Pop Culture

Are People Too Sensitive — Or You Are Just Being a Jerk?

So, are people too sensitive, or are some just assholes hiding behind the excuse of "it's just a joke"? The truth is, it depends on the context. On stage, it's entertainment. With friends, it's trust. With strangers, it's just being a jerk.

Lately I've come across a bunch of stand-up comedy video reels, especially Matt Rife — who usually does a fan service joke and aggressively roasts his audience. It's become his signature and I honestly think he's a very talented comedian.

Of course, it's all consensus. Those who go a stand-up comedy show usually embrace the chance of being made fun of. These gigs are meant to release the tensions of our daily life — life is already hard, learn to accept jokes and don't take it seriously (sometimes), specifically during the show.

The Comedy Club Rule

But the rule only applies in that sort of situation. You can't go to any random person, or even your friends and then start firing unsolicited insults, then complain that society has gone soft and gets easily offended by harmless jokes.

There are exceptions, of course. It might be okay for close friends or siblings to poke some fun at each other. Sometimes, the way people bond is by being assholes to each other — even crossing lines, but only because both sides agreed to it

Uncle Roger and Cultural Offense

Another good example would be Nigel Ng — known for his persona: Uncle Roger. He's also a stand-up comedian. He doesn't usually aim his banter at his audience, more like the society (and Jamie Oliver for his poor cooking skill — I'm still holding grudges of how he's cooked Thai dishes). Most of his jokes are witty and often seen as "offensive" by some.

For example, he's had his Chinese social media suspended because of his jokes about China's surveillance state — "this nephew using Huawei phone, they listening" and "Taiwan, not a real country". And maybe the main reason he got banned is because he "praised" President Xi, "Long Live President Xi", then followed by "phew", implying that the leader is untouchable and not to be casually joked about.

But Isn't Uncle Roger a Jerk for Being Culturally Offensive?

One thing to keep in mind, always, is that it's not Nigel Ng who said those jokes — it's Uncle Roger whose personality he created just for the purpose of comedy — a comedian doing what comedians do: poke the bear, highlight absurdity, make people laugh about things they're not "supposed" to laugh about (sometimes even at their own expense as well).

"Uncle Roger always talks shit about everybody. It doesn't matter if you're BBC, CCP, or Jamie Oliver" - In response to the suspensions, Ng posted a video in which he characterized himself as an equal-opportunity offender.