What makes something funny, comical, humorous. Is it something out of our linear, somewhat rigid lives that lacks consistency? Does something strike us as funny when people make fools of themselves, when another person puts their ego in their back pocket for others to inhabit the I-can't-stop-laughing effect? Does society define what we think is funny?
Think about this. Now, think about it again.
If something that is considered funny happens and two people who are standing beside one another witness it, what next? They both laugh. What if one didn't intercept the funniness of the situation whilst the other person began to laugh uncontrollably, like a hyena, and so on?
That would be awkward. (I just laughed at the visual). Normally, we all find the same things funny, so is it a social thing implemented in our subconscious thinking? By who and how?
I think it's a repetitive process. Movies have quite an impact along with personal diversity and background. This probably helps determine how much funniness each individual finds in a situation.
Try to become aware of how many times you tell someone that you think something is funny. Ask yourself as well as the person you're talking with, why?
2 comments:
I think you are right when you eluded to comedy being a socially constructed concept. Mark, Rachael, and I were talking about what people perceive to be funny in other countries is often times different than here in the states. Such as sarcasm, for example. Also and furthermore, I AM that person who intercepts the funniness of a sitch and the other person doesn't. It happens on a daily basis, and I always laugh real hard, and then try to explain and get nothing in return but an odd blank stare. Yea, welcome to my life :-)
i see where you've gone with this idea of humor. you of all people should be used to the effects it has on people, unifying, denying, or scaring us as a whole. identification and nonverbal commitments are made with such an idea of what "funny" can be, should be, defining or not. and i thought about it. twice. as asked. and i began to think of what "funny" is. or what it isn't. i'm almost positive it wouldn't exist without the human emotion. or better yet, laughter.
"In the instance of laughter" should be your definition for such a word. Just a thought.
Post a Comment