Are Pranks Mean Or Funny?


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Pranks can be mean or funny, depending on who’s doing it and what they’re doing.

Pranks are sometimes mean if taken too far, but they are usually just harmless and funny. People typically don’t support pranksters who take things too far, and if they were being a menace, it wouldn’t be entertaining. So yes, pranks are funny when people don’t disregard others’ feelings and do it solely for entertainment.

Let us look at some types of pranks and the reactions they invoke to understand whether pranks are mean or funny.

What is The Meaning of a Prankster

A prankster or trickster is someone who enjoys playing practical pranks on unsuspecting people for their own or others’ amusement and entertainment.

These tricks are referred to as pranks, a source of entertainment for many because they bring a smile to your face and can even be laugh-out-loud funny.

There are many pranksters on Youtube and Tiktok, such as Vitaly, who got involved in some scandalous affairs and Top Notch Idiots, who are pretty well known worldwide.

The drive to create increasingly shocking pranks to get more views has become a vicious cycle that many have fallen into, resulting in Youtube demonetization and bad press.

Of course, in today’s world, even if you get bad press, that’s more views in your direction, and some people manage to capitalize on that pretty effectively.

Such an example is Logan Paul, who was somewhat of a prankster and a Youtube star but took one of his jokes too far and faced a heavy backlash where the public scrutinized him immensely.

He apologized, self-reflected, continued making videos, and eventually, the public forgave him. This trend is pretty common and has been seen many times before.

The Difference Between Mean and Funny Pranks

When poised with the question ‘are pranks mean or funny?’, it is crucial to distinguish and break down each element to determine the answer.

There are many instances when pranks are taken too far, such as singling out one person for constant abuse, which borderlines harassment and hurts someone’s feelings by mocking them excessively.

It also depends mainly on people’s perspectives.

Some people may find certain pranks funny, while others think they are mean.

It is easy to laugh at pranks on a screen but difficult to laugh at yourself if it happens to you.

Top Notch Idiots’ highest viewed videos on Youtube are gold digger pranks.

Essentially, a well-dressed guy approaches a girl and tries to ask her out on a date.

If she says no, he sets up a scene where people approach him and ask to take pictures, pretending that he’s a famous personality.

If the girl changes her mind after realizing he’s famous and has a lot of money, they are branded gold diggers on camera.

Do you think that’s mean or funny? We’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Another instance is when Vitaly, one of the oldest pranksters on Youtube, ran across a football field naked in the middle of the world cup.

Is that funny or completely inappropriate?

As mentioned before, people can certainly take their pranks too far in trying to get more and more views and trying to outdo previous pranks.

Shock and awe make videos go viral these days, and more views equate to more fame and money.

It can become a vicious circle, which can negatively impact many of these pranksters’ characters, leading to increasingly more shocking pranks, until eventually, it all blows up in their face, like what happened to Vitaly and Logan Paul.

It is a fine line between funny and mean and takes experience to navigate.

Why Pranks Are Funny

Pranks were originally just harmless antics done by tricksters to amuse themselves and others.

As an increasing number of prank channels on Youtube started popping up, the types of pranks started becoming similar, resulting in lesser views over time.

Oversaturation occurs with everything initially trending because people start copying others and making their original idea seem mundane and dull over time.

Anything in excess causes people to lose interest, and people crave originality and become intrigued by individuals who think outside the box.

Some people are more inclined to act silly for entertainment, which quickly becomes a personality trait due to positive reinforcement by others.

Pranks are funny when they are at someone else’s expense but can also be funny if you’re able and willing to laugh at yourself.

Not everyone who gets pranked reacts negatively, and once a situation is deemed a joke, people can relax, and the situation gets deescalated immediately.

There’s a reason there are comic reliefs in TV shows and movies, and comedy, in general, is appreciated by the masses.

It allows viewers to detract from the seriousness of their lives and engage in wholesome interactions that are harmless by nature.

Being malicious and purposely hurting someone’s feelings for your amusement is the dark side of pranks, but it shouldn’t taint pranking as a whole.

Laughter is contagious, and we all need more of it in our lives, but taking it too far at someone else’s expense is plain wrong, and any sensible person would not find it amusing.

There’s a niche for everything, and pranksters capitalize on what works the most.

Views and like ratios on Youtube indicate the popularity of certain antics. They can serve as feedback for pranksters to continue acting out particular behaviors and know when and where to draw the line with others.

Final Thoughts

Pranks are usually harmless and funny but can be mean and hurtful to others.

It is essential to distinguish between the two and to experiment with what works well without eliciting adverse reactions from those being pranked and viewers alike.

Life should not always be serious, so settle down and have a laugh from time to time and allow pranksters to continue doing their thing.

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