Is this "joke" funny?

[Allison]

I think it is harmless.

 

[leahgoogle]

I chuckled when I read it. I think my senior mom would too.

 

[Christine]

I think it's very funny!

 

[John VN]

73yo geezer here and thought it was funny. I find accepting my own limitations, as disheartening as they are with advancing age, is all part of the game before I *kick the bucket*.

condensed version

 

[Dan Murphy]

73yo geezer here and thought it was funny. I find accepting my own limitations, as disheartening as they are with advancing age, is all part of the game before I *kick the bucket*.

condensed version

One of the best movies ever, and one of its best scenes.

 

[ronandannette]

It didn't make me laugh, but I recognize it as an attempt at a joke. I live with a very, very bad "dad-joker" so I'm pretty used to politely chuckling at things that are really lame. No malice in the train clerk's comment, as far as I'm concerned but if I was her manager and heard it, I'd suggest she drop that one from her repertoire.

 

[goofyernmost]

We live in such a somber world now. Everyone is offended at the drop of a hat. It is so seldom that one runs into a person doing their job with a bit of levity. That one was funny but a little on the dark side, but trust me when I say that the vast majority of us older than dirt people live on the dark side and a little teasing would not offend most of us. That said, however, I can also see the person not finding it funny because I will assume that she loved her parent and was just being defensive and certainly not entertained by this, especially if the aging process is not a fun thing for her mother or herself. Still, I would have walked away and never thought of it again. I have a t-shirt that says... It feels weird to be the same age as old people!

When I first wore it I was afraid that it might offend someone, but instead every senior that I encounter told me how much they liked it with phrases like.. Ain't that the truth.

 

[goofyernmost]

One of the best movies ever, and one of its best scenes.

I agree, one of the best movies ever made and possible the best scene in the picture. The problem is that now I will have that song in my head for the rest of the day. I don't think they have made a movie since then with that many big names, of the time, in it.

 

[ronandannette]

We live in such a somber world now. Everyone is offended at the drop of a hat. It is so seldom that one runs into a person doing their job with a bit of levity. That one was funny but a little on the dark side, but trust me when I say that the vast majority of us older than dirt people live on the dark side and a little teasing would not offend most of us. That said, however, I can also see the person not finding it funny because I will assume that she loved her parent and was just being defensive and certainly not entertained by this, especially if the aging process is not a fun thing for her mother or herself. Still, I would have walked away and never thought of it again. I have a t-shirt that says... It feels weird to be the same age as old people!

When I first wore it I was afraid that it might offend someone, but instead every senior that I encounter told me how much they liked it with phrases like.. Ain't that the truth.

Now that did make me laugh!

 

[bsmcneil]

Remember the show Betty White's Off Their Rockers? Where seniors pranked younger people in the most hilarious ways? I can only hope that when I get to be a senior, I can have that same anything goes sense of humor.

I really enjoyed that show

 

[darnheather]

I don't find ageism funny.

 

[GAN]

I'm on a trip with my mom, sister and DS. When we visit this area, DS likes to go on a particular tourist train ride. I went up to the ticket counter and asked if they have a senior price since my mom is 86. The woman behind the counter smiled and said, "Actually, we consider seniors a liability so we charge them double! But just for today, I'll give you the adult price!" I'll admit I was a bit stunned and said, "OK, four adults." While she was running the transaction I said, "Why do you consider seniors a liability?" She said, "It was a joke." I said, "I know, but my mom's not a liability." I signed the credit card slip, took my tickets and thanked her before walking away. I was never impolite, but I think she felt a bit put off by my reaction.

I will say that I love a good joke! I joke around a lot. I totally understand sarcasm and use it all the time. But the woman joking about seniors being a liability just didn't strike me as funny. In fact, it seemed kind of disrespectful. Did I overreact? Take it too personally? Maybe it struck me the wrong way because my sister and I have an elderly mom and helping her safely navigate this trip is a little stressful? Or does the ticket seller need to re-evaluate her idea of what kind of "jokes" are appropriate to use on ticket buyers?

Funny? Yeah, I guess it was in the sense you weren't expecting it and clearly it worked. The way I interpret that is the woman set you up with a nice pitch and was hoping you had a good comeback and hit it out of the park. I would have asked something equally foolish like if it's 50% off tomorrow. or ask if they charge extra for severe incontinence ..that probably would have worked.

 

[starlite_]

I don't find it funny at all. I would have honestly been upset at my family member's behalf.

 

[Her Dotness]

I don't find it funny at all. I would have honestly been upset at my family member's behalf.

Seniors are a liability? Ouch!

My thought upon reading this was how hurtful it could be were these travelers going to visit an elderly relative with a terminal illness or were traveling to attend a funeral.

I think the agent would do better to follow a practice suggested to me when I worked retail sales, "Don't make jokes with anyone not a regular customer or acquaintance/friend you know well."

 

[DVC-Don]

Funny. I'm in my 70's.

 

[GAN]

73yo geezer here and thought it was funny. I find accepting my own limitations, as disheartening as they are with advancing age, is all part of the game before I *kick the bucket*.

condensed version

If you aren't laughing, you aren't living.....

 

[midwestdee]

I'm on a trip with my mom, sister and DS. When we visit this area, DS likes to go on a particular tourist train ride. I went up to the ticket counter and asked if they have a senior price since my mom is 86. The woman behind the counter smiled and said, "Actually, we consider seniors a liability so we charge them double! But just for today, I'll give you the adult price!" I'll admit I was a bit stunned and said, "OK, four adults." While she was running the transaction I said, "Why do you consider seniors a liability?" She said, "It was a joke." I said, "I know, but my mom's not a liability." I signed the credit card slip, took my tickets and thanked her before walking away. I was never impolite, but I think she felt a bit put off by my reaction.

I will say that I love a good joke! I joke around a lot. I totally understand sarcasm and use it all the time. But the woman joking about seniors being a liability just didn't strike me as funny. In fact, it seemed kind of disrespectful. Did I overreact? Take it too personally? Maybe it struck me the wrong way because my sister and I have an elderly mom and helping her safely navigate this trip is a little stressful? Or does the ticket seller need to re-evaluate her idea of what kind of "jokes" are appropriate to use on ticket buyers?

I would have had the same reaction you did. If possible, I would write up the whole encounter and submit to her employer. I’d be amazed if they found it an acceptable “joke”.

 

[Ghost Host 998]

If you find a joke funny; laugh, then move on with your life.
If you don't find a joke funny; don't laugh, then move on with your life.

Not everything needs to be an existential crisis.

 

[tvguy]

Everyone takes things differently. My DIL thinks it's cruel that that Care Home around the corner from our house has a sign that says "Now Recruiting Grandmas and Grandpas". I find it amusing.

 

[fly girl]

If you find a joke funny; laugh, then move on with your life.
If you don't find a joke funny; don't laugh, then move on with your life.

Not everything needs to be an existential crisis.

Agree, but also want to disagree on OP's behalf - which I don't believe you directly implied, but just in case.

Agree in the fact I think somehow, somewhere our society has become so soft when it comes to comedy. I don't understand why no one can take a joke anymore. Not everything is meant to be literal and serious. There are plenty of comedians I don't find funny. Am I going out and blasting all over social media that their material is crass and inappropriate? No, because comedy is absolutely subjective! I simply don't watch. Voila! Problem solved.

The disagree comes with the OP. I don't think she took it as an existential crisis. She even said she moved on with her day moments later, but thought it could make a good discussion on the boards. Which by all accounts it is, as not everyone on here is in total agreement. It is nice to have a more lively discussion, even if it is a fluff issue.