What is Humor? (The "that's not funny" thread)

[Orbert]

Recently, it's come to my attention that I'm an old fart who doesn't find things funny that a lot of other people do.  I like to think that there are probably other things that I do find funny which others don't, to kinda balance things out, but maybe not.  I do tend to be a rather serious guy, but it's not like I don't enjoy a good laugh.  It just has to actually be funny, to me.

Everyone finds different things funny, and over the years, people have tried to determine exactly what makes something funny.  Also, a combination of circumstances and stuff like the mood you're in can make a big difference.  Something you find hilarious today might just be annoying tomorrow.  Some things are funny every time, others stop being funny after a few times.

My conclusion is that the root of humor is conflict.  Something wrong (a conflict between good and bad) or something unexpected (a conflict between what you think should happen and what does happen).

Someone once said that pain is required.  No.  Someone getting hurt is only one kind of humor and it's usually not funny at all.  You might laugh at someone falling down, or saying something really serious and then turning and walking into a wall.  That kind of thing.  But you're not laughing because they got hurt; you're laughing because what happened was unexpected.  There was a shock and you had to release it.

Consider satire.  No pain or suffering required.  Saturday Night Live.  Monty Python's Flying Circus.  In a completely serious setting, people are doing what you'd expect them to do, then something absurd happens because this is satire.  It's funny because there's a conflict between what you expect and what you get.

Again, these are just examples.  No two people laugh at the same things, and no one person finds the same thing funny all the time.

Now consider the phenomenon of tickling.  Most people find it at least mildly amusing, or downright funny, but some hate it.  It is a mock attack, a physical assault, but instead of pain being inflicted, there's just a minor stimulation.  Usually tickling is accompanied by a mock aggressive stance.  This creates a conflict in your brain.  Your defenses are instinctively triggered, you tense up, but no actual pain is forthcoming, resulting in a physiological response that's just plain confused.  Strange how laughter looks like crying with no sound.  It's all tied together.  Laughter and crying are more similar than you'd think.  Both are forms of emotional release, and extreme cases of each can lead to the other.  Ever laughed so hard that you cried actual tears?  Most people have.  And when things are bad, really bad, have you ever laughed?  Nothing left to do, crying won't help, so you laugh instead.


So now, the part you've all been waiting for, which is when I explain why there are certain things I just don't find funny that others apparently do.  Being mean to someone for no reason.  It's unexpected, and if it's cleverly done, then I can see why people find it funny.  It meets all the criteria that I just spent ten minutes outlining.  But why it doesn't work for me is because someone has been hurt.  Maybe not physically, maybe just their feelings.  If my empathy for the victim outweighs my shock at the conflict, it's just not funny to me.  Yep, what you said was witty, you sure told her, you and your friends got a good laugh out of it, but she's not laughing.  She just thinks you're an asshole for saying that, and I have to agree.  Humor does not need to be at the expense of others.  Maybe after a few beers, I'd have found it funny too.  Maybe the whole world is just normally a few beers looser than me.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't find people getting physically hurt to be funny, if it seems they've been legitimately injured (which is all the old funniest home video shows used to be). I'm just too squeamish to get enjoyment from pain. If it's just someone falling on their ass or something, then maybe. The unexpectedness and hilarity of the situation has to outweigh my concern for their wellbeing.

When it comes to cruelty on a psychological level, like insulting someone, it's definitely case by case. Usually I don't care much about people, so I don't have any emotional involvement stopping the funny from outweighing my empathy. I'm good natured with taking a joke at my expense in real life, so I don't feel bad about finding humour in something a little mean.
But if it's something more abusive, and just being cruel for the sake of being cruel, then it's just being a dick.

That's all just generalization though. Humour is far too subjective and unpredictable to break down too accurately.

[hefdaddy42]

Orbert, I'm old too, and some shit these guys think is funny, I don't get either.

Of course, I'm a weird fucker, and I think lots of things are funny that no one else I know does.  So, whatever.

[BlobVanDam]

Humour is definitely generational to some degree, I think. Things my parents find funny, I often don't find funny. Things I find funny, they often don't find funny. Maybe there's a cultural aspect to it, with what we're used to viewing in a certain context?

[hefdaddy42]

Fuck you.

See?  Now that's funny.

