5 ms·

What jokes have changed the course of history? It would make a good book.

• coldtea 5y ago
  There's a long list of comedy that affected politics, from Aristophanes critiques of the Pelloponisian war (and obsfuscating relativism introduced by philosophers, which contributed to the charges against Socrates), to Jonathan Swift's "Modest proposal" aimed at then prevalent policies against the poor and/or Irish, US (Twain and others), and Europlean humorous writers and playwrights with considerable influence in their contemporary affairs (from Shaw to Karl Krauss), all the way to modern comedians like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin affecting free speech laws (all the way to the Supreme Court), and tons of similar examples worldwide. And we shouldn't forget one of the biggest jokes of the 20th century, Chamberlain.
  • bobbytit 5y ago
    Bill Burr was blaming that one specific joke for the demise of blading. Can you think of an example where a single joke has changed the course of history in a significant way? I don't doubt the impact humour has had. It is the favorite method that our rulers use to feed us propaganda.