Funny How Stuff Changes

[BarryBobPosthole]

I read somewhere, hellifiknow if its true, that homo sapiens intelligence hasn't increased a nickels worth in the last ten thousand years or so. Fact is, our brain sizes are now shrinking.
So that guy sitting in camp flaking a new point before he went out hunting or fishing was just as smart as us today from an intelligence standpoint. Sure, we know more about some things than he did but what really makes us smarter? Interesting question.

And from thnking about that, I ended up thinking about this: Is the shedding of stuff in our culture a sign we're improving ourselves or not? Take for example, harelip jokes. Really. When I was younger it seemed like there was always a harelip joke going around and always some guy who'd tell it, doing the harelip voice, and everyone laughed. Tell one of those in polite company these days and see how it goes over. Little Moron jokes were all the rage in those days. How the hell they got from coast to coast is another topic but that's another one that's become impolite. I only bring these up because they are something anybody over 50 who's heard a joke can relate to.

Anyway, we've cast off the purposeful indignity we inflict on others with harelip jokes and with little moron jokes. But are we better off for it or not? Who gets to decide these things?

Woodeye woodeye!

BKB

[quercus alba]

Don't get me on my soapbox about the PC police. I can see how a moron joke could be offensive since you can't throw a rock without hitting two or three. Common curtesy dictates you don't tell harelip jokes in front of a harelip. The bulk of PCness is bullcrap in my opinion. I think society is regressing

[BarryBobPosthole]

My problem isn't with your opinion of PC crap. My problem is figuring out what it means most of the time.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ha ha! I'll have to say, you did drag a smile out of me as it brought back memories of earlier times and the jokes that went around. To top it off, you just HAD to finish with the "woodeye woodeye" punchline! (I told that one a bazillion times as a kid)

BTW .... how do you keep a Polack in suspense?

[quercus alba]

My problem isn't with your opinion of PC crap. My problem is figuring out what it means most of the time.

BKB

My opinion or the pc crap?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Figuring out what really should be eliminated from culture and what is just being PC.

Consider this: Around the turn of the century (the 19th not the 20th), America realized it was the only world power that didn't have colonies. The West was won and the frontier was considered tamed. So we went to war with Spain over Cuba and the Phillipines. At the end of the war we ruled over them quite contrarily to the words written in our Declaration of Independence. Our justification was that they were our 'little brown brothers' and we needed to take care of them because they couldn't take care of themselves. Quite literally, by the way, that was our rationale for our treatment of our own native peoples. Today, that racist attitude wouldn't be tolerated. Did we remove that attitude from our culture because our culture progressed or because it was the PC thing to do?


BKB

[HideHunter]

It took me a long while to figure out the fascination with shooting Zombies. I think I finally figured it out. We can't shoot japs. gerries, indians,, or pretty much anything else without offending someone. As a group Zombies just haven't gotten organized enough to launch a protest. btb... I was the hl *master*.

[quercus alba]

I think a bit of both. I think culturally we made some positive change but the powers that be decided if a little is good then a lot would be great. Then it became a voting block to be appeased. Now I don't think the right left or center knows what the devil is happening, I certainly don't

[BarryBobPosthole]

That could be why superheroes are so popular nowadays too. As long as its a bug hunt....

BKB

[Thumper]

Can we still tell blonde jokes?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Haha I don't make the rules, I just bend the heck out of them.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of me and Renaldo starting our close friendship. It feels wierd as shit knowing I had somehing in me that was trying to kill me in pretty cruel ways and then I had surgery and zip, it was gone. Almost as if I didn't pay enough dues or something. I mean, rehab was a certified bitch, but nothing like I've seen friends go through.

Anyway, I only bring that up because when they took out my kidney they somehow took out a big part of my filter too. So PC or not is not any kind of filter any more in my brain.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Speaking of pc sheeit.....I got my azz chewed on the other day....I was talking to a lady the other day about a young couple who just had a new baby.....she informed me that the infant had been born with both sex organs.....I said, "Dang, that's a shame, are they going to surgically remove one set of sex organs, or just leave the child in a hermaphroditic state ???

You woulda thought I had stuck a branding iron to her azz.....her face turned red, and she said that was a horrible thing to say, and it was not pc to mention that word, when referring to humans, and it wasn't even a scientific term.

