Laughter

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When is laughter apropos in situations?

There are many situations where people laugh and it is certainly not appropriate.

Even I cannot recuse myself from the occasional dig at another's expense.

Over all I do not like watching comedy shows, the laugh tracks irritate the hell out of me and I find it a guilty pleasure laughing my life away while so many on this planet are suffering.

Thus I prefer who-done-its where a sleuth gathers clues to figure out a mystery of grand proportions and in turn sets the world right.

Yes I can be a funny guy and I prefer to laugh at my own expense rather than that of others.

The saying says, "laughter is the best medicine" this is I am sure true when it comes to adults and children with cancer, and perhaps that is if one is ill and needs a remedy.

Yet laughter in healthy adults seems more of an addiction rather than a necessary cure.

I also feel like I am being conditioned and controlled by laugh tracks like some sort of Pavlovian dog. Many things I just do not find funny.

Writers gain lifelong employment writing jokes for comedy shows.

I do not find this wrong other than when I ask the question at whose expense are people laughing? Is it the blond, or the neighbors of race?

Is it laughter based upon some fool hardy act and jack-ass stunt?

When someone gets hurt do we still laugh because it looked funny?

A line needs to be drawn between helping people versus laughing at them when they get hurt.

There is a time for comedy and a time for compassion, my feelings are that some do not have the capacity for the latter. They are waiting for the next joke to drop rather than seeing the seriousness of the situation. They are conditioned to go along with the crowd and to bully others for the simple satisfactory pleasure of laughter.

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Type: Discussion • Score: 4 • Views: 6,146 • Replies: 43

[+3] - TheCobbler - 12/05/2017[img width=400]https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15542235_10154781949899378_3838955760515459768_n.jpg?oh=170b364fe996bac0b6316fe338bf82f4&oe=5A995A75[/img] I was afraid this...

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@edgarblythe,

Of course we would all be laughing "with" her if we could only see what she is laughing at... Smile

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@Real Music,

This is how white jurists are and this is how black jurists are....

This is how a black judge is and this is how a black lawyer is...

This is how a white criminal is...

Yes, is find this humorous but also I find it edgy.

I guess that is what jokes and laughter are like, they either fly or sink like a stone.

I just wonder if laughing about our differences is better than coming together on our likenesses?

Perhaps both have their place.

I think this is a discussion worth having.

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@TheCobbler,

Laughter is a complex topic. Why do we laugh? What are the benefits laughter? You can do an entire documentary on these questions. Obviously, one of the reasons we laugh is because we find something to be humorous or funny. There are also other reasons we laugh that has nothing to do with humor or comedy.

Comedy is a science. Comedy is an art. Two different people could tell the exact same joke to the same audience. One person might get a great response full of uncontrollable laughter while the other person gets a negative response full of yawning, boredom, and silence. Telling that joke may require good timing, certain inflections in your voice, body language, rhythm, cadence, and other techniques. In other words, one person had better skills in telling that joke.

Here is another example. Let's say one person tells the exact same joke using the same techniques to two different audiences. One audience responds with uncontrollable laughter while the other audience responds with boredom and silence. What is funny to one audience may not be funny to another audience. One person might say that was the one of the funniest movie they ever saw. Another person might say that exact same movie wasn't that funny. One possible reason one person may find something to be more humorous than another person is because he/she can relate to that particular topic or joke more so than the other person.

Humor is similar to other forms of art. It is very subjective. Just like music and other forms of art.

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@Real Music,

You have made some great points RM.

Yes, laughter is a science but so is ironing clothes and typing.

People sill manage to accomplish these complex tasks without a PHD.

My main concern is, how conditioned by media and culture are we to respond with laughter versus compassion?

Would we laugh at certain things if we were not given the predilection to do so by a constant barrage of advertisement and political memes?

Sometimes it is the lack of timing and pure spontaneity that makes something funny.

If we are predisposed to laugh at certain things is this not the basis of racism and a general lack of concern for others?

It is much easier to laugh it off than to do something productive about a situation.

Then there is the issue of morality.

When does laughter become immoral?

It is not so much how people perceive a certain thing because they may be preconditioned to overlook the obvious.

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@TheCobbler,

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Yes, laughter is a science but so is ironing clothes and typing.

No, laughter is not a science. Comedy (which causes laughter) is a science. Comedy is an art.

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There are many situations where people laugh and it is certainly not appropriate.

I would say that is more true for kids. Kids can be cruel. I don't believe that is necessarily true regarding adults.

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The saying says, "laughter is the best medicine" this is I am sure true when it comes to adults and children with cancer, and perhaps that is if one is ill and needs a remedy. Yet laughter in healthy adults seems more of an addiction rather than a necessary cure.

I believe laughter is good medicine for everyone. That also includes healthy adults.

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I also feel like I am being conditioned and controlled by laugh tracks like some sort of Pavlovian dog. Many things I just do not find funny.

I find myself laughing with the laugh tracks. I also find myself not laughing with the laugh track. Even with the laugh track, it still has to be funny to get me to laugh.

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I do not find this wrong other than when I ask the question at whose expense are people laughing? Is it the blond, or the neighbors of race?

Yes we laugh at all of the above when it is funny. I don't see nothing wrong in making humor in what's wrong in society. Using humor to discuss racism and other issues often opens peoples eyes while bringing us all closer with laughter.

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Is it laughter based upon some fool hardy act and jack-ass stunt?

Yes it can be.

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When someone gets hurt do we still laugh because it looked funny?
A line needs to be drawn between helping people versus laughing at them when they get hurt.

