Late, going home, I pass a group of squatting high…
““Late, going home, I pass a group of squatting high schoolers. One of the boys, obviously seeking to impress the girls, says that foreigners are funny (okashii no yo). The sight of me has prompted the remark and he is, like everyone else, unaware that some foreigners speak Japanese. It is thus not a provocative remark, but an observation he might have made of a passing dog, in reference to dogs in general. I am not offended by the remark (it is scarcely personal), but I am interested that the remark was made at all. He made it because he wanted to assert their feeling of being in a group. By defining those outside this group as funny, he strengthened their group feeling of not being funny. This made everyone feel good. And for so long as a feel-good grouping is necessary, we will have xenophobia, racism, and all the rest. The only solution is to dissolve the pleasures of groupery. Had I become angry, felt slighted, outraged, etc., I would have become as culpable as they, for I would have brought my own feelings of group (as a foreigner) to strive against theirs.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Observations about casual xenophobic jokes reveal how group identity is reinforced by labeling outsiders as “funny,” sustaining broader prejudice.
In simple terms: Group jokes reinforce identity and prejudice.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge group‑based humor.
Themes
identity
prejudice
group dynamics
social psychology
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
social commentary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- schoolyard interactions
- workplace banter
- online communities
- multicultural settings
Key Concepts
in‑group bias
othering
social cohesion
Questions to Reflect On
- How does humor shape group identity?
- Can we enjoy belonging without excluding others?
A Different Perspective
If the speaker feels offended, they may reinforce the same group boundaries they critique.