On Funny

Come in, come in, the fire is warm and the jokes are funny, while outside it is cold and bitter. I love contrasts. So yesterday I had to do a presentation on what is funny. It went over smashingly. It perfectly encapsulated my view that what we find funny are things we also find offensive. It's laugh or cry. At times half the room would be laughing, at others, they'd be moaning, or shooting me dirty looks. It was rather funny. :) So I share the presentation with you. I wish I'd recorded it so that you could get the full effect.

Good morning. How is everyone? Ahh excellent, mostly catatonic like usual. Less questions for me at the end.

This morning I am going to talk to you all about humor. What is funny? Why do we laugh at certain things? Why does this differ between people and cultures? Well lucky for me, I happened across a rather interesting bit of writing that broke down the stimuli of humor in relation to psychology, and I’ve written the name of that book behind me on the board.
Sultanoff, Steven M. "Integrating Humor into Psychotherapy." in Play Therapy with Adults. Ed. Charles Schaefer, New York, NY: Wiley and Sons, 2002.

In it, Sultanoff has broken down the seven situations that all humans find humor in. Interestingly enough each of these categories has something in common with one another.

First we have Incongruity: that being things placed together that we don’t usually associate with one another. The article mentions Oxymorons, but I find most observational humor that stand up comedians do fall into this category as well. Or of course, I’m always amused when I see a sign that says ‘We’re here to help’ in any governmental agency.

Second is Absurdity, ridiculousness, and ludicrousness: exaggerations, over the top events, things that seem so out of place in the ‘normal’ flow of a persons perceptions will fall into this category. Such as the definition between kinky and perverted: can anyone tell me that one? Kinky is when you use a feather to tickle your lover. Perverted, that’s when you use the whole chicken.

Third we have Unexpected Future: This is where the expected result is replaced. Slapstick, punchlines, and cartoons are cited in the article. Groucho Marx telling us how he shot an elephant in his pajamas last night ‘How he got in my pajamas I’ll neva know…’

Fourth we have Pleasant Surprise: a nice event that tickles us in a way to amuse. For me I was rushing to my 212 survey class last year, and grabbed a Coke Zero from the vending machine down by Printing Services. When it fell out I noticed a sticker across the label. The first thing I thought was ‘Great, advertisement on my pop now.’ Instead when I pick it up it says ‘You’ve won $50.00.’ So I look around. I’m confused because this shouldn’t happen, and I read the label again, and it’s directing me to head on up to financial services. So I do, and yep, apparently Coca-Cola vending services hands out these ‘scholarships.’ I sign the sheet, answer the skill testing question, get my fifty bucks, end up late to class, but it was the BEST Coke Zero ever! Had to tell everyone when I got to class. Part of the humor of that situation lies also in our fifth category.

Being startled: Practical jokes and such fall into this category, but I’m not sure if it’s the subject or the joker that is more amused. When I got that drink, I looked around because I expected someone to jump out with a camera going ‘HAH! Got’cha!’

Sixth we have ‘Getting It.’ Jokes where our intellect is prodded into action, such as puns, and riddles but also jokes where insider knowledge reveals the joke. My favorite riddle is ‘No sooner spoken than broken.’ I personally am unable to keep the answer to that riddle.

Lastly of course is the Emotional Chaos Remembered in Tranquility: the old ‘Ok so remember when this happened!’ It results in two responses, such as ‘Wasn’t very funny at the time,’ or ‘Well you had to be there.’ Here the article cites survivor groups such as cancer patients who use humor to deal with living through the ordeal. For me it was the birth of my first child. Now ladies, especially those who have had children, do not think that for one moment I am belittling the ordeal of child birth, but for those of us who are dedicated fathers and partners, it’s not all smiles and laughs either. It was three days of labor for my ex-wife to birth my eldest. And she was so oversensitive to every stimulus that I couldn’t cook, I couldn’t turn on the TV, and for her to get any sleep I had to get her onto a chair in the shower, let the hot water flow while I massaged her upper back, and then put her to bed while I rolled a cold can of Sprite up and down her lower back. So Three days, no sleep, the only food was when she did fall asleep, I’d sprint down to the 7-11 that was a few houses down and scarf down one of their belly bomb burgers, and rush back.

