What makes things funny | Peter McGraw | TEDxBoulder
TLDRIn this engaging talk, the speaker explores the nature of humor through the Benign Violation Theory, which posits that humor arises when a violation is both benign and simultaneously appraised. With examples ranging from social norms to physical comedy, the speaker illustrates how humor can be both pervasive and beneficial, influencing choices and helping to cope with life's adversities. The presentation also offers insights on how to cultivate a more humorous life by understanding audience, situation, and personal style.
Takeaways
- ๐ Humor is a universal experience that influences our daily lives, from entertainment choices to personal relationships.
- ๐ The Benign Violation Theory suggests that humor arises when a situation is both a violation and benign, and these assessments happen simultaneously.
- ๐ Violations are things that challenge our beliefs about how the world should be, such as social or moral norms being breached.
- ๐ A violation can be made benign by being less committed to the norm, being psychologically distant, or having an alternative explanation that makes it acceptable.
- ๐ The theory explains why certain situations, like play fighting or tickling, are humorous because they are mock attacks that are perceived as harmless.
- ๐ Humor can be subjective, with what one person finds benign, another might see as a benign violation, and yet another as a malign violation.
- ๐ The Benign Violation Theory also accounts for what is not funny, such as situations that are purely benign or purely malign violations.
- ๐ Humor can be used to cope with negative emotions and adversity, as it brings happiness and helps in dealing with pain and stress.
- ๐ Understanding humor can enhance one's life by being aware of the audience and the context, which can make situations more or less humorous.
- ๐ The script illustrates how to make a joke or situation funny by creating a benign violation, such as by establishing a violation and ensuring it is perceived as harmless.
- ๐ The speaker uses the example of asking the audience to stand up and tickle a stranger to demonstrate the creation of a benign violation in a humorous context.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the speaker's talk?
-The main topic of the speaker's talk is the exploration of humor, specifically presenting the Benign Violation Theory and discussing its implications on understanding what makes things funny.
Why is humor considered important to study?
-Humor is considered important to study because it is pervasive across all ages and cultures, influences people's choices in various aspects of life, and has beneficial effects such as making people happy and helping them cope with pain, stress, and adversity.
What is the Benign Violation Theory?
-The Benign Violation Theory is a humor theory proposed by the speaker and Caleb Warren, which suggests that humor occurs when and only when three conditions are met: a situation is a violation, a situation is benign, and both of these appraisals occur simultaneously.
What are the three conditions of the Benign Violation Theory?
-The three conditions of the Benign Violation Theory are: 1) a situation is a violation, meaning it threatens the way one believes the world ought to be, 2) a situation is benign, meaning it is not actually harmful or threatening, and 3) both of these appraisals occur simultaneously.
How can a violation be made benign according to the theory?
-A violation can be made benign by not being strongly committed to the violated norm, if it is psychologically distant, or if there is an alternative explanation that makes the violation acceptable.
Why do people laugh at moral violations, as illustrated by the example of the church raffle?
-People laugh at moral violations like the church raffle because the violation is seen as benign, possibly due to the audience not being strongly committed to the violated norm or because it is seen as a psychologically distant event.
What is the Humor Research Lab (HURL) and why was it created?
-The Humor Research Lab (HURL) is a research facility created by the speaker to study humor. It was established to explore the question of what makes things funny, which the speaker was unable to answer during a previous talk on moral violations.
How does the Benign Violation Theory explain nervous laughter?
-The Benign Violation Theory explains nervous laughter by stating that since a violation is a necessary condition for humor, one may experience a negative emotion in addition to amusement, such as when tickling is unwanted but still causes laughter.
What are some examples of benign violations mentioned in the script?
-Examples of benign violations mentioned in the script include play fighting and tickling among primates, falling down stairs but being unhurt, and puns that violate linguistic norms but seem acceptable.
How can the Benign Violation Theory be applied to improve one's sense of humor or to live a more humorous life?
-The theory suggests paying attention to the audience, considering the situation for potential benign violations, and adapting one's humor style based on personal characteristics. It also encourages using distance or highlighting what is wrong with everyday situations to create humor.
What are the 'Silverman strategy' and 'Seinfeld strategy' mentioned in the script, and how do they relate to humor?
-The 'Silverman strategy' refers to comedian Sarah Silverman's approach of making racial and ethnic jokes in a non-serious, non-threatening way, thus transforming violations into benign violations. The 'Seinfeld strategy' involves transforming normal everyday situations into benign violations by highlighting what is wrong with them, as done by comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
Outlines
๐ The Complexity of Humor and the Birth of HURL
The speaker discusses the ubiquity and benefits of humor, sharing an anecdote about a surprising reaction to a church raffle. This reaction prompted the creation of the Humor Research Lab (HURL) to understand what makes things funny. The Benign Violation Theory is introduced, explaining that humor arises when something is both a violation and benign simultaneously. Examples include social, moral, and physical violations, as well as the psychological distance that can make violations seem harmless.
๐ The Mechanics of Humor and Physical Comedy
The speaker elaborates on how benign violations create humor, using examples like tickling, falling down stairs, and puns. The theory distinguishes between benign and malign violations, explaining why some situations are funny while others are not. The interplay between threat and harmlessness is crucial for humor, and the speaker demonstrates how changing the context or perception of a situation can alter its comedic value.
๐ Strategies for Crafting Humor and Living a Humorous Life
The speaker discusses the importance of understanding the audience and context to create humor, highlighting the differences between benign and malign violations. Strategies from comedians like Sarah Silverman and Jerry Seinfeld are used to illustrate how distance and perspective can make situations funnier. The speaker concludes by explaining how he applied these principles to his own humorous proposition, emphasizing the delicate balance between laughter and pain.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กHumor
๐กBenign Violation Theory
๐กViolation
๐กBenign
๐กPlay Fighting
๐กPuns
๐กMalign Violations
๐กNervous Laughter
๐กDistance
๐กSeinfeld Strategy
๐กSilverman Strategy
Highlights
The speaker introduces the concept of humor and its importance in daily life, influencing choices and providing benefits such as happiness and coping mechanisms.
The Benign Violation Theory is introduced, which integrates existing humor theory and suggests humor occurs when a situation is both a violation and benign.
The theory posits that violations are things that seem wrong, threatening the way the world ought to be, including social and moral norms violations.
Three ways to make a violation benign are discussed: lack of commitment to the norm, psychological distance, and alternative explanations.
The theory explains why primates laugh during play fighting and tickling, viewing them as mock attacks that seem harmless.
The distinction between what is funny and not funny is clarified, with benign violations being humorous and malign violations not.
The concept of nervous laughter is explored, suggesting that humor can coexist with negative emotions due to the presence of a violation.
The speaker uses examples like falling down stairs to illustrate the difference between benign and malign violations in humor.
Puns are discussed as a form of linguistic norm violations that are also seen as acceptable, thus humorous.
The impact of audience and situation on humor is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of context in finding something funny.
The use of distance as a tool in humor is discussed, with examples from writers, directors, and comedians.
The speaker introduces the 'Silverman strategy' for humor, which involves making racial and ethnic jokes in a non-threatening way.
Contrastingly, the 'Seinfeld strategy' is presented, focusing on highlighting the absurdities in everyday situations to create humor.
Personal style in humor is addressed, suggesting that individuals adapt their humor based on their personality and the situation.
The speaker concludes by connecting the theory to the initial awkward proposition of tickling, demonstrating how it creates a benign violation.
The thin line between humor and hurt is acknowledged, emphasizing the complexity and nuance of humor.
Transcripts
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