule of thumb.
Anything monolithic and wielding a lot of influence, very much including organized or organizable religion, go for it.
Lone individuals or small subcultures (very much including people inclined to intellectually demanding pursuits). Totally Dude, Not Funny!!