Humor and "Grave Subjects"

#1
T

therealUT

Rational Thought Allowed?
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#1
If you cannot laugh at the natural perversity of the world, then what can you laugh at? Humor and wit ought to be praised and revered; it is humor and wit that make our miserable lives bearable. The continued push for solemnity and soberness is simply absurd.

How comes it to pass then, that we appear such Cowards in reasoning and are so afraid to stand the Test of Ridicule? -- O! say we, the Subjects are too grave. -- Perhaps so: but let us see first whether they are really grave or no: for in the manner we may conceive 'em, they may peradventure be very grave and weighty in our Imagination: but very ridiculous and impertinent in their own nature. Gravity is of the very Essence of Imposture. It does not only make us mistake other things, but is apt perpetually almost to mistake it-self. For even in common Behaviour, how hard is it for the grave Character to keep long out of the limits of the formal one? We can never be too grave, if we can be assur'd we are really what we suppose. And we can never too much honour or revere any thing for grave; if we are assur'd the Thing is grave, as we apprehend it. The main Point is to know always true Gravity from the false: and this can only be, by carrying the Rule constantly with us, and freely applying it not only to the Things about us, but to our-selves. For if we unhappily lose the Measure in our-selves, we shall soon lose it in every thing besides...They know very well, that as Modes and Fashions, so Opinions, tho ever so ridiculous, are kept up by Solemnity: and that those formal Notions which grew up probably in an ill Mood, and have been conceiv'd in sober Sadness, are never to be remov'd but in a sober kind of Chearfulness, and by a more easy and pleasant way of Thought. There is a Melancholy which accompanys all Enthusiasm...nothing can put a stop to the growing mischief of either, till the Melancholy be remov'd, and the Mind at liberty to hear what can be said against the Ridiculousness of an Extreme in either way.

Anthony, Third Earl of Shaftsbury, 1708
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#8
#8
Yeah, I was just thinking that Shaftsbury has a lot of potential using today's euphemisms. My humor isn't that cerebral.
 
#9
#9
95 Vol Alum said:
Yeah, I was just thinking that Shaftsbury has a lot of potential using today's euphemisms. My humor isn't that cerebral.
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Probably had as much in the 18th century. A lot of very crude and very witty humor in plenty of the writings from that epoch. And, Shaftesbury spent a lot of time defending the use of humor and wit.
 
#11
#11
This seems like the appropriate thread to put this...

Court: 93-Year-Old Kills Wife Of 70 Years Because ‘He Couldn’t Take It Anymore’ « CBS St. Louis

A paramedic told police Harry Irwin was unresponsive in a chair, with blood on his shirt and arms. The paramedic says Irwin regained consciousness and said he had killed his wife and himself, then asked, “Why am I awake?”

According to The Kansas City Star, court records state that Harry Irwin – who was married for 70 years to Grace Irwin – told a shift nurse at the hospital that he killed his wife because “she was arguing and screaming at him all night and he couldn’t take it anymore.”
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#13
#13
While I'm at it, I'll stick this here as well. It's more humor than "grave", though. :crazy:

2 men arrested for stealing chicken wings worth $60K | www.ajc.com

Two men were arrested last week and accused of stealing frozen chicken wings — worth $65,000 — from a local cold storage business where they worked in Doraville.
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image001.jpg
 
#17
#17
GAVol said:
There's a lot of accidental humor in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg.
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I die laughing every time I drive through.

Last time it was the burnt-out 'ial' on the The Colonial Motel sign.

Same sign was advertising their in-room jacuzzis.
 
#18
#18
golfballs said:
I die laughing every time I drive through.

Last time it was the burnt-out 'ial' on the The Colonial Motel sign.

Same sign was advertising their in-room jacuzzis.
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Texas Roadhouse here had the "use" burned out for a few weeks. Texas Roadho. Got a chuckle out of me.

Anyways...

"Don't drink the Kool-Aid" is hilarious and it comes from the Jonestown massacre. Not many people know that.
 
#19
#19
The Inn at Christmas Place is messed up. 365 day a year hotel devoted to Christmas.

My brother, some friends, and I were looking for a room a couple years back when the river through Elkmont was flooding. This was in August. They had a Santa Claus at the piano singing Christmas songs. Employees were wearing elf clothes or stuff like that. Place was full so I didn't get to see what the rooms look like.

I can see a mass murder taking place there. 365 days of singing santa and Christmas music. :eek:hmy:
 
#20
#20
While the Space Shuttle "Challenger" was being remembered yesterday, a part of me remembered some of the Christa McAulliffe jokes that were being told just a few days after the tragedy.
 
#22
#22
therealUT said:
Were they funny?
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yep

for example:

What were Christa McCaulliffe's last words to her husband?

"You go ahead and shower now, dear, I'll wash up on the beach later."

and

What color were CM's eyes?

Blue (blew), as in "one blew over there and the other blew over there"


perhaps not funny now, but they were kind of funny 27 years ago when I was 17
 
#23
#23
MG1968 said:
yep

for example:

What were Christa McCaulliffe's last words to her husband?

"You go ahead and shower now, dear, I'll wash up on the beach later."

and

What color were CM's eyes?

Blue (blew), as in "one blew over there and the other blew over there"


perhaps not funny now, but they were kind of funny 27 years ago when I was 17
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I laughed.
 
#24
#24
I can't believe that the righteous army of holier than thou has not invaded this thread wringing hands and muttering prayers for the souls of those who have posted.
 
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