humor

[sfboi415]

Why is it difficult for some young adults to

really use their natural sense of humor to great effect,

when talking to a someone or a group?

Some people are smart enough to stay away from spouting

corny or dull or even offensive jokes, but at the same time

they couldn't think of a witty observation or a funny story

at the same time. Wisecracks are lost on them.

 

What usually causes this? A person's upbringing? Environment?

Something internally with the personality? I'm asking because I

truthfully consider myself to be "borderline". On some occasions I

might say things that would have a girl shrieking with laughter, or a

group of people chuckling..but that's starting to get rare.

 

Making people laugh isn't everything, though. However, it's a great start for friendly communication.

[EnolWolf]

I understand what your saying. I really don't know what causes it. My only guess is that some people don't consider themselves funny.

 

At one point I did, until I found out what type sense of humor I have. Establishing your sense of humor is like ammo. You can keep firing off jokes back to back.

[Mun]

I think part of being able to carry off witty remarks and joke around is being comfortable with yourself. In a sense not really caring what others will think.

 

I have an example: my sister is very funny. She went to see her therapist and he told her that she might have ADD because she had a short attention span.. she asks her therapist " what?" this went on for awhile and she had him cracking up at her.

 

She is very comfortable with who she is and I think it contributes to her humor.

[Gunther]

humor is a product of envirnment and heredity.....but mostly envirnment. the way a person reacts to things is initialy based on chance really. It is when a person fails to reflect on other peoples reactions to what they say, that things such as humor fail them. In other words, if a person sais something in very bad taste, and then fails to realize why [\i] it was not funny, the chance that he\she will say something similar to that again is very great. just a little analyzation is the key. If something isn't funny, think of ways to make it funny, or at very least, realize why it wasn't funny.

[gersanos]

I think much of it has to be with being comfortable with yourself. People are attracted to it - it is being comfortable with yourself and being confident. I have a tendency to make a joke out of everything, but not in a negative way: be it sarcasm, or wit, or just somehting totally random in light of the situation. I think it boils down to being comfortable in your own skin wherever you are. When I was younger I wasn't like this - I was more apprehensive, little shy and social anxiety. I wasn't really comfortable with me, and I was self conscious and worried what people thought of me.

 

Now sarcasm can be a bit of a problem with me. I know that I do have a tendency to offend people quite a bit at times, but I don't mean to. Some people have gotten defensive and told me its repressed anger or some other psychobabble. I find it to be more of my personality, and the ones that find it offensive were just more sensitive of people than me. I've noticed with a couple of girls in the past that once we got serious my sarcasm would bother them quite a bit, even though it didn't in the beginning. I didn't mean to hurt them with it, but that's more of my personality I think and you can't really change that about a person. It wasn't an attack against them, it was me feeling very comfortable around them and just my personality. It may have been that they were just more sensitive of people, and once we got serious we just didn't click in the long haul.

[RayKay]

As others have suggested, it has a lot to do with being comfortable with yourself, accepting yourself, and also a lot has to do with life experience. I have always had a sense of humour, but life experience (and experiences), maturity have developed it a lot more. I am very comfortable with whom I am, and have found that having a sense of humour, is the best way to enjoy life's crazy turns.

 

People have different ideas of humour though, and mine is about laughing at oneself, about lightening the mood, about using wit and sarcasm (but never to degrade anyone else). And for me to really use my biting sarcasm and wit, I wait until I know the person and have felt out their comfort zone and their own sense of humour. Some people you are able to give and take with, others would just be offended and not be able to "play" with it.

 

Personally, I find myself pretty darn hilarious

[DBL]

I would just say be yourself. I used to be a pretty funny guy. Growing up most my friends thought I should do stand up. Although everyone thought I was funny...my parents and the rest of my family never found anything I said or did funny.

 

I think it all depends on the people, but also depends on the environment, the situation and timing and like everyone else says you have to feel comfortable. If your being funny but aren't sure it is going to be funny...most likely it will not be funny.

 

For instance. I had to take my father to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Here are a bunch of people just miserable sitting around. There was like 50 people in there. I talked to a couple of people in there, but as I was leaving a girl asked my father a question and I commented with some sarcasism and the whole place laughed.

 

DBL