In terms of the effect on others, I think this is very context-driven. Sometimes I am quite happy to be the brunt of a joke, other times not, and I wouldn’t like to try to formulate a rule. I know that in face-to-face interactions I am least comfortable with jeering from complete strangers, and more kindly disposed toward those who I know well enough to jnderstand they don’t mean to cause serious hurt, but there may be some bias there too in that those who care about me have learned which topics I find most hurtful and tend to avoid those. Online I generally take more care to avoid poking fun at others, but don’t tend to react as strongly to others poking fun at me.
I do think that poking fun at others’ weakness purely to make oneself look better actually makes one look rude, irrational and unkind. While I hesitate to label it “right” or “wrong” I would go so far as to say this behaviour is unwise if one values social status among people who in turn value politeness, reason and kindness.
Poking fun for other reasons (for example, to educate) can be less self-incriminating, but it is still going to be somewhat context-dependent. It is as well, too, to remember that our desired outcomes and the actual effects of our actions may not always match.
In terms of the effect on others, I think this is very context-driven. Sometimes I am quite happy to be the brunt of a joke, other times not, and I wouldn’t like to try to formulate a rule. I know that in face-to-face interactions I am least comfortable with jeering from complete strangers, and more kindly disposed toward those who I know well enough to jnderstand they don’t mean to cause serious hurt, but there may be some bias there too in that those who care about me have learned which topics I find most hurtful and tend to avoid those. Online I generally take more care to avoid poking fun at others, but don’t tend to react as strongly to others poking fun at me.
I do think that poking fun at others’ weakness purely to make oneself look better actually makes one look rude, irrational and unkind. While I hesitate to label it “right” or “wrong” I would go so far as to say this behaviour is unwise if one values social status among people who in turn value politeness, reason and kindness.
Poking fun for other reasons (for example, to educate) can be less self-incriminating, but it is still going to be somewhat context-dependent. It is as well, too, to remember that our desired outcomes and the actual effects of our actions may not always match.