The event finally is getting to the point so to speak, and my parents come into town from Esterhazy, and my mom has brought me a WONDERFUL corned beef sandwich, hot mustard, red onion, cheddar cheese, on rye. Oh my, I just about fell over in ecstasy right there. I take one bite, one delicious, savoury bite, chewing slowly oh so slowly, enjoying every last little flavour that is bursting in my mouth, to be yanked away by the pained moans of my then wife. I put down the sandwich, swallow, rush over, and take her hand while taking the cloth I had to wipe her forehead, to be shoved away abruptly with this shout: ‘Oh you stink like onions! If you don’t get rid of that I swear I’ll puke then kill you!’

So there I am scrambling down to the gift shop in the hospital, hoping A) my baby isn’t born in the time I’m gone, and B) that I can find a toothbrush and toothpaste so my loooovely partner doesn’t kill me.

My dad ate my sandwich.

Did you notice the one thread that ties them all together? It’s surprise, or offense. Humor is universally based on these seven traits, which could best be described as things that will either make you cry or laugh, and it is the individual response that dictates which it will be.

The article stresses this. Here is a direct quote from Sultanoff: While one’s “sense of humor” is highly idiosyncratic and individualized, it is based on one’s awareness and perception of a stimulus that is presented in the context of one or more of the universal traits. The universal qualities of the stimulus-receiver interaction increase the probability of a specific event being perceived as humorous.
Once a stimulus is perceived as humorous, it will trigger a reaction within the individual. This reaction may be physiological (laughter), cognitive (wit), or emotional (mirth), or a combination of these experiences. Therefore, the total sensation of a humorous event is a complex interaction of a stimulus, an individual’s perception, and the resulting reaction.

We are shaped by the experiences around us. My own humor could best be described as somewhat twisted. Let me demonstrate: By the way, if body hair offends you, cover your ears. What is the last noise a pubic hair makes before it hits the ground? Pbbt. Yeah, somewhat funny, funnier part though? My mom told me that joke! The humor of my family generally follows this pattern, and has shaped my own view of what will in the end offend me, which isn’t much.

As individuals are shaped by their experiences, those experiences are shaped by their culture. This shows particularily well in the idea of humor within First Nations, as compared to European culture. Crudely put, white folks don’t know how to laugh at themselves that well. There are reports from men in Cartier’s first journeys who are absolutely startled that the Indians can all make fun and laugh at their Chiefs. This flows through to modern times with articles from Drew Hayden Taylor who make a mock of the residential school pay outs, wondering when the victims of the Battle of Little Big Horn are going to sue the Sioux for their losses those many years ago. Or the article I’ve handed to you, you can read later.

Certain cultures seem to build within themselves a higher capacity for humor, and place its value somewhere in their spectrum of importance. For Europeans, how many times do we say ‘Stop being silly’ or ‘This isn’t a time to joke around!’ Well, it would appear for other cultures they would consider those the exact times to joke around and be silly.

Examples of that, are stories passed down in families that describe an elder going to town dressed in long underwear, and because of that misunderstanding, he got free groceries and a ride home from the Indian Agent when he was tired. Or my own family’s story of the first outhouse they had placed on the reserve.

For a broader example I would suggest you all look to find some sweat lodge stories. While these ceremonies are highly ritualistic and on the prairies were a form of healing and cleansing, larger sweats, for groups of men or women were done with a more communal idea in mind and the stories they used in these situations were all dealing with that most taboo of subjects: sex. All of them are absolutely hilarious, and treat the subject with a very easy and comfortable manner.

It’s hard not to look at these differences and not be able to see that in European culture, humor is seen as a lower form of communication, and in First Nations, it is a primary way to deal with those events of life that aren’t always the easiest. Personally I agree, I’d rather laugh than cry, I’d rather be amused and see the joy of a situation rather than the dour attitude that most ‘serious’ things entail. How about all of you?