Humor or comedy is the natural tendency of human encounters to elicit pleasant and give humor. Humor is a response to a situation that makes us laugh and smile and may be triggered by serious events or even silly or playful actions. The word comes from the ancient Greek medicine, which believed that the control of emotions, called humors, controlled human nature and physical health. Humor is a natural emotion and can be expressed by either a writer or comedian.
The difference between serious and funny inside jokes depends on the mood of the people involved. Serious situations have serious outcomes, which will elicit serious responses from people. Conversely, funny situations or activities can be funny but not necessarily with a serious outcome. In other words, a joke can be funny but not necessarily with a serious intent. A famous quote by George Bernard Shaw “A man who has no sense of humor is like a man who pees in a river without any reserve.”
Humor and comedy go together inside the field of psychology. Psychology refers to the study of human behavior. Some psychologists believe that humor, or the ability to observe and appreciate humor, is an innate human characteristic. According to this theory, some people may be born with a sense of humor while others may acquire it through observation or imitation. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests that all living things, including humans, derive their basic survival needs through imitation, and that this process helps maintain human relationships and social environments.
Charles Laughton is perhaps the best-known practitioner of psychological humor theories. His popular work, The Most Amazing Way to Be Wrong, made serious waves among audiences across the globe. He maintained that there is a mental capacity to understand and execute routines that are completely illogical, yet end up being the most successful in the long run. For instance, if a joke is executed correctly, there would be no effect on the audience. However, if that same joke was told about one of the participants, it would have a very different meaning. This led him to assert, “A person can laugh at his own misfortune, but he cannot enjoy the process of success.”
There are many real-life examples of how perceptions of humor change based on who you are. If you are a gang member who enjoys boasting about your status, people might think you’re a little crazy. However, if you are just another marginal character on the streets, your existence will be considered funny. Understanding this phenomenon, experts have conducted studies about the connection between status and perceived status. In a famous study, participants were shown a series of statements, and then asked to rank how important they considered themselves to be.
Another research study showed that a funny video on YouTube could increase the number of clicks on an article posted on an Internet website. This proves that people laugh more when they find something funny. The use of humor in daily life can increase productivity in a variety of areas. If you want your coworkers to think you are funny, make sure you’re telling them the right kinds of jokes.