It’s generally safe to assume they mean it, unless proven otherwise.
The sentence you’re replying to completely agrees with this. I think you misread it.
Even if the hateful remarks are understood to be ‘‘a joke’’, I don’t think that’s any less damning. These are not the type of things to joke about, and most reasonable and/or decent people realize that.
I was thinking in terms of Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal or someone adopting a Colbert-style character, like the one from his old show.
Can you give me an example of something like that playing out on a serious real-life topic such as politics/race/genocide etc?
With politics, it usually comes in the form of verbal abuse.
The sentence you’re replying to completely agrees with this. I think you misread it.
I was thinking in terms of Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal or someone adopting a Colbert-style character, like the one from his old show.
With politics, it usually comes in the form of verbal abuse.
How do you respond to verbal abuse without assuming bad faith?
That’s what I’m saying. If someone is verbally abusing you, it’s a sign they are being deceptive.
makes sense.
Do you extend this reasoning to corrupt institutions? Eg: people saying, “fuck ice”.