Philosophy Now Forum

Mr Willibald Ruch works for the psychological institut in Zürich and explores whether people can train their humour and become more happy that way.

Following methods can be tried:

1. Surround yourself with funny things, for example sitcoms, and think about how the comedy in them works.

2. Try to create word plays, comical over- and understatements.

3. On an advanced level, try to laugh at yourself.

Shall we try ?
Any volonteers ?
Do you remember anything funny that you might share with us ?

I invented for the sake of my friend a fictitious story about my Mexican husband:

I told my husband about the flirting seminar at the local Lutheran church and the advances of a man there towards me and he (the husband) said: Caramba ! and chuckled.
Later in the evening he said: Hasta la vista, Baby, and left for his next viaje de negocios.
I carried the empty bottle of tequila and three empty glasses of peperoni to the glass container and thought: me gusta mucho esta vida.

I am not sure about "chuckled". In Polish I used the term "zarechotal", which is borrowed from the sound made by frogs.

Damn! I thought this was going to be funny stories about model railroading.

I do not wear glasses and am visually challenged.

I often call myself "blind hen" (slepa kura), especially when I manage to get away with this handicap.

thedoc wrote:Damn! I thought this was going to be funny stories about model railroading.

Ah, yes, our first courageous volunteer !

Welcome, welcome !

Applausi d´incoraggiamento !

I think humor runs in my family and I would suggest that those who are "Humor Challenged" just pay attention to those who aren't. My grandaughter is not quite 3,

"A little aside, my grandaughter has an extremely well developed sense of Humor for her age. Some time ago she was telling my daughters friend, who was taking care of her, that she (the grandaughter) had a wet diaper, or a poopy diaper. Each time when checked, and it wasn't true, and the grandaughter would say "Just Kidding". Just a couple days ago she told me that she pooped her diaper, and it smelled like it (Really "I Farted" in her words). She was completely straight faced as I carried her back to change her, and only when I took the diaper off and found nothing, barely wet, she started laughing and saying "that funny", - 'my reaction' was funny to her."

Before anyone tries to say this is off topic, she is starting "Potty Training", so perhaps this is a little 'potty training humor'?

thedoc wrote:I think humor runs in my family and I would suggest that those who are "Humor Challenged" just pay attention to those who aren't. My grandaughter is not quite 3,

"A little aside, my grandaughter has an extremely well developed sense of Humor for her age. Some time ago she was telling my daughters friend, who was taking care of her, that she (the grandaughter) had a wet diaper, or a poopy diaper. Each time when checked, and it wasn't true, and the grandaughter would say "Just Kidding". Just a couple days ago she told me that she pooped her diaper, and it smelled like it (Really "I Farted" in her words). She was completely straight faced as I carried her back to change her, and only when I took the diaper off and found nothing, barely wet, she started laughing and saying "that funny", - 'my reaction' was funny to her."

Before anyone tries to say this is off topic, she is starting "Potty Training", so perhaps this is a little 'potty training humor'?

Isn't that lying?

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: Isn't that lying?

Doesn't most humor involve some sort of lie, up to a point?

thedoc wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: Isn't that lying?

Doesn't most humor involve some sort of lie, up to a point?

Just kidding. Just goes to show that psychologists are talking crap when they say children never lie. They are a lot more sophisticated than we give them credit for. She is using a 'lie' to make herself (and others) laugh. That shows some very sophisticated thought processes at work.

That reminds me of another elderly gentleman who was probably also a grandpa.

He pointed to a bear and wanted to know his name. I said that I did not know because the bear had been found.
"Oh, he is a foundling ... !" said the man empathetically.
He picked the bear and put him to his ear for a few seconds. His wife and me waited without quite understanding.
Then the man announced in a loud whisper: "Eric !"

For example, here my wife tells a little lie,

My wife and I were getting ready to go to a family get together at her fathers home, there were several children between father and stepmother so the gatherings tended to be large and well attended. She was looking for something casual to wear and I handed her a pair of my jeans which she put on and the fit very well so she wore them. When we got to the house she went right into the kitchen where almost everyons was and said "Mom, guess what I did today? I got into Warren's pants." then admidst gasps and people saying "you shouldn't say things like that". She steped back and said, "And look I'm still in them". The whole room broke up at that.

Sometimes the truth, when unexpected, is just as funny,

Asking about colors can be risky. I was in a church choir once and the director decided we could sing together better if we knew more about each other. So she started asking what our favorite stuff was, food, song, etc. She finally got to favorite color and I was really getting the shits of this stupid game. It started with the sopranos and I was in the bass section close to the end and everyone was saying things like red, blue, yellow, and then it got to me, and I said 'Flesh'. Everyone busted up, the director decided we knew each other well enough, and we went back to singing.

I watched New York Stories last night, it is hilarious.

Three stories about middle aged love. The one with Woody Allen in it is the best.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjqihCfG ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZklxQ4PP7Y8

reasonvemotion wrote:I watched New York Stories last night, it is hilarious.

Three stories about middle aged love. The one with Woody Allen in it is the best.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjqihCfG ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZklxQ4PP7Y8

He was great in his stand-up days. I have MP3 recordings of some of his sessions - brilliant!
Oh shit - I'm anti-semitic, how confusing for me!

In the vid he plays a 50yo. I imagine as he is now 76, the vid was made some time ago!

I must admit I was hesitant in posting this, because of the repercussions that will come from it.

but who cannot relate to it? I am a fan of his.

I must admit I love guys who are weird. LOL