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The humour of misfortune (and diminutive jokes)

Started by Siz, October 21, 2011, 09:37:33 AM

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Siz

October 21, 2011, 09:37:33 AM
I remember reading a while back about the fact that humour is all about someone (or something) else's misfortune - or at least one's own superiority. The only exception to this is in the field of puns.

After years of personal pondering on this matter, and not being able to disprove the theory, I'd like to open it up to a wider scientific control. So I challenge any of of you to come up with a single example of a joke to which this rule does not apply.

It appears that, genetically rooted, humans are not the enlightened empathic creatures we like to think ourselves to be. There is no English word for this, but I do like the latin delectatio morosa, and the German Schadenfreude (Misfortune joy). Maybe we need to coin a new English word. Any thoughts? (disempathy?, felicidolority? wojocundity?)

Anyway, just to whet your appetites, here is the shortest joke in the world* just for the hell of it:

"A seal walks into a club..."

(Notice the use of pun AND misfortune - a perfect joke!)

*Feel free to challenge me on this one too...

When one sleeps on the floor one need not worry about falling out of bed - Anton LaVey

The universe is a cold, uncaring void. The key to happiness isn't a search for meaning, it's to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, and eventually you'll be dead!

Tank

#1
October 21, 2011, 10:01:56 AM
"We don't serve neutrinos!"
"A neutrino walked into a bar."

Lock the thread now?  ;D
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Stevil

#2
October 21, 2011, 10:29:47 AM Last Edit: October 21, 2011, 11:10:33 AM by Stevil
There were these two pieces of rope, eh.
They were lying outside this pub...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHzd44o6Z0Q

Rangi had these chickens out the back of his place...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRxdaMU2cPU&feature=related

We got any Mexican's out there? No? Good, listen to this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeBUoH0YoWM&feature=related

Learning Chess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji9_eG8JI5s&feature=related

Tank

#3
October 21, 2011, 12:02:04 PM
The chess one made me giggle  :)
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Gawen

#4
October 21, 2011, 02:11:44 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs

Anyway, just to whet your appetites, here is the shortest joke in the world* just for the hell of it:

"A seal walks into a club..."


*laffin*
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Gawen

#5
October 21, 2011, 02:24:58 PM
Well...let's see....

Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to the other side.

Doesn't seem insulting to the chicken.

ummmm....

Why did they bury the fireman on the side of the hill?
Because he was dead.

Nor this one.

A 7-year-old admitted to her parents that Billy kissed her after class. "How did that happen?," her mother asked. "It wasn't easy, three other girls helped me catch him."

How about this one?
On the first day of school, the Kindergarten teacher said, "If anyone has to go to the bathroom, hold up two fingers." A little voice from the back of the room asked, "How will that help?"

Obviously not all jokes are meant to insult.

The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Tank

#6
October 21, 2011, 02:29:49 PM
Quote from: Gawen on October 21, 2011, 02:24:58 PM
Well...let's see....

Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to the other side.

Doesn't seem insulting to the chicken.

ummmm....

Why did they bury the fireman on the side of the hill?
Because he was dead.

Nor this one.
{snip}
Correct. That's because it's a joke about a fireman not a chicken!
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

OldGit

#7
October 21, 2011, 02:58:44 PM
Why did the electron cross the road?
To get to the other side, probably.

Why did the chicken cross the road softly?
Because it couldn't walk, hardly.

Gawen

#8
October 21, 2011, 03:04:37 PM
Quote from: Tank on October 21, 2011, 02:29:49 PM
Quote from: Gawen on October 21, 2011, 02:24:58 PM
Well...let's see....

Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to the other side.

Doesn't seem insulting to the chicken.

ummmm....

Why did they bury the fireman on the side of the hill?
Because he was dead.

Nor this one.
{snip}
Correct. That's because it's a joke about a fireman not a chicken!
you are soooooooooooooo baaad....
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Gawen

#9
October 21, 2011, 03:08:52 PM
Quote from: OldGit on October 21, 2011, 02:58:44 PM
Why did the electron cross the road?
To get to the other side, probably.

Why did the chicken cross the road softly?
Because it couldn't walk, hardly.
Hmmmm...I get the electron one...but...

Just because the chicken could hardly walk doesn't mean it hardly walked softly.

No wait...

Just because the chicken could hardly walk doesn't mean it softly hardly walked.

ahhh...

Never mind...*chucklin*


The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Tank

#10
October 21, 2011, 03:11:23 PM
On reflection I think this was just a very sneaky way to get a joke thread going.

Well done scissorlegs!  ;D
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

OldGit

#11
October 21, 2011, 03:30:07 PM
A military officer in full dress walks into a pub and orders a pint and a pie.  When they are served, he walks across to the next table, draws his dress sword and slashes off a bloke's ears.  Then he takes them back to his table, arranges them on his plate either side of the pie and calmly starts eating.
The barman calls the cops who arrive PDQ.  A copper walks up to the seated officer and timidly asks his name.

"Major Willoughby-Winstanley."
"And your regiment, sir?"
"Pioneer corps."

Gawen

#12
October 21, 2011, 06:23:03 PM
Git...that was...awful...*laffin*
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Stevil

#13
October 21, 2011, 08:05:49 PM
What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?
Time to get a new fence


When is the best time to go to the dentist?
Tooth Hurty

Siz

#14
October 21, 2011, 08:59:55 PM
A dyslexic walks into a bra...

What's red and white and screams? A peeled baby in a bucket of salt.



When one sleeps on the floor one need not worry about falling out of bed - Anton LaVey

The universe is a cold, uncaring void. The key to happiness isn't a search for meaning, it's to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, and eventually you'll be dead!
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