Society Seen Through Jokes: What Stereotypes Tell Us

I discussed earlier that jokes which refer to certain aspects of society may well be considered a form of art, as they express feelings and ideas, as well as social truths in creative ways, through metaphors or parables or other devices.

We've looked at the process that takes place as a 'social' joke is born from a source and reaches the state of final product. Now let's shift our perspective for a sec and look at the other end of the stick: once we come across such a joke, what kind of social truths does it convey about the society that has produced it? What does it tell us about the people behind it?

Here, I find it particularly interesting that certain groups of people are attributed certain characteristics: many social jokes are based on extreme stereotyping. Even more interesting is that these stereotypes differ from country to country, sometimes from region to region.

As Romania (Transylvania) is the only place I've ever lived in, I can only bring valid examples from the joke-stereotypes which are frequent here. For instance, many jokes are based on the idea that policemen are complete idiots. I suppose it shows the kind of respect that people here have for the institution. I've heard that in some more civilised countries people wouldn't begin to imagine how such jokes can exist. Then, many jokes dwell on the thought that marriage and wives are bad things, and mothers-in-law are something horrible. Also, different nationalities are associated with different characteristics: the Scottish are stingy, Jews are shrewd (especially in business), the Japanese are small and yellow, the Somalis weigh about 20 kilos and they eat one grain of rice a day. Similar generalising thoughts exist about locals of different regions, for instance, in Transylvania, it is said that folks in Oltenia (south of the Carpations, along the river Olt) are even thicker than policemen. Not really sure what kind of jokes they have down there though...

Generalisations which, if you think of it, are very cruel. But that is beside the point. The point is, some of these stereotypes are world-wide, others are not. Those that are wold-wide, reflect a world-wide opinion. The more restricted ones are signs of differences between nations, values, concerns, attitudes. Through 'social' jokes, we can gain an understanding of local social stereotypes, which can reveal deep aspects local society, anywhere.

Disclaimer: no offense is meant to any of the groups mentioned (or ignored) above. The generalisations do not represent the author's views or opinions regarding any nationality or group of people, but serve as examples of the existence of social stereotyping.

Jokes and Society: Another form of Art

They say every joke is half true. The more I think of it, the more I have to agree. Maybe even more than half. Not in the exact facts or actions that the jokes describe, but in the underlying realities and often absurd - but existing - truths that they expose.
We channel our dissatisfaction with society into punchlines - 'social' jokes express feelings and thoughts: pain, rebellion, cultural differences, much like poetry or any kind of socially critical literature.
What am I talking about? This is one of my favourite examples:

  A world survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was: "Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world." The survey was a huge failure.

• In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant
• In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant
• In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant
• In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.
•  In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant.
•   In South America they didn't know what "please" meant, and
•   In the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant. 

(from 1000ventures.com) 

Nobody is trying to suggest that any of those sentences are true, but you kinda have to agree with the grain of truth they carry about the stereotypes of people living in different countries. And if any or all of these stereotypes happen to be wrong, then the grain of truth lies in the fact that somebody
(and the popularity of this joke proves that not only one person) believes them (the stereotypes, that is) to be real. And the fact that stereotypes exist and the forms they take are all part of a social reality, whether or not they are actually correct.
To put it simply, if thousands of people in a country say 'the government sucks', that covers a social reality. Either the reality that the government of that country actually sucks, or the reality that many people think that their government sucks (something causes them to believe so.)
My point is: 'social' jokes are one of the wittiest forms of social criticism and they are worthy of being considered a form of art, because they express public concern, fears, wishes, ideas about different categories of people, regimes, and so on.
To be continued...