It's not as funny when you do it (Saturated Market)

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It's not as funny when you do it

Dear The Internet,

How are you? I hope you're well. I'm also doing very well, thank you for asking. I'm afraid I'm not writing for purely social reasons, however; I'd like to address some troubling behaviour.

You see, for some time now, you've had a bit of a...reputation. I'm not talking about your not-entirely-legal copyrighted material appropriation, or your pornography stash, or even your continuing (and somewhat disturbing) fascination with ninjas, pirates, and the longstanding feud between them. No, I'm afraid it's about your manners.

In the past, you've been hurtful. Said things maybe you didn't mean, or at least should not have said even if you did. And I know you aren't trying to be a dick, but the fact remains...

You're a dick.

I know that pop culture has taught us that being mean can be funny. Shows like House, South Park and the entirety of British television have built a sizeable portion of their appeal on hilariously cruel humour. And that's fine. But the difference is, they're funny when they do it. And you're just...well, you come off as a mean spirited dick.

Maybe it's because you get too comfortable shooting your mouth off. Horsing around with your friends is one thing, but total strangers will not take your jibes in stride. Your friends will know you're just joking around and will respond in kind, but everyone else will just think you're a dick.

And then there's your lack of boundaries; there are certain things that maybe shouldn't be joked about. I know, you like to be 'edgy' and 'push the envelope' and 'upset the established norms', but it would be nice if you could have a little respect for others. Think about how you would feel if someone picked on you about something you found hurtful. Camus said that "not taking the tragic seriously is not so grievous, but it helps to judge a man." In other words, you look like a dick.

But really, a clever put-down in good fun on a tv show is funny, but randomly attacking random people with swear words and insults without any provocation isn't funny, it's just rude. And it kinda makes you look like a...well, you get the picture.

So please, The Internet, remember that being mean and rude isn't an instant recipe for being funny.

And stop being such a dick.

Until next time,