It hurts, it hurts
Just finished reading Stranger in a Strange Land. Why do people laugh? "They laugh because it hurts so much... because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting."
I thought this was really interesting, but are there other reasons why we find certain things funny? Is it some wrong or hurtful happening or idea that makes something funny.
One idea that I thought could be related is retribution. It's not just that something wrong happens to someone that makes us laugh. It's funny if a person is malicious and something bad happens in an ironic manner. Take for example the original Home Alone movies or Dennis the Menace movie. The crooks take a beating yet it is hilarious as hell because they 'deserved' it. If those same scenes were taken out of context, it would seem cruel. Christopher Lloyd being fed the canned beans by the fire. Classic.
We laugh when people act stupid. ie Mr. Bean. But it's not the fact that they're stupid that makes us laugh; it's when they get hurt due to their stupidity. Being stupid is another reason why one would 'deserve' getting hurt. Or greedy. My cousin during the movie Ratrace from laughing too hard- 'it hurts, it hurts'.
It's funny when kids mix up words. As my neice once told me, don't be a hip- py (while making a gesture hiccuping). The Little Rascals movie. Ugh.. seven. Because they are still learning, we laugh at them? Or laugh at how much more they still have to learn or how much we have been through since we were at that stage in growth?
A reflection of the dilemnas and tribulations in reality. A comedic karma to vices that we can relate to. It hurts.
I thought this was really interesting, but are there other reasons why we find certain things funny? Is it some wrong or hurtful happening or idea that makes something funny.
One idea that I thought could be related is retribution. It's not just that something wrong happens to someone that makes us laugh. It's funny if a person is malicious and something bad happens in an ironic manner. Take for example the original Home Alone movies or Dennis the Menace movie. The crooks take a beating yet it is hilarious as hell because they 'deserved' it. If those same scenes were taken out of context, it would seem cruel. Christopher Lloyd being fed the canned beans by the fire. Classic.
We laugh when people act stupid. ie Mr. Bean. But it's not the fact that they're stupid that makes us laugh; it's when they get hurt due to their stupidity. Being stupid is another reason why one would 'deserve' getting hurt. Or greedy. My cousin during the movie Ratrace from laughing too hard- 'it hurts, it hurts'.
It's funny when kids mix up words. As my neice once told me, don't be a hip- py (while making a gesture hiccuping). The Little Rascals movie. Ugh.. seven. Because they are still learning, we laugh at them? Or laugh at how much more they still have to learn or how much we have been through since we were at that stage in growth?
A reflection of the dilemnas and tribulations in reality. A comedic karma to vices that we can relate to. It hurts.
