[lit-ideas] Re: T'AINT FUNNY, MCGEE

  • From: "Mike Geary" <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2006 09:45:42 -0600

AA:

Seinfeld is funny if one likes to laugh at others, which everyone likes to
do.  When those same jokes are turned on one's self, it's less funny.
Seinfeld leaves me cringing.  It's a testimonial to the human race that
they can't laugh at something unless it's at someone's expense.
You've never seen Seinfeld, have you? If you had, you'd know that the whole premise of the show is self-mockery. The characters make fun of their own pettiness and foibles and incoherencies, not those of others. If you get a chance to watch a re-run, mute your moralist-mode and you'll see your own pettiness and foibles and incoherencies mirrored in one or all the characters and you'll get a good laugh at yourself. Everyone I know who likes Seinfeld finds themselves reflected there and they crack themselves up. Maybe I speak only for myself, but I think we're all just goofy drubs trying to fool ourselves by acquiring accoutrements of importance. Seinfeld says take another look at yourself, you're much goofier than you think. 


Truly, in my opinion, really good humor is rare.
I'm not so sure what really good humor is and I wish you would clarify that with some examples. But as a psychological phenomenon, humor is, I think, a Weltanschauung thing. To the degree your outlook on life embraces the absurd, to that extent, you'll find humor in life. Humor is like God. For some it is immanent in all creation. One has only to open one's eyes to find it. For others, those whose God is the serious Other, humor is rarely experienced indeed. So seldom do droll thoughts arise out of Ought to manifest themselves as the true nature of reality. 



Seinfeld and Mario Puzo, perfect together.


Never read Puzo, don't know.  Was he funny?  What do you find funny?


Mike Geary
chilling out
in Memphis







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