What’s So Funny? Well, Maybe Nothing

From The New York Times:

So there are these two muffins baking in an oven. One of them yells, “Wow, it’s hot in here!” And the other muffin replies: “Holy cow! A talking muffin!” Did that alleged joke make you laugh? I would guess (and hope) not. But under different circumstances, you would be chuckling softly, maybe giggling, possibly guffawing. I know that’s hard to believe, but trust me. The results are just in on a laboratory test of the muffin joke.

Laughter, a topic that stymied philosophers for 2,000 years, is finally yielding to science. Researchers have scanned brains and tickled babies, chimpanzees and rats. They’ve discovered something that eluded Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Kant, Schopenhauer, Freud and the many theorists who have tried to explain laughter based on the mistaken premise that they’re explaining humor.

Occasionally we’re surprised into laughing at something funny, but most laughter has little to do with humor. It’s an instinctual survival tool for social animals, not an intellectual response to wit. It’s not about getting the joke. It’s about getting along.

More here.

Comments

[Yiri]

Aha, so that's why I have trouble fitting in. I'm the type of guy that doesn't laugh when something isn't funny, and that doesn't applaud when something isn't good. I guess I should be singing Denis Leary's asshole-song, now shouldn't I?

[beajerry]

I guess this explains why people laugh at all my jokes. THANKS A LOT!

[Jesse M.]

Hmph, the article makes a big deal out of how the muffin joke was "lame", but I actually thought it was pretty funny, better than most "jokes" people tell.

[Thirtythrees]

I am running a sociological project where I collect people "telling" jokes on video. My team and I have been actively gathering the ephemeral jokes that people share with each other.

I'd love for many people to tell that muffin joke, because I really think it's the way you tell that joke that makes it humorous. Go to http://stopmeifyouheardthis.com and tell the joke to the world or rate others jokes. Or tell any joke that you think is funny. Go ahead, I know you have been dying to tell it!

[aguy109]

Two maggots are eating their way into Anna Nichole Smith's body. One says: "Imagine how many people wanted to be where we are now!" The other maggot replies: "Yeah, but how much more silicone do we have to tunnel through to reach the meat?"

[Jesse M.]

I was glad to see that Sean Carroll at Cosmic Variance agrees the muffin joke is funny!