Computers crash. We laugh.
Comedy follows contradictions to their extreme. Our reaction to comedy (there's no word for the emotion that I can think of) says: "how nonsensical", "how stupid", "how absurd". Comedy allows us to clearly distinguish between that which makes sense and that which doesn't. We feel pleasure in identifying a contradiction which is carried out logically; that is to say, "if we took this logical contradiction and went with it, what would happen?"
One of my favorite comedy bits is in All in the Family. Archie is in a hurry to go fishing with Mike, and Mike is putting on his socks and shoes. But Archie stops him when he sees that Mike is putting on a "sock and a shoe, and a sock and a shoe". Mike asks what the problem is, and Archie answers "Don't you know the world puts on a sock and a sock, and a shoe and a shoe?"
And here's my point: Archie and Mike carry the contradiction (i.e., the idea that it matters how you put your shoes on) to its extreme. Mike asks Archie what the difference is, and Archie goes with it - he says that if there's a fire while you're putting on your shoes, if you have two socks on, you can go outside without a problem. "You're even," he says.
And then, taking the absurdity one *logical* step further, Mike asks, "What if it's raining?" With Archie's way, a sock on each foot, his feet would get wet. "With my way," Mike says, "I can hop around and stay dry."
Of course, there are other necessary elements. You need to be surprised, which is one reason "timing is everything", etc...
Anyway, talking about humor is not nearly as much fun as laughing at it. See what you think of this list I wrote:
25 Reasons Why McDonald's is Better Than the Catholic Church
http://www.savethehumans.com/instantgrat/thelist/mcdonalds/
-Jason
P.S. I agree with benorbeen - the Napalm chicks were damn funny.
Comedy follows contradictions to their extreme. Our reaction to comedy (there's no word for the emotion that I can think of) says: "how nonsensical", "how stupid", "how absurd". Comedy allows us to clearly distinguish between that which makes sense and that which doesn't. We feel pleasure in identifying a contradiction which is carried out logically; that is to say, "if we took this logical contradiction and went with it, what would happen?"
One of my favorite comedy bits is in All in the Family. Archie is in a hurry to go fishing with Mike, and Mike is putting on his socks and shoes. But Archie stops him when he sees that Mike is putting on a "sock and a shoe, and a sock and a shoe". Mike asks what the problem is, and Archie answers "Don't you know the world puts on a sock and a sock, and a shoe and a shoe?"
And here's my point: Archie and Mike carry the contradiction (i.e., the idea that it matters how you put your shoes on) to its extreme. Mike asks Archie what the difference is, and Archie goes with it - he says that if there's a fire while you're putting on your shoes, if you have two socks on, you can go outside without a problem. "You're even," he says.
And then, taking the absurdity one *logical* step further, Mike asks, "What if it's raining?" With Archie's way, a sock on each foot, his feet would get wet. "With my way," Mike says, "I can hop around and stay dry."
Of course, there are other necessary elements. You need to be surprised, which is one reason "timing is everything", etc...
Anyway, talking about humor is not nearly as much fun as laughing at it. See what you think of this list I wrote:
25 Reasons Why McDonald's is Better Than the Catholic Church
http://www.savethehumans.com/instantgrat/thelist/mcdonalds/
-Jason
P.S. I agree with benorbeen - the Napalm chicks were damn funny.
