April Fools’: Has Humor Turned Dark?

 

Social media is one of the most prominent forms of communication that the younger generations utilize today, and it provides an environment where users can maintain anonymity while still communicating with anyone in the world. This feature allows people to feel a separation between themselves and their online identities, giving them the confidence to spew hate and judgement without dealing with the repercussions in real life. The vail that is created has cultivated fertile grounds for people to make brutal memes and jokes with little mind to the offensive and aggressive connotations they carry. 

Although online hate has been an issue since the creation of social media, recent trends on apps like Instagram, Tiktok, and X have promoted the acceptance of bigotry through their platforms. A recent study done by PLOS One detailed that hate speech, in general, has increased by 50% since 2022, and that the engagement with these types of posts has grown by 70%. Memes promoting hate around specific countries like India have become especially prevalent through the media. A popular trend has arisen through these platforms that perpetuate South Asian stereotypes where their body odors and traditional food are referred to as “smelly” or “disgusting.” Transphobic trends have also increased, as seen in the meme directed towards Zaya Wade, Dwayne Wade’s transgender daughter. These jokes enforce damaging generalizations that not only affect the individual they target, but also the entire community they represent.

The problem with social media is that there is no control over who gets to see these “jokes.” Impressionable adolescents who have had early online exposure have a hard time differentiating between when something is meant to be informational versus humorous. Without enough filtration, it raises concerns of whether our youth is internalizing the content they absorb, and if that can lead to the development of prejudices and micro-aggressions against marginalized groups. In the past, parents only had to worry about the in-person exposure to hate speech. However, as the age at which children gain access to the internet continues to decrease, it is becoming progressively more difficult for parents to monitor the content their children consume. 

Not only does this allow kids to create prejudices against minorities, but it affects the mental health of the minorities who these jokes are directed at. These trends foster the perfect conditions for internalized resentment against one's identity. Moreover, they perpetuate the negative connotations that surround marginalized groups, consequently creating a hierarchy where one’s background is seen as less than another. In turn, this causes many young people to stifle aspects of themselves while striving to assimilate to their idea of what is “normal.” 

Humor is undoubtedly one of the joys of life. Self deprecating and provocative quips can even serve as a coping mechanism in order to navigate difficult situations. The problem does not lie in the humor itself, it lies in people’s inability to understand that their words have an impact, and making light of serious issues undermines the gravity of an individual's life experiences. Social media has allowed people to make hate casual, like it is something that every person has the right to inflict on another. Being kind or thoughtful is quickly losing its importance in a society where people will do anything to fit in, even if it means sacrificing one's values. The question we must ask ourselves is when we are going to draw the line between “dark humor” and the offensive, ignorant “jokes” that we all too often pretend to enjoy. It is essential that we recognize the weight that our words have, and understand when our comedic attempts transcend amusement and cross into the realm of disrespectful and inconsiderate. In many ways, April Fools' Day serves as a reminder of humor’s potential to bring people together, while also challenging us to confront its power– a power that, if misused, can just as easily divide us as it unites us.