The gentle mockery of friends is primarily about group cohesion. So is the vicious mockery of a public enemy.
Those who mock together flock together.
Those who mock together flock together.
This is not a justification of mockery, just a first stab at explanation.
Mockery seems to be an honor-culture bonding ritual.
Mockery seems to be an honor-culture bonding ritual.
Or maybe better, it is a human group bonding ritual that's more compatible with honor culture than dignity culture.
Those who deeply internalize liberal individualism, tend to develop a distaste for mockery.
Those who deeply internalize liberal individualism, tend to develop a distaste for mockery.
Mockery is a group sport. When you gang up on an individual by mocking them, their gang generally comes to their defense.
Those who buy into legal individualism have exchanged the protection of their groups for the protection of the state.
Those who buy into legal individualism have exchanged the protection of their groups for the protection of the state.
The state is not generally in the business of coming to the aid of those who are being mocked. So individualists, who have exchanged the burdens of honor culture for the freedoms of liberalism, develop a moral distaste for mockery (even as they develop a thicker skin).
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