Sense of humor‽ What's up with that‽

[Turtle]

So...what is up with having a sense of humor? What goes on in the brain? What adaptive purpose does it serve, if any? Why is it so wide spread? Why do people value it so highly? Why is it not addressed or discussed in sacred texts...or is it? Why do some people apparently not have one? Why does it vary across cultures? What's it good for? Why do we have to stifle a giggle when someone slips and falls? How is it that something humorous can so flummox a serious discourse or situation?

I have no answers yet, just questions. Serious questions, so no poop jokes please. What the heck is up with having a sense of humor in your opinion‽ Man! See what I mean‽ I went to find a smilie illustrative of a sense of humor and the list is rife with them! What the heck‽ Inquiring minds want to no...er...know.

[Racoon]

Here is what we have so far: (from a "search" one should use before starting similar threads, as we frown upon that here )
Laughter...What Is It?

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Racoon

Here is what we have so far: (from a "search" one should use before starting similar threads, as we frown upon that here )
Laughter...What Is It?

Ah well...I did search for 'sense of humor' here, and it did not turn up the Laughter or Tickling threads. Moreover, 'sense of humor' I think is far more than laughter. One has to first have a sense of humor before any laughter can arise. In another vein, I have often heard surveys asking people what is the most important quality they look for in a mate, date, etc., and sense of humor is often at or near the top. It ranks often above looks, intelligence, religious beliefs, income, etcetera.

Discuss.

[Racoon]

I was going to play that card, that laughter would not be a key word in your search... but thought better of it.

what is the result of a sense of humor? laughter.

Understand the laugh, then know what to say or do in order to have a sense of humor.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Racoon

I was going to play that card, that laughter would not be a key word in your search... but thought better of it.

what is the result of a sense of humor? laughter.

Understand the laugh, then know what to say or do in order to have a sense of humor.

Ah, but a joke or humorous incident does not always elicit laughter. Going back to my suppress a giggle when someone falls incident, some people don't find slapstick humorous and so don't laugh or may chide someone for doing so. Nay, laughter is not always a component of a sense of humor. Think 'sense' as in a sense of smell etcetera. We do not talk about a 'sense' of laughter.

En garde!

[Racoon]

laughter can come from merely spontaneous occurences and interactions, but yes one would probably need a sense of humor to translate and understand.

However, I do have a theory, that some Hollywood people probably already know; that laughter can be reduced to a Formula. the formula can then be used to screenwrite a movie or play..

you take funny people - Variable X : funny people could be fat, hairy, stupid, homeless, oblivious, desperate, Canadian...

then you take funny location - Variable Y: funny location could a be school play, bus stop, hair dresser, grocery store, party, bathroom ...

Then you make a funny transgression - Variable Z: slipped on a banana peel, got a shaving cream pie in the face, got arrested, did something outrageous, said something clever ...

and depending on the greatness of your variables, you will elicit or = a certain amount of laughter or be percieved by others to be humorous..



?

[edit] I am convinced that Dave Chappelle found a great formula during his run on the Dave Chappelle Show [/edit]

[Turtle]

I think if it were as easy as some formula, then every attempt at humor would succeed. We tend to scale people on their sense of humor from 'no sense of humor', to 'great wit', and the in-between 'not much of a sense of humor'.

Inasmuch as we call it a 'sense', what evolutionary benefit might humor offer?

There is also the aspect of those who 'give' humor and those who 'get' humor. I see your chuckle, and raise you a guffaw.

[ryan2006]

I have a picture of Jesus laughing?

[Racoon]

Originally Posted by Turtle

I think if it were as easy as some formula, then every attempt at humor would succeed.

I see your chuckle, and raise you a guffaw.

And every mathematical attempt to solve an equation met with success??

One must take into the consideration the psychology of the person(s), or audience, as it should then be another variable to plug into the equation. Variable A

I see your guffaw, and I raise you a giggle .

[TheBigDog]

I have a great sense of humor! You can all curl up and die it you don't agree.

((never post drunk))

Two nuts were walking down the street. One was a salted. *rimshot*

I just flew in from Cleveland, boy are my arms tired. Why does a bicycle need a kickstand to stand up? Because it is two tired! *rimshot* Please people, these are the jokes.

So I was at the mall, and I went into this specialty shop. It was a condom shop They had every shape size, color texture and flavor that you can imagine. Did I mention that I was a young man eager to get laid for the first time? It is important to the joke.

Anyway. Seeing the massive sexual potential in myself I bought a whole gross of condoms. I got yellow ones. I don't know why. I was going to by the ones with ribbing, "for her pleasure", but my penis is already equipped with natural ribbing. *pause for laughter* Yup, my penis is shaped like the handle of a hunting knife... *pause for more laughter* Well, it is actually shaped like the inside of my fist... *hysterical laughter*

So I get this girl into my room, and one thing has lead to another, and the moment of truth has arrived. So I bust out the gross of condoms and slip one on. Ooooo!!!! That feels great! *laughter* I bet two would feel even better. *more laughter* So I slip on a second! That is even better. So I slip on a third, and a fourth... And soon I begin to wonder, can you wear too many condoms? Before I know it I have put on the entire gross of condoms. I am safer than the Hope diamond. I can't feel a thing, but it feels fantastic! And I step out into view of this fine yound woman sporting what can only be described as a yellow wiffle-ball bat. *big laugh* This is when the stupidity kicks in. *chuckles and chortles* I ask this girl to pitch a couple balls to me to show off what I can do. The first one she throws me is high and outside. I am no fool so I let it go. The second one is right in my wheel house. And artfully shifting my hips I get all of it! The ball goes over the bed into the corner of the room, and I start running the bases. First to the lamp, then to the head of the bed and finally rounding home at the nightstand. And what do I see? She is standing over home with the ball in her hand guarding the plate! So I do what any overcompetative male would do..l. I charge into her head long. Sliding like Pete Rose in an All-star game. I knock the ball out of her hand and signal myself same at home!! *chortling*

Soon I am dancing around the bedroom celebrating my victory, while she is gathering her clothes and limping out of the room....

And suddenly my stupidity hits me like a Mac truck. So that is how I became to only guy in the world to hit a home run against a naked chick in the bedroom and not get laid. *laughter and applause*

(for all of you who missed my stand up act in summer of 1992, that was as good as it got)

Never post drunk

Bill