From: Damien Broderick (damienb@unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Mon Sep 01 2003 - 08:47:10 MDT
I assume Arthur Koestler's study of humor in THE ACT OF CREATION is
universally known? What, no? The odd thing is that his bissociation theory
applies perhaps more to wit than to outright laughter, and is quite
plausible, but his actual choice of jokes to retail and explain is dire.
(Unlike Pinker's jokes and jests, which always make me smile or
occasionally burst out laughing.)
I briefly had a gf who was always laughing with the joy of life, but seemed
to have no sense of humor at all. By contrast, I am universally recognized
as a dour and horrible cynic who's never been known to smile from simple
pleasure (`Would it kill you to smile?' `Yes, I'm an Australian'), but P.
J. O'Rourke cracks me up every time. I recall falling helpless and anoxic
on the carpet in shrieking waves one time listening to track after track of
a Woody Allen stand-up record, and as a kid doing the same thing on a tram
reading archie & mehitabel through watering eyes, to the consternation of
indignant fellow passengers. Pure Koestler frame tectonics plus
neurochemistry.
Damien Broderick
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