Sometimes we are in situations where we think: How can people find this funny? Am I just too stupid or too smart to not understand? Or why is no one laughing at my joke? It was funny. That has multiple reasons, so let me try to explain humour to you.

“I hate Russian dolls. They are so full of themselves. You know it’s funny because…” “Stop! A joke is not funny anymore when you have to explain it.” “Exactly.” 

So many still search for an explanation for humour. Laughter most likely started as an evolutionary superiority because it helped with building stronger bonds and recognizing in what mood others were (if they were joking or being serious). Even though laughing probably sounded more like grunting back then, it was one of the signals for being safe. It gave permission to relax and to stop being in a state of alertness. Those who could not detect the unserious in situations and were always serious did not build as many strong relationships. Our funny ancestors did, and they passed down the genes, and their children did too. Nowadays, having a sense of humour is still a desirable trait in friends and partners, since the initial purpose is still the same: Humour builds relationships. 

“What do you call a fat person? He eats, eats, and eats, but forgets to shit.” “Don’t you think that’s a bit offensive?” “It’s a Turkish joke.” “Then it’s probably true what they say: Humour doesn’t travel.”

As we humans evolved, so did our humour. Over the course of history, different things were considered funny depending on the culture and time, and now we have many styles of humour that are specific to a place on earth. In today’s age, there are jokes that are hilarious in one corner of the world, but in another, they are not even remotely funny. One of the main reasons for that is the perception of humour. Western cultures, like those in America or Europe, view humour as something positive and a desirable trait. Everyone is able to joke with most of the people. Humour is welcome in the workspace and other more serious environments. In the East, specifically China, humour is something you can only do with specific people and about particular topics. Politics is inappropriate, finances are too serious, and family and relationships are too personal. That leaves only a handful of topics to make fun of. Unlike Western culture, jokes cannot be cracked with everyone. To joke with someone like a boss or teacher would be considered disrespectful. Apart from the conditions for joking, the style is also very different. The cold Chinese humour makes you question if it is a joke or reality. For example, this joke: “There was a hide and seek club at my high school. The president still hasn’t been found.”

“Why does an orphanage have 363 days?” “Tell me.” “Because they have no Father’s or Mother’s Day.” “I don’t like your sense of humour.”

The same language and the same culture do not guarantee that you will find others within those groups funny. Often funny moments happen spontaneously, but there are also planned jokes, like in stand-up comedy. Whether it is planned or spontaneous, humour can be divided into four different types.

• Affiliative humour tries to bring people together with jokes about everyday life. It mostly creates a nice atmosphere since the majority can relate to the jokes and no one is attacked.
• Aggressive humour targets a specific group of people or one person and makes fun of them. Racist jokes and sarcasm fall under this type of humour. People who use aggressive humour have their focus on the entertainment of the listeners and not on the consequences of their jokes. Bullies often use this kind of humour to diminish their targets.
• Self-enhancing humour is when someone makes fun of himself or herself in a positive way, and they become the object of the jokes. The phrase could be like, “I’m probably too stupid to understand.” It is a way of coping with stress.
• Self-defeating humour is when people make fun of themselves in a more aggressive way. They would say something like: “I’m ugly.” Psychology Today says, “Psychologically, this can be an unhealthy form of humour and is sometimes used by targets of bullies to try to avoid attacks—making oneself the butt of jokes before others put you down.”

“Do you understand it now?” “I´m not sure. I think I still won’t understand a lot of  jokes.” “I think that’s the point: accepting that you won’t understand every joke and that everyone has a different taste in humour.”

Everything and everyone can be funny, but not everyone will necessarily laugh. We tend to laugh at things that are actually funny to us, and it makes us feel closer to the person who told the joke. Humour is different around the world, and the environment for making fun of some things and the people you can joke with varies depending on where you are in the world. Even if the culture and language align, there are still different types of humour that people use. Humour cannot be explained sometimes. Either we find it funny or we do not. When we find a group of people with the same humour, laughing together is one of the best ways to spend your time.

Fiona Schaumann 

Sources:
Humour – Wikipedia
The 4 Styles of Humor | Psychology Today
The Evolution of Humor: From Grunts to Poop Jokes | Psychology Today
Humor in China – Homestay (cambridgenetwork.com)
Laughing at Different Jokes: Humor Across Cultures | Psychology Today