I agree mostly with your general point, but I want to talk a bit about your example. I think it's okay to mock the Pope because I think religion is silly and ought to be mocked a bit. Of course, if you're Catholic, you might disagree. It's a good example for that reason. However, Catholics have a lot of power in society. They are not as marginalized as many other groups. So the example might not hit for everyone because intuitively, they don't think mocking Christianity or Catholicism is going to cause much harm in a western country where these groups are incredibly powerful.
Appropriation, and/or, as you said, stereotypes and jokes, are often mocking a culture or a people too. If they are a marginalized group, which often they are if they're being mocked, then it can add insult to injury
To clarify, here's a good example: As another commenter pointed out; appropriation is actually about making fun of things that other cultures hold sacred. An example I have heard of (but am pretty ignorant about myself) is wearing a native american feathered headdress.
I have heard it's reserved for specific people that indigenous Americans want to honor with it. It's like wearing a medal as a general. So, wearing a feathered headeess and cosplaying as native is belittling something they hold sacred.
People love to shit on TikTok, but honestly, I really enjoy it. It's not for everyone, and that's okay. Short-form content can be a lot—for me too. It took me a while to hone my algorithm and wade through stuff I didn't like. But TikTok stands out compared to Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. The content feels more authentic and engaging. When I scroll through TikTok, I often feel like I’m learning something new or having my perspective challenged.
TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t completely suppress leftist views. It’s one of the few platforms where conversations about issues like the genocide in Palestine actually gain traction. Of course, it’s a corporate platform, and it’s far from perfect. It has its alt-right pipelines and played a role in Trump winning this election because it was popular, and his team utilized it. But let’s not pretend that’s unique to TikTok—all social media platforms are allowing and often skewing towards the alt-right.
And then there’s the whole “TikTok is Chinese spyware” narrative, which just feels like a distraction. If we're worried about surveillance, let’s not ignore how U.S.-based platforms are also spying on us—for corporations and the government alike. Singling out TikTok for being Chinese misses the bigger picture entirely. This ban is happening because Meta and others don't want competition.
As I've heard it said. It's practically impossible to be a billionaire without being a sociopath. The sheer amount of exploitation required to make that kind of money is dumbfounding.
You only think that because it makes a good story. The reality is more complicated. Psychological factors and gun availability lead to some people killing people. Not bullying. Columbine is a famous example where the shooters were arguably bullies themselves.
I think maybe you got downvoted because this comment is just the title again, but with way too many emojis, but it's a solid message. Thanks for posting.!
This reminds me of a video I recently watched about how to resist the Trump presidency. Since, he doesn't seem to be swayed by acts of protest like this.
Yo, what!? Someone literally just joked on here the other day that the onion should do this. Amazing stuff.
Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence that was founded in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, will advertise on a relaunched version of the site under The Onion.
The publication plans to reintroduce Infowars in January as a parody of itself, mocking “weird internet personalities” like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements, Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, said in an interview.
The Onion declined to disclose the price it had paid for Infowars and its assets, including its production studio and diet supplement business, though it said in a tongue-in-cheek story that the site cost “less than a trillion dollars.” (The article added that all of the diet supplements would be melted down “into a single candy bar-sized omnivitamin.”)
Amazing shot