And yet, for all the talk about how comedy is sacred and comedians are the only people who matter, it seems like the “PC” critics are the people who actually value comedy the most in this discussion. They’re the people who believe comedy has power and influence. They’re the ones who really believe comedians can change lives, or change the world. It’s because they believe all this, in fact, that they’re so worried about what comedians do. People who understand the power of something are anxious about how that power is used. Adults scream if they see a toddler holding a loaded gun, because they know what guns can do. The toddler just waves it around freely, and cries if someone tries to take it away from him. He doesn’t know about its power, and he’s not scared of its danger; that’s why he can play with it so casually, when adults are scared to touch it. To him, it’s just another toy.
This entire piece is excellent but this paragraph captured something I have been trying to formulate in my head for months now. A word of caution - the essay handles it well but there are descriptions of sexual assault and animal cruelty involved.
