#yes this was prompted by the Loki fandom which is filled with salty people

[juliabohemian]

I must be fun at parties

Every once in a while, when I respond to a joke or a meme by suggesting that it didn't make sense or just wasn't funny, I will get the unimaginative reply "you must be fun at parties, huh?"

The problem with this statement is that it implies I am not only obligated to be amused by everything, but that the burden is on me to BE amusing as well.

That sounds like a lot of work.

Fortunately for me, I don't owe anyone that. 

This comment falls into the same category as “you need to laugh more” or “can’t you take a joke???”

These are knee-jerk reactions to being invalidated.

What actually IS amusing is that these reactions tend to come from people who (wait for it) are more offensive than funny. 

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that I think it’s hilarious when people fall down and hurt themselves. I don’t, actually, because I’m not a piece of shit. But if I were in a room full of people who also found that amusing, then I could easily become convinced that it actually IS amusing when people fall down. We could start a club and sit around watching Youtube videos about people falling down.

Then, one day, along comes someone who does NOT find it amusing when people fall down. And this person points out that sometimes, when people fall down, they can be seriously injured. And the club responds by telling that person they have no sense of humor, and they need to smile more. Because the alternative is that they might have to self-reflect, and question their own values.

In summary, no...I don't have to laugh at your memes. I especially don’t have to laugh at them if they're racist, reactionary, sexist, ableist, or just plain completely unintelligent. 

I also don’t have to laugh at them if they demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of a fictional character (cough cough LOKI).

And for the record...I am, in fact, LOTS of fun at parties.

I’m fucking hilarious.

#Maybe you’re just not that funny #juliabohemianrant #juliabohemian #yes this was prompted by the Loki fandom which is filled with salty people #how to get blocked by me