Humor that uses offensiveness as part of the appeal and is based around
offensive (or taboo) subjects. Edgy humor can take many varieties and forms. An example is the classic gay jokes and rape jokes that were a huge part of gaming culture in the 2000s.
An important and common element in edgy humor is the jokes are not normally enjoyed in a literal way. Usually offensive subject matter is used for an ironic effect or some other sort of
psychological effect. For instance, a person may make racist jokes due to humor in the
ridiculousness of what is being said and the stupidity of racist stereotypes. Certain slang that was common on the early internet (e.g. "fag, retarded") may be regarded as edgy humor, because these terms were used in a figurative and sarcastic tone, rather than being meant or believed literally.
Because
offensive jokes have the potential to be misunderstood and the people offended have a desire to demonize said jokes, edgy humor is normally taken out of context nowadays to just mean "person using jokes to push bad beliefs or prejudices". Edgy humor has had its meaning changed by some as people wish to entirely discount the idea that people can like offensive subjects ironically as humor. Due to edgy humor being
misconstrued and people's fear of being stereotyped as a result of them, edgy jokes of all kinds have slowly faded into obscurity in the recent era of the internet, but there is still a subculture that engages in said jokes.
