Quote:
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Originally Posted by KenP
Sometimes I find something rather jocular and just have to make a run at humorism.
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Ken, I couldn't agree more. As I drove from the airport this morning, I thought about it a bit. I think that while each individual has a distinct sense of humor and may be tickled by events that are different from those that tickle friends and family, there are universal categories of "stimuli" that trigger humorous reactions in all human beings.
Why is it that some people experience humor in a particular situation, while others do not? When two people experience the same event and react differently, that difference is based on each individual?s unique perception.
While it is clear that ?sense of humor? varies widely among individuals and groups, it is the presence of one or more of the universal characteristics of humor that make events more likely to be perceived as funny by the observer. Among the universal characteristics that may produce a humorous response are the experiences of:
? Incongruity,
? Absurdity, ludicrousness, or ridiculousness,
? An unexpected future,
? A pleasant surprise,
? Being startled,
? ?Getting it,? and
? Emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.
A sense of humor can be defined as the ability to perceive one or more of the universal characteristics. Therefore, one?s sense of humor involves the capacity to appreciate incongruity, absurdity, an unexpected future, a pleasant surprise, a startle, getting it and/or emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.
Sorry for rambing.