The Liar, the Joker, and the Killer
on the tone-setting function of non-serious speech and the possibility of harm as an aggregate effect
Keywords:
agency, collective action, lying, jokes, responsibilityAbstract
This essay explores how seemingly harmless remarks (such as tasteless jokes and white lies) can turn out to be of political concern. Reflecting on how saying something may have effects that astray from the intentions of a speaker, it raises questions about the link between intent and responsibility. It then goes on to highlight the role of complex interactions, arguing that to account for a misalignment between intent and outcome it is not enough to consider just the actions and agency of individuals. It claims, furthermore, that non-standard speech enacts a kind of collective agency which gives joking and lying the capacity (and tendency) to produce aggregate effects. Said aggregate effects are neither under the control of any given individual, nor do they impact individuals as such. They occur at a collective level and can be thought of as an act of the community as a whole. In this manner, the aggregate effects of joking and lying pose an unusual risk: the possibility of collective actions that are irreducible to the will and intentions of those who form the community.
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