Humor & Joyful Laughter

01 Dec 2001

RL wrote:
> At the root of laughter is irony, and irony is sensed intuitively.

Whoa! I ain't ready to go here as a blanket statement. I'll acknowledge it as a very partial truth in my experience, but the spontaneous laughter of joy is much too precious to ignore.

Troya

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Good point Troya!

By virtue of your persuasive argument, I have changed my mind!

Or am I just clarifying my understanding? . . .are you listening Joseph? :-)

Of course this new intriguing example begs the question: Does mirth and joyful laughter sprout from the same fountain of renewal?

Are they both related to K15?

Is there irony in joyful laughter?

Irony: 2) "a combination of circumstances or a result that is the opposite of what is or might be expected or considered appropriate"

Unexpectedly, you glimpse the face of the beloved behind the mask, you laugh/cry with joy.

The ultimate irony, you find the beloved where you least expect it.

The prodigal son returns unexpectedly.

It is the sudden unexpected yet happy discovery which fills and overflows our cup and so we laugh and cry with joy.

Your persuasive argument has prompted me to clarify my understanding and thus make a new discovery . . .a key element of joy is it "unexpected" nature.  I am filled with joy and laugh to myself at this new unexpected discovery.

You have helped me discover something new!

Thank you VERY much!

RL (easily entertained)

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I think your idea about irony remains valid but it got expanded to include the laughter of joy. Funny how the wordless, spasmodic, muscular, expressions of laughter and crying express our deep emotions. I think they are like safety valves in releasing tension, as both do--very efficiently. "Go have a good cry, you'll feel better." This is a wonderful aspect of pfc--increasing our insights. Joseph

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12 Dec 2001

Hello List,

After starting to study on Key 15 the other day Paul F. Case made reference to seven basic types of jokes (at least I thought it was seven, I haven't my notes to check up on). Could anyone provide more information on what these are? I have that attitude of mind which can't seem to rest until I've checked up things like this (not specifically the reference to jokes, mind), and the books he quotes from. I suppose it's like having all the facts at hand.

Thanks in advance,

 Al

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Al,
I'll take a shot at this one:

Mirth, attributable to K15 has to do with irony and unexpectedness, being surprised by something you did not expect.  On a previous discussion of the quippiloth (sp?) it was said that any good thing taken to excess can become an evil or vice.

If you choose 7 as your primary division of reality, you come up with the seven planets and their attributions: 

K1:  Mercury         Covetousness (Avarice)  Liberality (Generosity)
K2:  Moon            Envy                    Kindness
K3:  Venus           Lust                    Chastity
K19: Sun             Pride (Vanity)          Humility
K10: Jupiter         Gluttony                Abstinence
K16: Mars            Anger                   Patience
K21: Saturn          Sloth                   Diligence

Note:  These seven planets, also correspond the the seven interior chakra centers in the human body.

Now, if you look at the so-called vices (and their contrary virtues), you can see them as the primary sources of humor:

Some off the cuff examples:

Avarice:    
    Scrooge McDuck

Avarice Vs. Generosity:    
    A miserly/greedy man and his spendthrift wife (or vice-versa)
    The sitcom "Married with Children"

Generosity:
    The overly generous person who's "good-deeds" backfire.

Lust Vs. Chastity:  
    Most so called "dirty" jokes.  
    One who appears chaste, but is not.  
    One who appears "easy", but who is in fact chaste.
    A couple, where the Wife wants sex all the time, and it's the husband who tries to avoid it.

Lust:
    Someone appearing to live a  life of easy dissipation. 
    Mae West, Betty Boop, rock stars, Cheech & Chong, etc...
    Someone with an excess of zeal for some particular activity or thing to the point of obsession, with humorous results. (although substance addiction may fall under the "gluttony" category).

Pride: 
    The pompous ass in the Emperor's New Clothes.
    The powerful who are made to look silly by their own pride and stupidity.

Pride Vs. Humility:
    The humble mouse who defeats the prideful cat.  (ie. Tom & Jerry)
    The selfish prideful villain Vs. the Loyal (selfless) Hero.

Humility:
    The overly humble person who acts like a door-mat or self-flagellates inappropriately.

Envy Vs. Kindness:  
    The comic villain who always fails to get the hero due to the hero's "halo" or "Teflon" effect.  
    Coyote vs. Road-Runner
    Tonya Harding Vs. Nancy Kerrigan.

Kindness:
    The overly kind person who tempts others to take advantage of them, to comic effect.

Anger: 
    Punch and Judy, Ralph Cramden, Donald Duck.
    Sylvester the Cat, who carefully tries to avoid the dog, but manages to anger him anyway.

Patience:
    The person who is SO patient, that they cause others to become infuriated.

Gluttony Vs. Abstinence:  
    Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean . . .
    Most "fat" jokes.
    Those who over-imbibe (alcoholism).

Abstinence:
    The person who is so picky or extreme on what they will eat or allow, that they neglect their own basic needs, with comic results.

Sloth Vs. Diligence:  
    Homer Simpson Vs. Marge Simpson
    The fable of the Cricket and the Ant.
    The Goofy character (mental sloth)

Sloth:
    The lazy person who triumphs over those more intelligent or industrious.
    The village idiot who stumbles onto one amazing success after another.
    Forrest Gump

Diligence:
    The person who plans everything out, covers every exigency, and yet still fails.
    Murphy's Law.

RL

Two nuns walk into a bar.....

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