I'm reading an old edition of the Poetic Edda and this comment by the translator reverberated with me:
"The poem [the Poem of Harbarth] is simply a contest of abuse, such as the early Norwegian and Icelander delighted in, the opposing figures being Thor and Othin, ..."
This statement reminded me of our own interdenominational WN contests of abuse, so take heart, it's traditional!