http://seenbyvictor.blogspot.com

I am a Chairman of The East Newspaper in the UK.

Is there any chance we could introduce your articles in our paper and reintroduce them on our website with your full credit?

Many thanks and kind regards,

Hyung Wook Lee
Chairman / Editor in Chief
MBA(Edin)

THE EAST, The East Asian Monthly Business Newspaper,
Elephant Consulting Limited, 160 Central Road, Worcester Park, Surrey, KT4 8HQ, UK
Tel : + 44 (0) 7912 608 321 / Web site: http://www.theeast.org / E mail : info@theeast.org
Registered in England & Wales, Company No. 6254454

Didn’t they kinda have to do that? I guess I shouldn’t be so negative about that.

Okay, I agree that laughing at people with disorders that cause them to do things they cannot control is not nice and is indeed somewhat insensitive.

On a philosophical level that accepts reality as being reality, however, I think it is hard to argue that largely harmless odd behavior is not at least somewhat funny for most people. A large part of what makes things funny is what is unexpected. This guy making random facial expressions is unexpected.

If it is something he cannot control, most people will quickly learn to be sensitive to it especially to his face because most people are capable of empathy: understanding how it must suck to have people gawk at you right in front of you over something you have no control of. In partial defense of myself, I really do think it is natural to have had a chuckle response only to then have your conscience kick in and some mild sense of guilt take over.

But seriously, we can acknowledge it being funny just as we can laugh at people who fart or Charlotte York shitting her pants in the Sex and the City movie (yes, I just made that reference). While farts and pants-shitting is more bad timing than a permanent neurological disorder, the expressed phenomenon is the same: it was unexpected and out of the ordinary.

This is one of those situations where the most likely and reasonable response by the vast majority of viewers who don’t have extensive experience with someone with a similar disorder is: “LoL, but, man, that kinda sucks…”

…and then…”wow, that was a girl?”

…and then…”wow, she rocks for being with that guy despite his disorder…”

There, all sense of order and balance is restored to the world. We may rejoice.

Personally, I don’t find it funny just b/c one of my classmates was like this. When you’re exposed to it day after day, it just becomes the norm. It’s not so much about political correctness or feeling sorry for someone as it is about it simply not being funny.

I personally found it hilarious. Does that make me a bad person? No.

You may find it offensive and distasteful. Does that make you oversensitive? No.

Public shaming doesn’t really work on the internet, due to the level of anonymity. Unless there’s a flesh search, I don’t see a curbing of the trend anytime soon.