It is interesting to experience my own increasing openness to this kind of humor as time passes.
For context, I’m an American, I was an adult when this happened, and have worked for one of the involved airlines since before the attacks, but was nowhere near NYC and didn’t know anyone directly impacted.
But even still, probably 5 years ago I’d have been a little skeeved out my this. Now I chuckle.
Yeah but I think I’m okay with Germany’s stance on it, as I understand it at least.
It isn’t avoidance or denial, it seems to me, as much as total repudiation.
It strikes me as an appropriate response for a nation that is host to such an abomination, and worthy of emulation by any other nation that should ahem manage to make any similar mistakes.
This might be a weird take, but it does show. The Germans tend to keep to themselves. You don’t really come across them that much in other parts of Europe. It’s very noticeable in some music subcultures, which don’t make it into Germany, but do all around Germany, which is interesting.
Well and you have partition and reunification as well, which must play into it. Postwar Germany seems to have been partially defined by a series of unique and almost absurd culture shocks as Germany encountered successively different versions of itself.
I hope this discussion doesn’t offend the Germans among us. My interest is earnest and genuine, and as an American in 2024, more than simply academic.
Germany’s entire history since the fall of the Roman empire is just a series of culture shocks. East Francia, the clusterfuck of the HRE, the subsequent clusterfuck of Austria and Prussia, so on and so forth.
Different cultures and different people deal with this sort of stuff in different ways.
I wasn’t in NYC at the time, but I had been in the twin towers one month before the attack. I was working in London during the attack, my building for evacuated. Still, when I heard that a radio station had played “it’s raining men” during the attack, it was a big oof but also a very good if tasteless joke. And that was the same year!
The British have a great sense of humour for dealing with tragedy. After the 7/7 bombings, an old chap on the news was saying “I’ve been bombed by a better class of bastard than this”, and the next day office staff across the whole financial centre, at least, all lined the roads at 11am. Both in remembrance, and in defiance of the attackers.
Some people find stuff sacrosanct and feel it can’t be mentioned, let alone be the basis of a joke. And some feel humour is a way to humanise, process and deal with a tragedy. But let it be clear it is never mocking the tragedy or victims, it is usually looking for some funny angle on something inconsequential compared to the tragedy.
(Of course there are examples to the contrary, I’m giving an overall view of the reaction there at the time and since)
Honestly that’s a good thing. People sometimes get too uptight about this stuff. I’m not saying it’s always right to make a 9/11 joke, but context matters
It is interesting to experience my own increasing openness to this kind of humor as time passes.
For context, I’m an American, I was an adult when this happened, and have worked for one of the involved airlines since before the attacks, but was nowhere near NYC and didn’t know anyone directly impacted.
But even still, probably 5 years ago I’d have been a little skeeved out my this. Now I chuckle.
Just interesting.
Most of the countries that were invaded by the Nazis make Hitler jokes except for the Germans.
Yeah but I think I’m okay with Germany’s stance on it, as I understand it at least.
It isn’t avoidance or denial, it seems to me, as much as total repudiation.
It strikes me as an appropriate response for a nation that is host to such an abomination, and worthy of emulation by any other nation that should ahem manage to make any similar mistakes.
This might be a weird take, but it does show. The Germans tend to keep to themselves. You don’t really come across them that much in other parts of Europe. It’s very noticeable in some music subcultures, which don’t make it into Germany, but do all around Germany, which is interesting.
Well and you have partition and reunification as well, which must play into it. Postwar Germany seems to have been partially defined by a series of unique and almost absurd culture shocks as Germany encountered successively different versions of itself.
I hope this discussion doesn’t offend the Germans among us. My interest is earnest and genuine, and as an American in 2024, more than simply academic.
Germany’s entire history since the fall of the Roman empire is just a series of culture shocks. East Francia, the clusterfuck of the HRE, the subsequent clusterfuck of Austria and Prussia, so on and so forth.
The only ones who had it worse were the Italians.
Different cultures and different people deal with this sort of stuff in different ways.
I wasn’t in NYC at the time, but I had been in the twin towers one month before the attack. I was working in London during the attack, my building for evacuated. Still, when I heard that a radio station had played “it’s raining men” during the attack, it was a big oof but also a very good if tasteless joke. And that was the same year!
The British have a great sense of humour for dealing with tragedy. After the 7/7 bombings, an old chap on the news was saying “I’ve been bombed by a better class of bastard than this”, and the next day office staff across the whole financial centre, at least, all lined the roads at 11am. Both in remembrance, and in defiance of the attackers.
Some people find stuff sacrosanct and feel it can’t be mentioned, let alone be the basis of a joke. And some feel humour is a way to humanise, process and deal with a tragedy. But let it be clear it is never mocking the tragedy or victims, it is usually looking for some funny angle on something inconsequential compared to the tragedy.
(Of course there are examples to the contrary, I’m giving an overall view of the reaction there at the time and since)
Honestly that’s a good thing. People sometimes get too uptight about this stuff. I’m not saying it’s always right to make a 9/11 joke, but context matters