Session Start (AIM – UncouthRanting:*CENSORED*): Tue Jan 22 10:00:20 2002
UncouthRanting: http://asia.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/scandinavia/01/22/airplane.toilet/index.html
*CENSORED*: *frowns* they shouldn’t make fun of her like that
*CENSORED*: even if it was her fault
*CENSORED*: or should I be laughing?
*CENSORED*: well, whether I should or should not be laughing, I’m not. Humor shouldn’t be at the expense of others
*CENSORED*: in my oh so humble opinion
UncouthRanting: I see.
UncouthRanting: What should it be, then?
*CENSORED*: kind. Teasing is funny, if it doesn’t turn hurtful. But doing something like that, turning an already embarrassing situation into a joke- that’s not. Now, I’ve had my laughs at the Darwin Awards, we own the book- but I didn’t laugh at the things like that. I think it is only funny to a degree
*CENSORED*: then it turns just plain mean
UncouthRanting: You still haven’t answer the full question, though? Perhaps better asked–what is humor?
*CENSORED*: humor depends on the person
*CENSORED*: I don’t think that was humor to me- but I know people that would love it
UncouthRanting: Why?
*CENSORED*: why does it depend on the person?
*CENSORED*: because everyone has a different basis, different morals, different opinions
*CENSORED*: and humor is just another opinion- opinions depend on the person being opinionated
*CENSORED*: or at least they should- people should find and learn and accept their own opinions
UncouthRanting: You’ve answered the how, but not the what
*CENSORED*: the what? humor is an opinion, isn’t that the what?
*CENSORED*: humor is something that makes us happy to a degree, I think
*CENSORED*: or is at least supposed to
UncouthRanting: You’re still walking around a definition.
*CENSORED*: I like definitions, they’re safe
*CENSORED*: what exactly are asking for? What humor is to me? what humor is to other people (can’t answer that one, sorry)?
*CENSORED*: or have I missed the question completely?
UncouthRanting: I’m looking for an objective definition of humor.
*CENSORED*: that’s hard
UncouthRanting: I know.
*CENSORED*: ob�jec�tive [ob j�ktiv ] adjective
1. free of bias: free of any bias or prejudice caused by personal feelings
2. based on facts: based on facts rather than thoughts or opinions
3. observable
UncouthRanting: Well, let’s try to work out a better definition of objective.
UncouthRanting: When I say objective, I am refering to reality itself, as it were.
*CENSORED*: hmm
UncouthRanting: How things are regardless of perception.
UncouthRanting: Reality is real–it is objective. It has laws and exists, whether or not someone is perceiving it.
*CENSORED*: hmm
*CENSORED*: k
UncouthRanting: And it’s laws overrule the perceptions of the observer.
*CENSORED*: shoot, all I’m coming up with are definitions
*CENSORED*: you’re mean, you make me think in different ways
*CENSORED*: is there an answer?
*CENSORED*: if the defintion is something about opinions
*CENSORED*: then opinions aren’t really objective
*CENSORED*: I think I’ve blocked myself into a corner *sighs*
UncouthRanting: Can you have an objective definition about opinions?
*CENSORED*: um, opinions are what people think
*CENSORED*: ?
*CENSORED*: so if you can have an objective definition of opinion, there must be one of humor
*CENSORED*: humor is an opinion that makes people feel good/funny/laughing- whether it be personally or publicly
*CENSORED*: that’s not what you wanted, is it?
UncouthRanting: Okay, you’re getting a little closer.
*CENSORED*: mhmm
*CENSORED*: humor is unjudgable?
*CENSORED*: because we each have our own idea of it?
UncouthRanting: Is it?
*CENSORED*: figures, question with a question :-\
*CENSORED*: humor is unjudgable in truth, but we each judge it in our own ways
*CENSORED*: so we make humor, but we can’t really judge it
UncouthRanting: You’re still walking around any real definition though..
UncouthRanting: Let’s expand, then.
*CENSORED*: erg!
UncouthRanting: What would you call humor?
UncouthRanting: As in..
UncouthRanting: How would you classify it?
