Freethought & Rationalism Archive

John M3 · 11-05-2002, 08:16 PM

What is it that makes something funny?

What is the nature of humor?

What is a formula for which one could always construct a joke?

What constitutes parody?

John Page · 11-06-2002, 07:23 PM

Nature's way of getting us interested in the incongruent?

MadMordigan · 11-07-2002, 02:40 AM

A psychological construct for dealing with the absurdity of life?

galiel · 11-07-2002, 05:36 AM

That's not funny!

ImGod · 11-07-2002, 06:19 AM

If it happens to or is about someone else it's funny. If it happens to or is about me then it's not.

Jamie_L · 11-07-2002, 08:05 AM

ImGod is on to something that Mel Brooks once said. I think I can remember this accurately:

"Tragedy is when I cut my little finger. Comedy is when you fall down the stairs and break your leg."

Jamie

galiel · 11-07-2002, 09:59 AM

Humorously, the current issue of the New Yorker has an extensive article about scientific research into the nature of humor and "funny".

John 3 · 11-07-2002, 05:43 PM

I wanna read that one.

Yea. Its a pretty hard pin down.

I remember this sean kanery movie called "the rose" that was all about secrets in old scriptures and this one had the the secrets of humor. The pages are soaked in poisen so if you read in it your dead, but your in for a laugh.

You never get to know what it is in the movie but it made me wonder. Take a knock-knock joke for instance:

"knock, knock.; Whos there?; Boo!; Boo-who?; Awe, dont cry!;"

Not very funny, but a joke none the less. A play on words. Is the root of its funnyness absurdity?

We indirectly linked the person answering the door with a type of extreme--that of a crying person. If we indirectly linked the person to homosexuality we probably find it funny as well--another extreme.

In both instances it is obvious that the extremes give are situations that the average person doesnt want to be seen in. So it also has to do with some type of personal mortification.

Then you have the "your mamas so fat" jokes: condesending remarks of an extreme nature about someones family. By definition its a "cut down."

And you have situations where you get home from work and tell some body about the person you saw perched on the grassy knoll--pants down, sh*t*ing in the weeds--in front of all the traffic. Not a planned out joke, but surely your friends will find this funny. Another extreme.

Was jamie's quote from mell brooks correct? Is all comedy tragedy? Is there a joke that doesnt have misfortune for some party?

Well certainly there can be extremes that are positive. It would be funny if I won the lottery. Or at least I would laugh in joy.

Its got something to do with absurdity.

If you could, post a joke--I want to see each kind and break down the structure of each and see if there a pattern.

Ill try to think of some for a while. I'll bet theres a bunch on the internet.

Ms. Siv · 11-07-2002, 06:45 PM

Have any of you read Steven Pinker's "How the Mind Works" ? Its a wonderful book which explains a whole lot of things about human nature based on the latest findings of sociobiology and evolutionary psychology.

He explains how humour most probably evolved as a evolutionary defense against dominance hierarchies and the pecking order. It also serves as a stress releiver.

Robert Provine is someone who has done a lot of scientific research on this subject.

- Sivakami.

Gravity · 11-08-2002, 03:27 AM

I know a little about some acute forms of humor.

For example, one of my observations have been that jokes that involve a concreate/abstract duality have a predicable nature. The concreatre interpretation is absurde and the abstract interpretation has some recognizable pyscho- or sociological meaning.

For example(I'm sure a lot of people have heard this one):

Two eggs are in a frying pan. One egg looks over at the other and says "Gee, it sure is hot in here." The other egg looks back and says, "OH MY GOD! A talking egg!!"

11-05-2002, 08:16 PM	#1
John M3 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: D.C., W.Va. Posts: 10	Humor What is it that makes something funny? What is the nature of humor? What is a formula for which one could always construct a joke? What constitutes parody?

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11-06-2002, 07:23 PM	#2
John Page Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: US Posts: 5,495	Nature's way of getting us interested in the incongruent?

11-07-2002, 02:40 AM	#3
MadMordigan Beloved Deceased Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 2,704	A psychological construct for dealing with the absurdity of life?

11-07-2002, 05:36 AM	#4
galiel Banned Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Eastern Massachusetts Posts: 1,677	That's not funny!

11-07-2002, 06:19 AM	#5
ImGod Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Nebraska Posts: 6,264	If it happens to or is about someone else it's funny. If it happens to or is about me then it's not.

11-07-2002, 08:05 AM	#6
Jamie_L Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: U.S. Posts: 2,565	ImGod is on to something that Mel Brooks once said. I think I can remember this accurately: "Tragedy is when I cut my little finger. Comedy is when you fall down the stairs and break your leg." Jamie

11-07-2002, 09:59 AM	#7
galiel Banned Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Eastern Massachusetts Posts: 1,677	Humorously, the current issue of the New Yorker has an extensive article about scientific research into the nature of humor and "funny".

11-07-2002, 05:43 PM	#8
John 3 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Va. Posts: 17	I wanna read that one. Yea. Its a pretty hard pin down. I remember this sean kanery movie called "the rose" that was all about secrets in old scriptures and this one had the the secrets of humor. The pages are soaked in poisen so if you read in it your dead, but your in for a laugh. You never get to know what it is in the movie but it made me wonder. Take a knock-knock joke for instance: "knock, knock.; Whos there?; Boo!; Boo-who?; Awe, dont cry!;" Not very funny, but a joke none the less. A play on words. Is the root of its funnyness absurdity? We indirectly linked the person answering the door with a type of extreme--that of a crying person. If we indirectly linked the person to homosexuality we probably find it funny as well--another extreme. In both instances it is obvious that the extremes give are situations that the average person doesnt want to be seen in. So it also has to do with some type of personal mortification. Then you have the "your mamas so fat" jokes: condesending remarks of an extreme nature about someones family. By definition its a "cut down." And you have situations where you get home from work and tell some body about the person you saw perched on the grassy knoll--pants down, shting in the weeds--in front of all the traffic. Not a planned out joke, but surely your friends will find this funny. Another extreme. Was jamie's quote from mell brooks correct? Is all comedy tragedy? Is there a joke that doesnt have misfortune for some party? Well certainly there can be extremes that are positive. It would be funny if I won the lottery. Or at least I would laugh in joy. Its got something to do with absurdity. If you could, post a joke--I want to see each kind and break down the structure of each and see if there a pattern. Ill try to think of some for a while. I'll bet theres a bunch on the internet.

11-07-2002, 06:45 PM	#9
Ms. Siv Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: India Posts: 2,340	Have any of you read Steven Pinker's "How the Mind Works" ? Its a wonderful book which explains a whole lot of things about human nature based on the latest findings of sociobiology and evolutionary psychology. He explains how humour most probably evolved as a evolutionary defense against dominance hierarchies and the pecking order. It also serves as a stress releiver. Robert Provine is someone who has done a lot of scientific research on this subject. - Sivakami.

11-08-2002, 03:27 AM	#10
Gravity Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hope Mills, NC, US Posts: 119	I know a little about some acute forms of humor. For example, one of my observations have been that jokes that involve a concreate/abstract duality have a predicable nature. The concreatre interpretation is absurde and the abstract interpretation has some recognizable pyscho- or sociological meaning. For example(I'm sure a lot of people have heard this one): Two eggs are in a frying pan. One egg looks over at the other and says "Gee, it sure is hot in here." The other egg looks back and says, "OH MY GOD! A talking egg!!"

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