Right, Clint?

[Implode]

Everyone does have a different sense of humor.

I've made many a post about humor in the past, but one think I know for sure is that a lot of humor nowadays is derived simply from "getting the joke". You think it's funny because it makes you feel special that you got it. The more obscure the reference, the funnier you find the joke. This kind of joke can range from bad to good, but it's definitely there. Look at Family Guy, image macros and other memes, even one liner jokes made on this forum. They all revolve around this idea.

[gmillerdrake]

I once used to laugh at raunchy...profanity type humor. I don't find that genre real funny any longer...actually just think comedians who rely on F Bombs and graphic language are lazy and mask thier lack of talent with it.

At one point in my life I would spend a half an hour straight laughing at South Park. Now, even though the humor can be clever and I 'get' it....i just don't find it funny.

I'm one of the three people in the world who never 'got'  "The Simpsons", just don't find it funny at all.

If i have a sweet spot so to speak that really makes me laugh it's sarcasm I suppose. And I'm married to a woman who I'd put against the best when dishing out some funny sarcasm. When it's done correctly and not just flat ignorantly....that's when I like it.

I too am not a big fan of people getting hurt...especially emotionally by just mean things beings said, physically as well but in all seriousness, witnessing someone fall is instinctly one of the funniest things out there.

[lonestar]

Analyzing why soemthing is funny is about as effective result-wise as analyzing what makes for good music. Even though I would rather light my balls on fire and put them out with an ice pick over listening to most rap, celine dion, or a bunch of other stuff, someone does like it. Same thing with humor, lots of shit I find stupid, a classic example being Uncle Dolan, some others find hysterical.


Maybe we just need to lighten the fuck up and let others have their fun without trying to impose our wills and opinions upon them.

[TioJorge]

Loney said what my heart thing beat.

[gmillerdrake]

Analyzing why soemthing is funny is about as effective result-wise as analyzing what makes for good music. Even though I would rather light my balls on fire and put them out with an ice pick over listening to most rap, celine dion, or a bunch of other stuff, someone does like it. Same thing with humor, lots of shit I find stupid, a classic example being Uncle Dolan, some others find hysterical.


Maybe we just need to lighten the fuck up and let others have their fun without trying to impose our wills and opinions upon them.

I actually had a visual of this flash in my head......it was pretty funny....and, I for one don't mean to impose...

[lonestar]

no

[gmillerdrake]

well it was worth a shot.....I'm pretty handy with an ice pick..

[Pols Voice]

I really like satire because it exposes amusing quirks and faults about things, but a lot of times does it in a loving way. I've written parodies of stuff I like, and it's not meant to be mean-spirited. The Simpsons in its glory days was heavy on satire, and that's why it's my favorite show. I also enjoy surreal/absurd forms of humor, where something is funny because it's way out of left field.

On the other hand, I rarely find profane, bathroom, and sex humor funny. So that means I don't like a huge amount of popular comedy.

[Big Hath]

absurdity is probably my number one form.



but I also like a good fart joke

[theseoafs]

Orbert's absolutely right that humor is derived primarily from conflict, usually between what you expect to happen and what ended up happening.  The vast majority of humor can be explained in these terms.  Usually, the conflict is resolved in a way that ends up coinciding with your understanding of the world, though not in the way that you initially expected (jokes that play off of your understanding of particular characters or of stereotypes); sometimes the conflict is resolved in a way that doesn't fit in with your understanding of the world at all (absurdity).

If you watch the American version of The Office or its sister show Parks and Recreation, you'll notice this "being mean to people for no reason" trend that Orbert pointed out.  I do find jokes at the expense of Toby, Jerry, and Kyle to generally be humorous, though more in the "absurd" way.

Implode mentioned the "lololol do you get the reference" kind of humor, which I'm afraid I don't care for at all.  These jokes are generally pretty lazy, and are rarely ever funny.  I remember reading somewhere that this reference-based kind of humor is more about social inclusion than actual funniness: we laugh at these jokes mainly to show other people that we get them, and to feel a sense of inclusion amongst our friends.

[Nel]

Didn't you old folks do a thread like this a year or two ago? 

