It’s Just a Joke!
Four high school students—Nick, Tyrone, Grayson, and Zack—have known each other since kindergarten and have been friends since middle school. This year their schedules worked out so that they are able to sit together at lunch every day on the west end of the cafeteria. But there are some new changes for them. Zack now leaves once a week to each lunch with his new girlfriend, Della, and her friends. And once a week, Della joins Zack and his friends. Della and Zack are both happy with the arrangement after trying it out for a month. They are glad to spend time together, to get to know each other’s friends, and make sure to spend time with their own friends. And, fortunately, both friend groups have been welcoming to their respective newcomers.
One day, Della joins Zack and his friends. “Hey, Della,” Grayson says, “We’re doing a game night on Tuesday over the break. You want to come?” Della is pleased by the invitation. “I would love to, but as Zack knows, I take self-defense classes on Tuesday evenings.” The boys are surprised and impressed: “Whoa! Can you beat me up?” asks Grayson. “Wow! You must be stronger than you look!” says Nick. “What all can you do? Can you kick down a door?” Tyrone asks. Smiling, Della answers, “I don’t know if I can kick down a door, but I can kick to disable. And I can strike an attacker in lots of ways, so I guess I could beat you up, Grayson, if I had to!” They all laugh. “What I would really like to learn how to do,” Della continues, “isn’t really self-defense, but I think it’s cool. Knife-throwing. Wouldn’t it be awesome to know how to do that?!” “Whoa!” says Nick. “Zack, you better be careful.” The group laughs again. Nick, gesturing with his sandwich, adds “But you know, if she ever pulls a knife on you, just pull out some bread, ham, and mayo. Instincts will kick in and she’ll make you a sandwich!” The boys chuckle. Della does not. “That’s not funny,” she says sternly. Zack looks down at his own sandwich on the table. “Oh, come on,” Nick says, “It’s just a joke! Lighten up!” “Listen, I’ve heard these stupid jokes forever,” Della protests. “And most of the time, guys tell them because they mean them; they think women belong in the kitchen. So, do you mean it?” “Of course not!” Nick replies. “I thought you knew me better than that. I was actually making fun of those jokes. They’re so, you know, predictable and obviously wrong. You want to throw knives and we all know you’re not the type of girl who would be in a kitchen. It’s a really stupid joke. I was just making fun of those jokes, not you.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Do you think Nick’s defense of his joke-telling is successful? Why or why not?
Independent of his defense, is it morally permissible for Nick to tell this joke in this context?
Do you think Della’s reasons for taking offense are defensible? Why or why not?
Is it possible for a joke always to be morally wrong or does its morality always depend on context?
What do you make of Zack’s response to this situation? Should he have done anything differently?
