Essay on Humour
HUMOUR
Humour is a complex issue that has been looked at through several disciplines including philosophy, and within anthropology. Debates ensue as to what humour is and if it can be defined. Were an extraterrestrial to visit earth and ask what the purpose of laughter was, we would provide an answer that suggests laughter often comes from something humourous. Humour often informs us of an individual’s own classifications of what causes laugh reflexes within themselves. What some people would consider being humourous, such as a misrepresentation of speech or misplacement of context others may not. Humour is not necessarily a consequence of verbal communication, it may stem from physical acts, objects or people that appear to act outside of the norm. Peculiarly enough some entities within society are expected to provide people with entertainment and humourouscontent, sustaining the opposite. Clowns in a circus context aim to produce laughter and entertainment from an audience, yet it is not unusual for clowns to be feared. So how is it that humour can be said to unify people within a society? Using comedians and politics, as examples, to illustrate the types of humour directed at audiences, the idea of social bonds being strengthened and fundamental to widespread culture will be considered in this essay.
Some scholars looking at humour have found that it is necessary to look at theories on laughter at the same time. If we are to simply state that humour is something that makes anyone laugh then we need to look at the physical attributes of laughter, and perhaps compare them to other physical reactions to external stimuli. If it is possible these stimulants may also be put into categories so we can develop some understanding of humour. Monro (1953) acknowledges in his opening chapter that laughter is a universal happening amongst human animals, and that some may attest that laughter appears within other groups as animals, such as hyenas. Like other emotions, such as
Humour is a complex issue that has been looked at through several disciplines including philosophy, and within anthropology. Debates ensue as to what humour is and if it can be defined. Were an extraterrestrial to visit earth and ask what the purpose of laughter was, we would provide an answer that suggests laughter often comes from something humourous. Humour often informs us of an individual’s own classifications of what causes laugh reflexes within themselves. What some people would consider being humourous, such as a misrepresentation of speech or misplacement of context others may not. Humour is not necessarily a consequence of verbal communication, it may stem from physical acts, objects or people that appear to act outside of the norm. Peculiarly enough some entities within society are expected to provide people with entertainment and humourouscontent, sustaining the opposite. Clowns in a circus context aim to produce laughter and entertainment from an audience, yet it is not unusual for clowns to be feared. So how is it that humour can be said to unify people within a society? Using comedians and politics, as examples, to illustrate the types of humour directed at audiences, the idea of social bonds being strengthened and fundamental to widespread culture will be considered in this essay.
Some scholars looking at humour have found that it is necessary to look at theories on laughter at the same time. If we are to simply state that humour is something that makes anyone laugh then we need to look at the physical attributes of laughter, and perhaps compare them to other physical reactions to external stimuli. If it is possible these stimulants may also be put into categories so we can develop some understanding of humour. Monro (1953) acknowledges in his opening chapter that laughter is a universal happening amongst human animals, and that some may attest that laughter appears within other groups as animals, such as hyenas. Like other emotions, such as