[lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 12:55:11 -0700
JE> This is not a "than", laughter is -- in cases like this - a way of
coping with fear.
LH> Fear is not a constant thing - nor a thing that is the same for
everyone. I think of William James' Variety of Religious Experience and his
reference to "sick souls" and "healthy souls." I engaged (in my younger
years) in two activities commonly thought to be dangerous: motorcycling and
free diving. I discovered that many people can't conceive of engaging in
these activities themselves. Furthermore if they had a liking for me, they
would insist that I understand how dangerous they were and urge me to quit.
I would find articles on my desk in the morning about motorcyclists killed
on freeways or divers missing or killed by sharks. These people weren't
joking.
On the other hand, when I was with other motorcyclists we would joke about
close calls and ending up smears on the freeways or thump, thump, thumps on
the underside of an 18 wheeler. I don't recall joking that much about
sharks with other free divers because that was a non-issue. We rarely
confronted sharks in the areas in which we dived. I would often weary of
the fearful people of the world and tease or joke with them about their
fears. They, of course, thought fear a constant and the same in everyone.
Therefore, they seemed to be saying, I must be mad.
How do you feel about "mad" jokes? Did you see Proof?
Lawrence
_____
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Judith Evans
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 12:27 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns
LH>But you can't know that you won't joke about dementia when
LH>you get as old as I because you aren't that old yet.
I can't know I won't turn ageist as I get older, but I doubt it.
LH>You are merely in the category of the non-soldier,
LH>non-mortician, and non-old.
My mother was in the category of "the old"
LH>And now that I think about it, surely it is healthier to joke
LH>about an imagined threat than to fear it.
This is not a "than", laughter is -- in cases like this - a way
of coping with fear.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence <mailto:lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 8:13 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns
But you can't know that you won't joke about dementia when you get as old as
I because you aren't that old yet. You are merely in the category of the
non-soldier, non-mortician, and non-old.
My mother died of dementia as well. I know a number of people who "fear
it," but they nevertheless joke about it, e.g., their "senior moments."
And now that I think about it, surely it is healthier to joke about an
imagined threat than to fear it. In some cases fear and worry can bring
about, as a self-fulfilled prophecy, the thing worried about and feared - at
least I encountered that argument while studying Mark Twain in my youth, esp
Roughing It.
Lawrence
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