Monday, August 14, 2006

Funny Is As Funny Does

The sense of humor is arguably (perhaps right next to the sense of beauty), the most subjective of opinion. I mean, getting a consensus on anything is difficult, from whether modern art is actually art, to how raw a steak should be to qualify as rare. But for some reason, humor is one of those things that has so many subtleties and nuances, that often times even two people who are laughing at the same joke are laughing for different reasons. And there are others who either stand there not understanding the humor, or who just don’t appreciate it.

Fair enough. Just because you laugh at something I don’t and visa versa doesn’t make either of us right. It means we just see things differently.

So, what do you do when some guy goes around insisting that something isn’t funny, and that anyone who disagrees with him is either some sort of dancing fool for the enemy, an idiot, or unable to see with the level of clarity needed because of a different cultural/religious background?

What indeed?

Yeah, this is a not-very-thinly veiled reference to a recent dust-up over at O’Tim’s blog, regarding a post he had on a small article written by Joel Stein. No need to go into the article in depth here, but the long and the short of it is I found Stein’s dry, straight-faced sarcasm to be entertaining, while another guy didn’t. And, for my opinion, it was explained that since I wasn’t jewish I was therefore genetically unable to ever grasp the nuances of what constituted funny from bullshit, and that Stein was a race-traitor anyway.

But what struck me was the supreme arrogance of this opinion. There was not a shred of consideration that humor is subjective. The conclusions were definite and clear:

  1. Not only was that essay not funny, but Joel Stein is the equivalent of a Semitic Uncle Tom (would that then be an Uncle Shlomo??)
  2. Anyone who found either that essay or Stein funny is dead wrong because either they are also Uncle Shlomos, or not being Jewish, they are simply incapable of understanding

Of course, this whole degradation into the belief that only True and Decent Jews (i.e. those that are not schande far di goyim) can judge the humor of Stein's work is so incredibly asinine and insulting as to fly in the face of reason. Does that also mean that only the Japanese can tell if the sushi tastes good? What about someone who converts to Judaism? Does the ceremony also confer this ethereal ability to judge the true essence and nature or humor? If a jew decides to leave the fold, do they also forfeit this gift?

I know, the whole thing is compltely ludicrous to the point of being laughable in itself. But then again, I would think that, since not being jewish I obviously don't have the DNA to know from the funny.

Ook ook.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmm.... I had missed all that happened on that thread after my comment. Much ado over a little joke.

I guess it isn't just a coincidence that Paula also posted about the subjectivity of humor today.....

Anonymous said...

What I find laughable (pun may or may not be intended, not sure yet--and will this qualify as a pun?) in that comment flame squirmish at (O'Tim's) and when it happens elsewhere in real life, is that it seems that those sorts are offended and insulted if you think something is funny that they do not. "How dare we find humor in something I find egregious! What is wrong with you? Are you insane?"

The taking things so personally in these cases is just retarded.

The Fez Monkey said...

Beelers: Evidently you and I suffer from the same non-Jewish humor deficiency. Thank god there are pious and sanctimonious pricks out there so willing to point out the truth to us!

Joe: Much ado indeed. It's a shame when the subjectivity of humor gets degraded to racial lines, but then so many things seem to these days. And I haven't visited Paula's site recently ... it's become quite chilly over there.

Rager: The sorts who get offended when you find something funny that they don't are annoying. But the real assholes are those who explain that you can't judge humor because you are an "outsider."

Ook ook to one and all

O' Tim said...

I think you are quite possibly the victim of a vendetta, Mr. Fez, brought about when you dared thumb your nose at the horrible possibility of being booted from certain blogrolls.

You're just another in a long line of confrontees who have taken a spotlight to certain immature and occasionally passive-aggressive blogantics.

Usually I can salvage some entertainment value from it as to me there's little point to blogging if you can't discuss opposing views and even get a bit snarky with it for kicks. But frankly this is wearing thin, and if my saying so causes me to be permanently relegated to the "pep squad" (as the lefty-leaning posters have been dubbed) or otherwise ostracized, de-blogrolled, excommunicated, defrocked or pureed, well then *sniff* so be it for the big fat meanies ! ! (as if they'd admit to darkening this door)

The Fez Monkey said...

O'Tim: Well, take it from me ... it doesn't take long to get over being excommunicated from that crowd.

However, my favorite bit was how proudly our friend pointed to the vast number of links he has. His mother must be so proud!

Ook ook