The joke may have been good natured, but worded poorly. Or perhaps the joker misjudged how sensitive you are about a particular topic. Sometimes people joke about sensitive topics, intending to show support for those who need it most or lighten the mood. [2] X Trustworthy Source Association for Psychological Science Nonprofit organization devoted promoting trustworthy research and education in the psychological sciences Go to source
Keep your teasing lighthearted when creating banter with the joker. Keep in mind he or she is trying to have fun and be silly with you. If there’s a cruel or threatening undercurrent, then you may want to address appropriate joking with the joker.
We all have less than desirable traits. An overly sarcastic friend isn’t likely to make major personality changes, so there is no benefit to getting upset and potentially harming relationships.
If inappropriate comments or mean spirited jokes continue to be a problem, then you might consider addressing the issue with your friend.
For example, if someone spills water on you and someone asks “Going for a swim?” you can say, “Darn, and I left my beach towel at home!”
Ignoring jokes you don’t find funny is an easy way to express your disapproval, without creating unnecessary tension.
If you are having a hard time finding the humor in a joke about you, try taking the perspective of an outsider. Retell the joke in your head but about somebody else, perhaps somebody you don’t even know. This may help you reduce your defensiveness.
Embarrassing moments are less embarrassing when you make a joke of it, so take this as an opportunity to rid yourself of some negative feelings.
This will shift other’s attention to you and help you to take control of the situation. An easy way to set up your one up joke is “That was nothing, you should have seen the time I…”
For jokes about inappropriate subjects, you can tell the Joker, “please don’t joke about that; it’s kind of a sensitive topic for me. "
If you aren’t sure how to engage in humor without possibly offending others, try making fun of yourself. Self-depricating humor actually helps to put others at ease and reduces tension. [11] X Research source
Making a game of setting rules will change the direction of the conversation without dragging down the intended tone.