[Cyclopssss]

Well another old fogy reporting, I guess. It's actually a very difficult subject. I personally tend to go for the more absurd, but I can't help giggle like a schoolgirl at very obvious, slapstick kind of humor. Rude, as well. Off course I recognise the point by Orbert being made that being a little older and having being brought up with some sound 'values' means that you kind of look at humorous stuff with a little build-in filter. But come on, at the end of the day I find I'm just as crude, simple and bourgeois as everybody else. Those old slapstick movies you've seen a million times with jokes you can see coming a mile away? Bring 'em on! I just turn into gelly.

I guess where I draw the line is people getting seriously getting hurt. But then again, I can be found rolling on the floor (almost litterally) laughing until my sides split at some poor smuck falling, sliding, or tirpping up, (funniest homemovies, anyone?). For some reason, other people doing stupid things and falling on their butt is increddibly funny to me, however crude or mundane. I've noticed people laughing allong to these clips, but then all of a sudden stop laughing when the subject is a small child. Then all of a sudden it's not that funny anymore? I find that to be increddibly hypocritical. Man, children do stupid stuff as well and get 'punnished' for it. That's life.

Another fantastic form of humor is language-jokes. Man, I love those. I've found there are a couple of people on here that are very tallented, languagejoke-wise.

Other than that, a good, smart meme does the trick every time. But there still is some great subtle humor out there. Just look at this forum.

Also, as an aside: I've always considered myself to be a pretty well spoken, educated and pretty funny guy.  Well, I've tried writing comedy and playing in a 'cabaret' (sort of standup) group for a year. We thought we were pretty smart and funny. Come the first gig, on the stage before an audience? Well damn....I guess being funny doesn't come as natural as I thought. Also: acting funny is not the same as 'being funny'.   

[Orbert]

Didn't you old folks do a thread like this a year or two ago? 

I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.  You expect me to remember a thread from a year or two ago?

[lonestar]

Didn't you old folks do a thread like this a year or two ago? 

I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.  You expect me to remember a thread from a year or two ago?

Beat me to it.

[bosk1]

I see where you're coming from, Orbert.  Adn in many of the situations you've commented on over the years, I pretty much agree.  But that's not really important.  The MAIN reason I wanted to post in this thread is:

Strange how laughter looks like crying with no sound. 

[Kotowboy]

I certainly don't find dirty humour funny anymore.

It has to be the right joke at the right time.

Not just a comedy which is exclusively dirty humour from beginning to end.

It really takes no wit whatsoever and is just to please a certain demographic who still find it hilarious to

laugh at dirty words and filth.

This is also the reason why so many comedians are dirty. Because it's the easiest lowest form of "wit".

Also TV shows like " Inbetweeners " are just terrible.

[Orbert]

The MAIN reason I wanted to post in this thread is:

Strange how laughter looks like crying with no sound. 

I was hoping someone would comment on that.  It's something I'd noticed many years ago, and when I first heard it in the song, I thought it was pretty cool.  I still think it's pretty cool, and it fits into my theory that emotional releases are more similar than we realize.

[Ryzee]

Orbert's absolutely right that humor is derived primarily from conflict, usually between what you expect to happen and what ended up happening.  The vast majority of humor can be explained in these terms.  Usually, the conflict is resolved in a way that ends up coinciding with your understanding of the world, though not in the way that you initially expected (jokes that play off of your understanding of particular characters or of stereotypes); sometimes the conflict is resolved in a way that doesn't fit in with your understanding of the world at all (absurdity).

If you watch the American version of The Office or its sister show Parks and Recreation, you'll notice this "being mean to people for no reason" trend that Orbert pointed out.  I do find jokes at the expense of Toby, Jerry, and Kyle to generally be humorous, though more in the "absurd" way.

Implode mentioned the "lololol do you get the reference" kind of humor, which I'm afraid I don't care for at all.  These jokes are generally pretty lazy, and are rarely ever funny.  I remember reading somewhere that this reference-based kind of humor is more about social inclusion than actual funniness: we laugh at these jokes mainly to show other people that we get them, and to feel a sense of inclusion amongst our friends.

Dude this has been bugging me.  I'm a fan of The Office and Parks & Rec, but I can't place who Kyle is from either of those shows.  Or are you referring to Kyle from South Park?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

I don't know what exactly my brand of humour is. Some things make me laugh, others don't.