#2: Micro-Aggressions Option 2

Micro-aggressions are subtle, discriminative comments, or behaviors normally towards certain races. These actions are typically unintended, although this does not always excuse them being used. What is interesting is how they are used. Not only can they be casual, everyday accidental comments, but they are also used purposefully whether it be to intentionally offend someone or just to make a joke. Comedians have used micro-aggressions to entertain their audiences in a way that makes these regularly inappropriate remarks, an acceptable thing to say. While many people probably have different standpoints on this humor, it is interesting to see how they are used.

People can have very different standpoints when it comes to micro-aggressions. Some may see it as a joke and laugh it off whereas others may take it as extremely offensive and negative to our society. In this case those who think it is funny can easily state that those who are offended are being too sensitive.

In my opinion, I think it depends on how it is used. As I had stated before, micro-aggressions can sometimes be used as a voluntary insult which would obviously be negative. However in most cases being that it is normally unintended or being used as a joke I do not think it is that big of a deal. However every person will have their own opinion and because it is racial discrimination, the level of offensiveness is probably different to those of certain races. Being that I am white, I haven't experienced much micro-aggression towards myself, and the little that I have experienced was normally "white girl jokes" that I just laughed off.

Comedians have used micro-aggressions that are funny as well as realistic. In a video of Louis CK, called "Being White" he uses micro-aggressions about white people that in my opinion are pretty accurate. In society everyone knows that there's an unfair advantage to being white for some reason. Louis CK jokes about how "great" it is being white. He touches on real history of white people always having an advantage. He jokes about being able to time travel, and how an African-American would never want to go back to "any time before 1980." The sad thing is this actually has some truth to it being that racism used to be so powerful. All of his jokes about being white had some truth to it and the micro-aggressions he used as examples such as being called a "cracker" really don't have that much offense and don't truly affect white people in a negative way.

Dave Chapelle also used micro-aggressions in his comedic performance. The difference with his jokes seemed to talk about racism negatively. He makes jokes but he also mentions how sometimes racism really can get to him. Chapelle jokes about the stereotype of "black people loving chicken." With that stereotype being so common he states must be "pre-genetically disposed to it." He also mentions the relationship between white people and black people and how if he were to say "peace out" or some sort of slang to a white lawyer, they don't really know how to respond.

Both performances were funny but it is also strange how if these acts were spoken vice versa (Chapelle talking about white people and Louis CK talking about black people) things might be very different. Micro-aggressions can be funny but even in comedy the crude humor still seems to have a possible boundary that it is really okay to talk about your own race. That way, it is less racist because it's coming from someone of the same ethnicity that they're joking about. Both comedians seems to be making a point that micro-aggressions really only affect certain races. Micro-aggressions are everyday comments that I don't think will ever be erased from society, but I think if people are to use them carefully they may not be too terribly negative to society.