Is There Such a Thing As Funny?
The most basic definition of a funny man is “A person who is witty or funny”. It could be argued that in today’s more refined light, the definition does not fit the present use very well. Funny people are in general seen as those who can make others laugh and others look at them with an amazed look or sideways glance, a mixture of appreciation and repulsion. Some may view the funny as being degrading to women or not worth the attempt, others may consider it to be a sign of intelligence and others still may not care. In general a funny man is seen as someone who can inject some comedy into otherwise mundane situations and this has spawned a whole sub-culture and sub-classification in its own right.
The difference between a funny man and the average Joe is that the funny is seen as having caused amusement or, more often than not, shared amusement. A funny person is thought of as having created an unintentionally humorous situation or been the catalyst for some sort of sociological experiment by being the first to crack a joke. However, it should be noted that there is nothing in terms of sociological experiment or being the first to crack a joke which qualifies you as a funnyman. You simply being able to crack a joke is enough to classify you as a funnyman.
Funny is usually seen as an exaggerated exaggeration of normal conditions or actions. So, for instance, you having an exaggerated reaction to a situation because you think it is actually funny, this in itself is categorized as humor. But, when a normal reaction to the same situation is to be embarrassed or even angry at such behavior, it is then classified as incongruity. In addition, there are other emotional aspects that are taken into consideration when classifying funny man.
It is debatable whether the act of making an incongruity is intentional or not, but one thing we do know is that humor and incongruity are indeed intertwined. For example, if a group of people observe an act of racial intolerance and then laugh at it, this is considered humor. However, if the same people do the same thing but only with disdain, then they are seen as incongruous and thus, constitute the act of white supremacy and is against the very concept of white fraternity.
The difference between the two is that, in the former case, the presence of the incongruity is unintentional and the intent to cause offense is clear. On the other hand, the latter does not involve any intent or ill intention but is motivated by a view that the act of offending is funny. What is important to note about this theory is that it applies to all types of humor irrespective of its source.
In conclusion, many would say that funny man is a benign violation of social norm. And, indeed, it is but to confuse things further is to imply that the existence of incongruities in our world is a reflection of good or bad. As a matter of fact, both are equally absurd. So, instead of being offended, enjoy and have fun! Laugh at yourself, no one else and everyone alike. It will help you recharge your batteries, get rid of all those tired and angry feelings and you’ll feel better, too.
