Sorry, are you implying there is a some sort of relationship between these two notions? If so, I'd love, love, love to hear you elaborate on that.

I think he's referring to the notion that endorsing an egalitarian ideology is somehow akin to having "faith" in organized religion, which of course is utter stupidity.

You should also factor the odds of offending your audience, and weigh them. F.ex: You're telling a rude joke about jews:

1) Your audience includes 0 jews: Tell the joke.
2) Your audience includes 1 jew, but their sense of humour aligns with your joke: Tell the joke.
3) Your audience is entirely jewish, but only one or two of them may be offended: Tell the joke.
4) Your audience includes a number of jewish people, and you have no idea how they might take it: Shut the hell up.
5) Your audience includes a number of Jewish people, and you can predict they won't appreciate it: Shut the hell up.

If tasteful behaviour isn't common sense, then it's a matter of respecting your audience.

Also, when you think about it relating to this forum. How much of music would we object to if we all hated dark comedy? A lot of my favorite music has a dark, sarcastic sense of humor.

So basically you're advocating the censorship of your own thoughts and feelings in order to please the lowest common denominator? Not everyone is a comedian, and literally everyday of my own professional work life every single boundary of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. is "crossed" just for a cheap laugh. Being offended isn't something the offender can control; you're always going to displease some people. If you've any idea of "tasteful behavior" as a concrete and valuable moral code by which you should live your life then I would very much recommend you to grow the fuck up. It's a jungle out there.

Sometimes, if not most times, those who take the most offense are people who aren't even targeted. Some white people I know get offended when I refer to black people as black. All of my black friends prefer to be called black. In fact, I believe almost every study on said issue has concluded with an overwhelming majority preferring the term.

This is where it becomes difficult to predict a reaction.

I'm advocating common courtesy. Says a lot about you that you chose to interpret it as you have.

Common courtesy is a brainwashing in my opinion. I have a very healthy respect for most living things but I do not however care so much whether I am liked for my beliefs as I am respected and left to pursue them. I do not act as though my ideas for how others should act are above question just because of antiquated sentimental morality. I live in the real world.

It's different if you tell jokes for a living, or you're with people who will most likely not react poorly. I won't tell a distasteful joke in an improper setting, but if I were a comedian, people can expect to hear something outrageous. You're paid to tell it like it is in your mind, not be pleasant.

I agree, but there's a time and a place where speaking your mind will get nothing but embarrassment, or worse. This too is the real world.

Interesting, so not flaunting your nude body in front of your grandmother is the source of societal norms perpetrated by the government?