Well, that pizzed me off because I know better.....I said, "Excuse me, but evidently, you skipped your biology classes at Ole Miss, so google it, when you get home.".....then, she said, "Well, it might be a scientific term, but the pc term is 'unisex' ".....to which I replied, "No ma'am, you're wrong again. A hermaphrodite can't be unisexual. The term you're looking for is "intersexual."

By now, she's really pizzed, but I caved in to her and said, "Okay, if it sounds more pc to you, I'll call the kid an intersexual".....as I was walking away, I turned and said, "But that sounds pretty queer to me.".....that'll teach her!!!

[BarryBobPosthole]

What did they put on the baby's birth certificate?

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Good question.....I got no idea.....but, the scientific term is still "hermaphrodite", so maybe that's what the doctor has to put on the birth certificate.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I think I'd refer to it as 'Pat'.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ha ha! Ready for a Thump story? I was at a Hollywood party in the very early 80's and met a gorgeous blonde who worked for a production studio in town. We hit it off pretty well and spent most of the evening hanging out. I had to work the next day, so I asked her out for the following weekend and she gave me her number and address. That weekend, I picked her up at her place and I don't even remember where we went, but late that evening, we ended up back at her apartment (where I had every intention of spending the night). We had a couple of drinks (I was drinking Black Russians in those days) and we were moving along at a pretty rapid pace. Things started getting hot and heavy, then all of a sudden she stopped me and said there was something she needed to tell me. (I thought, "DANG!! Right NOW??? WTF?") But, I nicely said, "Ok, what's up?" She then told me she's a hermaphrodite! I'll have to admit, I had no clue what a hermaphrodite was at that time, but it sounded ominous. After a few uncomfortable minutes, I admitted I had no idea what she was talking about. (I was really hoping it didn't mean she was a carrier for some exotic disease!)

Well, she went on to explain what it is and that she was born that way. She told me a bit about her life growing up and then asked if I'd like to see what she was talking about. I swear, I was sweating bullets. A part of me was super curious ... but a bigger part of me said, "Ummmm, NO THANKS!" I had a vision of boinking away with her "package" getting in the way! Of course, there was always the thought in the back of my mind, "If you boink a hot looking hermaphrodite, are you gay?" (Ok, don't even start with the Thai jokes!)

I kind of wound the conversation down, thanked her for a great evening, ended up going home and never saw her again. I have to admit, in a weird sort of way (I said weird, not GAY), I'd have kind'a liked to see wtf that shit looked like ... just to say I've actually seen one in person!

[BarryBobPosthole]

Actually, you'd be seeing 'two' in person.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ha! Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll tell you one thing for sure, she was ALL woman otherwise! Tall, but no adam's apple.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Just FYI, it wouldn't be the adam's apple that'd be the problem.

BKb

[Thumper]

Point well taken.

[Chicken Dinner]

Thanks, I needed a smile today. QA and BM, a couple of your comments are pure internet gold.

[Chicken Dinner]

In Thump's story, I wonder why the poor thing just didn't get the operation. It's long been rumored that Jamie Lee Curtis was born "intersexual and had the operation and I'd boink her in a minute.

[Penguin]

Hard to say Posthole.

I'm not sure I'll ever completely gain clarity on these issues. Age has changed me. I think now that humans would do well to re-read their Tolkien and genuflect.

Maybe we aren't cut out to have the superpowers of the elves. Nor the heroic aspects of Aragon and the royalty. And certainly not the wisdom and insight of Gandalf. Maybe they aren't proper role models at all. Maybe the quest to become gods and conquer the stars is a fools errand.

Hobbits enjoy a good pipe. A well brewed pint. An extra seedcake at lunch. They don't have all the answers. They don't set out to conquer life. They muddle thru. And are content with the little things. Not a bad way to be.

Will

[Captain]

Why are y'all so against personal computers? (PC)

[quercus alba]

Why are y'all so against personal computers? (PC)

The liberal media supports them

[Captain]

That's reason enough for me...

[jb]

How about Pollock Jokes ?

[Thumper]

How about Pollock Jokes ?

Ha ha ha! You're slowing down in your old age Bubba! Check the 4th post on page 1.

BTW .... how do you keep a Polack in suspense?

[jb]

Heck, I even spelled it wrong

[BarryBobPosthole]

You mean like the Pollock space expedition to the sun? The one they're doing at night so it isn't so dang hot?

BKB