When you think about the last joke that you heard, or think about the last time you laughed, can you remember what exactly made you laugh? What was it that was so funny? And also, who made the joke?
Humor is an interesting thing. We laugh when something is funny, but why? Tonight at Southern Methodist University, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2013 North Texas Humor Conference. I actually attended this conference in the fall of 2011, after taking a class on humor as a form of communication. When I initially decided to enroll in this class, I thought to myself, “hmmm… a class on humor – must be funny and interesting?” Little did I know, there is much more to humor than one might think.
Many do not stop to realize it, but humor actually plays a vital role in our world today, beyond than just a tool to make us laugh. In looking at studies that have been conducted on humor, humor mainly takes form in three different aspects. Its many functions include its ability to relieve tensions, point out irrational notions, increase liking, foster cohesiveness, and even advance an individual’s power.
Tonight, in Dr. O’Neill’s speech, he referred often to this notion of an individual’s power, specifically referring to one’s gender. He spoke about how he treats women and men differently. When he says something humorous or makes a joke towards a woman, he said he tries to be cautious because she might be sensitive. However, when he is joking around with men, he “goes all out” with his jokes.
In this, I think about power dimensions between men and women and wonder how humor plays a role in this. Is it right that men and women use humor differently due to gender?
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