Yes, in some circumstances we laugh at someone else's expense. In other circumstances we do not laugh at someone else's expense. Is it right or wrong. I don't know.

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A line needs to be drawn between helping people versus laughing at them when they get hurt.
There is a time for comedy and a time for compassion, my feelings are that some do not have the capacity for the latter. They are waiting for the next joke to drop rather than seeing the seriousness of the situation. They are conditioned to go along with the crowd and to bully others for the simple satisfactory pleasure of laughter.

You are comparing apples to oranges. If someone is having a heart attack, someone will help by giving CPR and calling 911. If a person ask someone to give their car a jump because their battery died, someone would help by giving that person a jump. If someone has a drinking or a drug problem, someone close will try to get that person some help.

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@TheCobbler,

I find this to be very funny. This video really makes me laugh. When I laugh at this video it makes me feel good. Funny comedy always make me feel good.
]

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@Real Music,

I agree with most of what you say and you have articulated your opinion quite well. Thanks. Consider the times when people cry out for help in an city and passersby's are too busy to even dial 911?

Are we to assume that these people who are conditioned to ignore people in crisis correctly apply laughter in most situations?

They litter indiscriminately on the ground, give total strangers the finger in traffic, and exhibit a total array of selfish tendencies...

If seems your faith in adults and their humor is a bit rose colored.

How exactly do we learn as a society from race inspired humor?

Does it not just cement racist stereotypes? (men are all risk takers)

All black people are good rappers and white people have no rhythm? Really?

Is this kind of stuff "really" funny?

Some things on the surface seem spritely and hilarious but underneath they have reckless and devious intent.

But as long as it seems like everyone else is laughing too, it is just fine... (cynical)

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And we are supposed to believe that laughter is not prone to this same general lack of social concern?

And why are kids so, erm, mean? Maybe they have not learned yet to cope with a world constantly conditioning them to not care?

Maybe they are afraid of being laughed at?

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@Real Music,

He is funny and has the "right attitude" to make me laugh a lot. Smile

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@TheCobbler,

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Are we to assume that these people who are conditioned to ignore people in crisis correctly apply laughter in most situations?

If someone were to fall off a ladder and is in obvious pain, it's highly unlikely that the person on the scene will be laughing. In fact, it is highly likely that the person who witness the person falling off the ladder will most likely run over to see if the person was hurt or needed any assistance. On the other hand, if someone were to spill his ice cream cone in his lap, that might be seen as funny causing people to laugh.

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How exactly do we learn as a society from race inspired humor?

Yes, comedy sometimes can teach us something. Yes, sometimes comedy can open our eyes to something. But, it isn't a necessity that comedy teaches us anything. The first rule of comedy is to make people laugh. I have observed that most standup comics get their material from life. Things in their own lives. Things in other peoples lives. Things in the world. Religion, politics, racism, relationship, pop culture, music, current events, war, things they see on the news, and anything else they may have observed. Having their material inspired by everything in the world (good and bad) is not a bad thing just as long as it's funny. Trust me, if a comic crosses the line in his/her jokes they will most likely suffer negative feedback. There are recent examples of comics suffering public negative feedback due to them crossing the line. There was Monique, Kathy Griffin, Bill Maher, and just a few years ago Michael Richards.

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Does it not just cement racist stereotypes?
All black people are good rappers and white people have no rhythm? Really?
Is this kind of stuff "really" funny?

Yes it can be funny depending on all kinds of variables. The context of the joke, the details of the joke, the words and language used in the joke, and so on. On the other hand, it might proved to over the line, in bad taste, and not funny. Depending on the same variables. The context of the joke, the details of the joke, the words and language used in the joke, and so on.

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@Real Music,

So depending on who does it, the situation and of course timing, it is okay to sometimes make fun of and mock a disabled person?

As long as the crowd goes along with it? (cynical)

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This will definitely move you

Be suspicious of laughter...

It usually masks sadness and guilt.

Laughter is often used to justify an uncaring heart.

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@TheCobbler,

Here is something that I found hilarious that others in the same room found not to be funny at all.

It was on Family Guy. The subject was abortion. Peter was telling Meg that abortion is never right. Meg said, "But dad, what about in the case of rape?"

And Peter says, "Well, she should have thought about that before stopping to ask me for directions."

Did the writers cross the line?

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@Glennn,

"Family Guy is an animated television show that airs on the FOX television network."

FOX NETWORK TELEVISION???

Did they cross the line? Do you need to ask?

I do not watch any channel owned by "Fox" including their recently acquired National Geographic channel. I don't want their slimy political propaganda lurking around in my head like a rabid married republican in a sex brothel.

They intentionally crossed the line. Seems spritely and innocent on the outside but it has devious, lewd and criminal implications on the inside. Like eating chocolate covered cat vomit. Even when it is said by a goofy looking and loveable cartoon character, it is offensive.

Thanks for asking that question here Glenn... best to you.

Perhaps you were crying on the inside and this too could be therapeutic.

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@TheCobbler,

Quote:

So depending on who does it, the situation and of course timing, it is okay to sometimes make fun of and mock a disabled person?

Comedian Arnez J

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@TheCobbler,

Quote:

Perhaps you were crying on the inside and this too could be therapeutic.

Well you'll have to trust me when I tell you that I was not crying on the inside.

The offensiveness of the writing didn't numb me to the humor in the segment.

But you're right, I needn't have asked if they crossed a line.

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@Glennn,

Glenn, I would have probably laughed at that one as well. Peter Griffin's voice helps make even horrific things funny. I think part of laughing at something that heinous is the shock of hearing it, not that you think rape or abortion is funny. We laugh at the unexpected.

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