*CENSORED*: something that makes people feel good in a mental sense
UncouthRanting: Hmm.
UncouthRanting: What does that fall under.
UncouthRanting: What are other things “like” that?
UncouthRanting: In a mental sense?
*CENSORED*: nothing, just humor
*CENSORED*: well, sadness
UncouthRanting: Oh?
*CENSORED*: feelings
UncouthRanting: Ahh!
UncouthRanting: Feelings!
*CENSORED*: humor is feeling
UncouthRanting: Okay, so humor is a feeling.
*CENSORED*: okay, yup
UncouthRanting: Or, probably better defined: humor is an emotion
*CENSORED*: acceptable
UncouthRanting: (Generally one of gaeity)
UncouthRanting: But now.
UncouthRanting: That leads us to something else..
UncouthRanting: What is emotion?
*CENSORED*: oh? not a big circle?
*CENSORED*: wonderful
UncouthRanting: No, not a circle. a logical progression.
*CENSORED*: emotion is what we feel- mentally
*CENSORED*: *sighs* big words
UncouthRanting: What does that mean?
*CENSORED*: which one?
UncouthRanting: The emotion comment
*CENSORED*: mental/physical. Emotion falls under mental, mainly, though it may come from physical sources or make something physical
UncouthRanting: Okay..
UncouthRanting: so they are something mental
UncouthRanting: right?
*CENSORED*: yuppers
UncouthRanting: what does that mean?
*CENSORED*: it means they happen in our minds. We shape them
UncouthRanting: We.. shape them?
*CENSORED*: one moment we can be sad, another happy- for the same reason
*CENSORED*: like with that airplane thingy
*CENSORED*: you could start to laugh, then realize it’s not nice and stop
*CENSORED*: and be angry at yourself for beginning to laugh
UncouthRanting: Why would you thinks it’s funny.. and then get angry?
*CENSORED*: all righty, what if you laugh because it’s just a story- then remember something similar happening to you? you’d be angry at the story, after laughing
UncouthRanting: Okay.. why do you think that is?
*CENSORED*: a joke isn’t too funny if it’s mean/embarassing and it happens to you
*CENSORED*: at least not most of the time
UncouthRanting: Ah.
UncouthRanting: So, mayhaps, it has something to do with reality?
*CENSORED*: *blinks* I never thought of it that way
*CENSORED*: but yes
UncouthRanting: Hmm.
UncouthRanting: Soo..
UncouthRanting: If we were to correlate everything you said..
UncouthRanting: and add some polished touches…
*CENSORED*: so this is where I’m supposed to come up with a brilliant insight?
*CENSORED*: humor is mental but reality based?
UncouthRanting: Emotions are essentially an individuals reaction to reality based on his or her beliefs and values.
*CENSORED*: *smiles slightly*
*CENSORED*: or that
UncouthRanting: and humor, being an emotion falls under that.
UncouthRanting: And we can actually use that as a tool to judge and understand people.
UncouthRanting: For, if someone laughs at something truly heinous… we can glimpse at their beliefs and values.. ?
*CENSORED*: *nods* except, you shouldn’t let just one thing be the judge
UncouthRanting: That’s why it is “a tool” and not “the way we judge”.
*CENSORED*: I accept that
UncouthRanting: Should we go further with this?
UncouthRanting: Like.. do you agree with that definition of emotions?
*CENSORED*: yes
*CENSORED*: exactly so
UncouthRanting: Well, then let me leave you with these thoughts:
UncouthRanting: If emotions are based on our beliefs and values… what are the problems with people and philosophy who tell us simply give into our emotions and not think…
UncouthRanting: Or, even more..
UncouthRanting: What about people who do things that make them feel bad? what about people who have conflicting emotions and claim “they can’t do anything about it..” or “they don’t understand why..” ? How can understanding that emotions are rooted in beliefs and values help them?
UncouthRanting: Just think about those.
*** *CENSORED* signed off at Tue Jan 22 11:38:41 2002.
Editor’s note:
…and the story turns out to be false, anyways. Heh.
CORRECTED: Airline Says In-Flight Toilet Ordeal Story False