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One of the greatest flaws of modern society is how we systematically beat this natural childlike enthusiasm for bending the rules out of people. I'm just old enough to remember when 'it was just a joke' was a legitimate excuse that could get you out of trouble. If the joke was funny and didn't hurt anyone you might get a slap not he wrist but people of all ages appreciated your effort to make the world a less grim place.

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The problem you run into is that people can do legitimately harmful things, and claim it was "just a joke". It ruins it for everyone, unfortunately.

Funny how, in my life experience, "It was just a joke" has been the exclusive use of people who were definitely not joking, absolutely intended to do harmful things, and simply liked hurting people.

They simply thought that so long as they found it amusing, the harm others experienced physically, emotionally, or materially, were not really of consequence. After all, surely if they were in their targets shoes, they would have thicker skin. And that definitely isn't a lie they're telling themselves and others.

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