Culture & film

The Thin Line Between Fundamental Civility and Entertainment

Does it really make you laugh?

Brahma Swarup Das17 Jul 2026 · 3 min read · 5 figures

India, as a country, has evolved multifariously over the decades in terms of outlook, perspective, and our cohesive way of providing space for diverse ideas—irrespective of caste, creed, and gender. With the advent of AI-driven social media platforms, we have been able to educate and entertain ourselves more effectively and connect across the globe. With each passing year, we are becoming more aware of our social and cultural intricacies, stigmas, and taboos that inhibit freedom of speech and expression. We are breaking these barriers and making room for more rational and liberal schools of thought to flourish and crush the parochiality of society.

Figure 1 from The Thin Line Between Fundamental Civility and Entertainment

Figure 2 from The Thin Line Between Fundamental Civility and Entertainment

The field of entertainment in today’s world has also diversified, moving beyond being confined to mere sources of laughter and joy. Comedy and satire are the jugular veins of Indian entertainment and have been used to deliver social messages and criticize the ruling government on important issues. Thus, one could say that contemplation and entertainment go hand in hand.

However, for the sake of being more "liberal" and "progressive, we are gradually losing our sense of modesty and the basic distinction between right and wrong. Even comedians are human; they have to earn their bread and butter and cannot always serve as paragons of virtue.

A major concern today is that some individuals have been exploiting the license of free speech to normalize coarse language and obscene discussions that are unethical to a great extent.

Figure 3 from The Thin Line Between Fundamental Civility and Entertainment

We might think, "It’s just a joke," or that it doesn’t have the power to dictate our daily lives. In reality, we are often unable to detect the subtle but significant methods being used to exploit the youth and commercialize entertainment.

If you observe, stand-up comedy has grown increasingly popular among Gen-Z and the young working-class population. Stand-up comedians are aware that this is a forum where they can draw the maximum crowd by delivering content that is bold, new, and "spicy." Once people like you and me attend these shows, we naturally find ourselves influenced by such content.

Some content is so obscene and unethical that it crosses the threshold of being a mere joke. For example, in a performance, the widely popular comedian Samay Raina cracked a joke regarding infants. He referenced a two-month-old baby requiring an injection worth 16 crores. Now, if this same line had been used on a different platform to garner support, we would have definitely become emotional, as it taps into our moral obligation to help a newborn have a chance at life. But when the same premise is used in a comedy show, we lose our sense of righteousness. Shockingly, his joke about an ailing newborn and an elderly lady received high levels of praise and shout-outs in the room.

Figure 4 from The Thin Line Between Fundamental Civility and Entertainment

Figure 5 from The Thin Line Between Fundamental Civility and Entertainment

This is an invisible cancer because it is rotting our brains. This kind of content influences the standards of "coolness" and "swag" among the youth. Comedians are well aware that when you reach your workplaces, schools, or colleges the next day, you will discuss these jokes with your friends and colleagues. The bolder and more provocative the jokes are, the more eager you are to discuss them. This propels an absurd competition among comedians to become more offensive than ever before. This isn’t just comedy; it is calculated profit-making.

We should be worried when someone who raises their voice against this absurdity is told they "don’t fit into the group" simply because they aren’t "cool" enough to tolerate the jokes. It is telling that Samay Raina blatantly titled his show *Narak* (Hell) when he posted it for free on YouTube.

The youth are worshipping these performers, their jokes, and their acts. Later, when facing scrutiny, a performer might pull a PR stunt by narrating anecdotes of childhood bullying or the brute exigencies his family faced during the Kashmiri Pandit exodus to maintain his image. We indeed feel sorry for those experiences, Samay, and are equally concerned about the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits; however, that does not justify jokes and acts that openly violate basic fundamental civility and humane schools of thought.

The choice is now yours: stop this cancer being spread in the name of "coolness," or be ready to witness moral

ity succumb.