Is it transmitted genetically or does a good sense of humor form throughout life? This question remains open so far. Experts tend to believe that the desire for humor is transmitted to us from birth as well as temperament. If we consider humor from an intellectual point of view, it turns out that there is no direct connection between education and the desire to make a joke. Many smart people either do not know how to make laugh, or do not understand jokes, while people with secondary education instantly react to an ironic combination of words.
We will examine in more detail what humor is. The unit of humor is a joke led by a paradox - the main generator of the funny. A sense of humor is the ability to perceive a paradox. All people have this ability inherent, but its peculiarity is due to the fact that the paradox is simple and complex.
What can be called flat humor?
A person with a subtle sense of humor easily learns complex paradoxes. With the development of personality, the skill of wit and self-irony moves forward. As a result, he rejects simple paradoxes, calling them obvious, dumb and undeveloped. Attempts to rudely or inappropriately make a joke are called flat humor.
Generally joking in order to entertain others, to please the opposite sex. Sometimes the ability to joke becomes a way of earning. Often the performances of famous comedians gain huge audiences.
If at times the attempt to make laugh does not provoke a reciprocal laugh, and many feel awkward from it, they say that it failed. A flat joke emanating from an interlocutor (as a rule) does not cause sympathy for him, rather, characterizing him as a person who is near and ill-bred.
What is funny?
Why are they laughing at some jokes while others are not perceived? Much depends on the environment, belonging to a particular nation, age, and so on.
Children's jokes for adults do not seem ridiculous, although the guys themselves for a long and infectious laugh at them. Everyone knows such a phenomenon as English humor. It differs from others in that it is built on a linguistic game, a subtle combination of words multiplied by the effect of surprise. Without a good knowledge of English and British traditions, it is impossible to comprehend their humor. From the side, it may seem flat.
The humor of Soviet times may also seem incomprehensible to the modern generation. People who grew up in the notorious zero years will not be able to appreciate the subtle intellectual humor of the heroes of the comedy Eldar Ryazanov. For many, Zhenya Lukashin (everyone remembers the film “Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”) Is a loser who cannot deal with two women, and the heroes of the comedy “Garage” in the eyes of the modern generation look ridiculous in their struggle for “a piece of scrap metal ". For a worthy assessment of the plot, elementary knowledge of the life and customs of the Soviet era is necessary.
But today it is not surprising that modern free attempts to joke with the older generation seem humor flat or below the waist. Sometimes a crude joke can be funny, with the only difference being that you want to renounce it and forget it as soon as possible.
Scientists research
Recent research by scientists has led to the relationship between humor and pain. As it turned out, the zones responsible for pain in the human brain instantly respond to jokes.
Any joke is a product of the reaction of the nervous system to a paradox, surprise. If something does not fit into the scheme of one’s own perception, then a person begins to laugh or joke, protecting himself from difficulties.
The concept that the best comedians and clowns are people prone to depression and suicide did not arise from scratch. But in most cases, a sense of humor helps to adapt to reality. A good joke in the new team will make it easier for people to get closer and adapt.
Army jokes
A primitive form of humor, for example, a face cake, a mockery of a person’s appearance or character, is aimed at suppressing the person. This form is found in an isolated society: the army, prison, even in the school community.
Consider examples of flat humor, especially army: “Here you are not a prison. He cut off two years and is free! "," Eat soup, otherwise your stomach will hurt. Then you won’t even need the army ”,“ Corporal Sidorov, leave your flat jokes for the fool without shoulder straps! ”,“ The fence has fallen for two days, it still stands ”,“ If you don’t know, you need to sit and think, or stand, listen, "" If you want to say something, stand and be silent. "
There are many similar stories. It is interesting that people are narrow-minded, who love to offend another person with a joke, rather they describe themselves that way. It's no secret that subtle humor makes a person more mysterious and interesting.