Posted the following on Facebook (picture included) about 20 minutes ago. Then I decided to make it into a blog post because reasons:
This is the perfect complement to a FB conversation from yesterday. I was talking about how I love “Squirrel!” jokes but someone found them offensive and out of line. Two things, methinks:
1. While I do not want people to laugh AT me, I do want people to laugh WITH me! I laugh at myself all the time and it’s always nice to have some company when laughing . I don’t take myself seriously. Ever. Seriously. Did I slip and fall? Go ahead and laugh your head off cause that crap is funny as hell (just make sure I am ok at some point)2. Finding something offensive/being offended is a personal choice. If you find something offensive, that doesn’t mean everybody else does. You know, you might be over-reacting. Hey, it happens! Or you might have a good reason to be offended but that reason may apply to you only. Don’t ask everyone to be offended just because you are, providing the joke/issue is not a matter of human/civil/animal rights and/or equality.
3. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But you don’t have to agree with me and I certainly do not have to agree with you.
4. Laughing is good for… Squirrell!!!…..
Let’s rewind so I can give you the background, even though it makes enough sense as a stand alone, methinks.
<rewind>
The original post was about hating when people use a real illness to comment on how someone looks/acts, anorexia, in this case. Which I get. That is judgmental and out of line. We’ve all seen it. Oh, she’s so bipolar! and the likes. But then I saw that someone in the comments said they felt the same way about “squirrel” and other ADD/ADHD jokes. My reply to that (verbatim):
I have ADD myself and a son with ADHD. I find all the squirrels jokes/memes hilarious because t is like they are describing me very accurately and I do not take myself seriously at all. That is our life and so far, I haven’t found a single squirrel joke I find offensive. While saying that someone “looks anorexic” is a judgement in any light you want to see it, those jokes are merely stating what actually goes on in… SQUIRREL….
The person thought it was great I didn’t take offense but they knew some people who did and were very hurt by them. Another person chimed in saying that it was ok for me to like and post squirrel jokes because I have the condition but that they didn’t feel comfortable sharing those joke because they didn’t have ADD/ADHD. That for them it was a matter of laughing at yourself versus laughing at someone else. Naturally, I had to comment on that because, you know, I must have an opinion on everything:
Right. There is true to that. However, I laugh buckets whenever I see one of those anywhere. I don’t take offense if people without AD[H]D share them and have a good honest-to-god laugh with them. Cause, here’s the thing, besides, me-laughing-at-myself, and other-people-laughing-at-me kinds of laugh there is the laughing-with-me laugh. I so much prefer if people can laugh WITH me. I know that the “laughing at me” thingy is not nice and I don’t encourage it. But I do very much encourage people to laugh with me. Cause honestly, who is perfect in this world? We all have illnesses and issues and traumas. we all have baggage. If we start banning all of these jokes (not the mean ones, mind you like making fun OF people), soon we won’t have a reason to laugh.
This may be just me, but you know me. I am this granola-eating, tree-hugging, environmentally-conscious, love-everyone, but socially awkward geek/nerd. I believe in the virtue of laughing. And seriously, I have all this ridiculous ADD and OCD traits that don’t make no sense. If I get uptight about them, my life (and the lives of people around me) will become rather miserable. Same thing with mental illness. I just need to laugh about it cause laughing is much preferable than crying.
I don’t know if I am getting my point across so I am just going to shut up now. Much Love. Sorry I this comment is so long.
</rewind>
So, what’s the moral of this story? Apparently I don’t know how to count to four.
Also, I just like to laugh and enjoy the little things cause life is already too damn hard to take offense at every single stupid thing we see every day. I may have to hand in my Canadian card because of this but I am not interested in being offended all the time.
Now, let’s have a coffee and some laughs together.
Summer Solstice Musings 
Dammit, why don’t I ever see any SQUIRREL jokes :D
hahahaha I post them often. Next time I post one I’ll tag you! :)
Please do!
My youngest son had ADHD growing up (and has just learned now, in his 30’s, how to manage it better without medication). It didn’t ever occur to me that I also had ADD, which I suppose had more to do with other diagnoses that were more life-interrupting (PTSD, DID, BPD) so I probably never paid attention *SQUIRREL* when they tried to talk to me about ADD. I had so many other things to deal with, that ADD took a backseat.
Now that most of those other things are being managed fairly well, the ADD tends to require more of my attention these days *SQUIRREL*, but I do not get offended by the references to my ADD (and neither does my son). We see it as a funny way to acknowledge the obvious, without casting a disapproving eye in our direction.
Reblogged this on yadadarcyyada and commented:
How true…Thanks for the great post and reminder, I needed that today. :)
Life is way too short not to laugh once in awhile and choosing to not take it so seriously is a blessing in itself. My son had ADD and I think the squirrel jokes are hysterical because it’s so true. I’d rather laugh than cry about it. There is always someone lurking waiting to become offended by something. I’m glad you can let it roll off if you. Great attitude and great post ;)
Here’s my tip for the day: Make stupid faces at yourself in the mirror. I do that sometimes, and it helps me take myself less seriously. It doesn’t help me take anything else less seriously, but one step at a time.
I suffer from a non-real condition I call Shiny Object Syndrome. I can focus when I need to, but it’s so much more fun to allow myself to be distracted by the shiny . . . squirrel!
Nice reading about you
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thank you so much dear :)
I’m confused. Maybe it’s the different countries/ different humour but I ‘m guessing that SQUIRREL jokes have something to do with ADD and ADHD? Are we talking the short, furry squirrels? Maybe not. But then we don’t have squirrels ( we have kiwi instead). See why I am confused?
And on another note you haven’t said whether you mind being told if I’m offended by your jokes? I’m not although I have a slightly different view, but that’s ok. I just find it funny when people post humour and then object to the whole realm of opinions on it. Personally when I post a joke I’m open to any comment, offended or not. But I’ve seen a fair amount who aren’t willing to take what comes (obviously without any personal attacks).
Hmm. Humour is one of those touchy areas. Makes it interesting. :-)