Is it Really That Funny?

I would have to agree with Alain de Botton on his opinion stating that the "chief aim of humorists is not merely to entertain, but to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly", purely because, not all humor is satirical, or comes at the expense of another. 

I believe that a humorist, is nonetheless but a comedian, seeing that they both aim to entertain. 

Here is where I agree:

        A lot of humor in our lives does come at the expense of others, and the example that immediately comes to mind is the classic cartoon, Tom and Jerry. The show Tom and Jerry was a kids television show in the early 1940s. It was harmless laughing and entertainment for those that didn't realize what some of the segments of the show were actually referring to. 

I mean, how was a six-year old kid supposed to know that blackface was offensive to black people, or that blackface was meant to mock black people at the time? Not that it is ironic, but of course it was seen as comedic during the time, especially since America wasn't really in favor of Blacks... So instead they mock them. But it's just supposed to be funny that all of them get splashed with black sludge, and their facial expressions reveal just how displeased they are, that they are Black. 

Or how about how we never see Mammy Two Shoe's face, she's always cleaning, and just so happens to be dressed like a maid? 

In this case, a humorists aim was not just to entertain, but to "convey with impunity" (Botton). Of course there was no consequence, due to the fact that it was "just a joke". 

Society allows humorist and comedians to say things just because it's for entertainment purposes, but it completely excludes the fact that comedy can be hurtful and offensive.