Why I Love Bristol Palin

[Typhoid]

The greatest recent success stories from Republicans have been on the fiscal conservative side, so I doubt your analysis has much merit other than parroting Democrat talking points.

Actually, it was 100% a joke.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

Actually, it was 100% a joke.

Typh, all jokes are based in truth. If there is no perceived truth in the joke, even if the recognition is in absurdly running away from a known truth (EX. Always Sunny) it is not funny. You found it funny, therefore you must believe there is truth in the statement.

This is why The Daily Show tends to be much funnier to liberals than conservatives. Liberals see truth in their jokes (hence they clap and cheer as much as laugh), therefore they find it funny, while conservatives do not see truth in many of their jokes, and do not find the show all that funny.

[Typhoid]

Actually, no - it was just a joke.
I was high on codeine [as I am much of the day, every day - for the past 5 months], and felt like making a post.

And being that I just watched Jon Stewart before I posted, it's no surprise that I recalled something he said, and posted it here.

Now, as for why I found it funny - it's not because I think it's 'true', nor because I agree with it.

In my mind it's funny because I was looking at it from the standpoint of the motto itself. "If at first you don't succeed...try the exact same thing."
It's such a ridiculous idea for a motto, that I thoroughly enjoyed it on it's own. Much like one from the Simpsons of "If at first you don't succeed, give up." I don't like that because it's knocking the person he's saying it to, just the fact it's a horrible outlook.

[Professor S]

Typh, its not a big deal, but the truth is you found it funny because you sympathize with its association with the Republican party. You saw the underlying truth that the joke poked fun at, and therefore it is humorous, making it a JOKE. If you did not recognize the underlying truth, you would not find the punchline funny. This is how humor works, particularly political humor.

I'm not sure why you're so adamant about this. You obviously lean to the left. Its not like you're letting the cat out of the bag by admitting it.

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Typh, its not a big deal, but the truth is you found it funny because you sympathize with its association with the Republican party. You saw the underlying truth that the joke poked fun at, and therefore it is humorous, making it a JOKE.

As I said:

In my mind it's funny because I was looking at it from the standpoint of the motto itself.

If this thread was about Democrats, I would have posted "It's like that old Democratic motto; if at first you don't succeed...try the exact same thing."

Because I think the motto in itself is ridiculous. Nothing to do with anything other than the motto. Not a single thing. Why do I find it funny? I don't know - because it's so dumb. Do I associate it with Republicans? No. I don't associate it with anything specific. I said it, because it fit. Not because the word "Republican" reminded me of it.

I'm not sure why you're so adamant about this. You obviously lean to the left. Its not like you're letting the cat out of the bag by admitting it.

Because I specifically hate when people assume one thing about me/my intentions when it's entirely false. Especially when people try to tell me [as you did] why I thought what I thought, when what they're saying I'm thinking isn't the case at all.

And you're absolutely right, it's not a big deal. I just excessively dislike when people try to tell me what my reasons were when they're not correct, or when people assume my reasoning for saying something when that, too - isn't correct. Ask Dylflon.

[Professor S]

I never said anything about your intentions. I posted a fact about humor. Your intentions have nothing to do with it. That you found the joke funny the revelatory in itself.

As for finding the joke funny regardless of context, sorry, don't buy it. If you want to be bugged by my disbelief, so be it. I'd rather be honest than polite.

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by Professor S

I never said anything about your intentions.

When I said intentions, I meant more of a "I don't like being told what I think", such as:

but the truth is you found it funny because you sympathize with its association with the Republican party

You found it funny, therefore you must believe there is truth in the statement.

I don't believe either of these statements because A) I don't, and B) I don't have to believe a joke is true to find it funny.

Let's find an example, here.

I quite like the joke:

Q: Why did the blonde become a vet?
A: She wanted to work with kids.

Now, do I believe all blondes [or any, for that matter] confuse children with animals, or pediatrics with vets? No. I do not believe it. However, I find it humourous - not because it is about a blonde, or has anything to do with a blonde, rather the fact that it's insinuating someone is that dumb. Now, me finding it funny has nothing to do with the colour of someones hair. Hell, it could be a "Your mommas so dumb" joke, and I'd still like it - and not because it insults your mother.

I am not sympathizing with the subject in the joke, rather just enjoying the punchline. It's how I view life, my friend.