A History and Philosophy of Jokes

William Grimes in the New York Times Book Review:

In “Stop Me if You’ve Heard This,” his wispy inquiry into the history and philosophy of jokes, Jim Holt offers up a choice one from ancient times. Talkative barber to customer: “How shall I cut your hair?” Customer: “In silence.”

Bada-bing.

This knee-slapper comes from “Philogelos,” or “Laughter-Lover,” a Greek joke book, probably compiled in the fourth or fifth century A.D. Its 264 entries amount to an index of classical humor, with can’t-miss material on such figures of fun as the miser, the drunk, the sex-starved woman and the man with bad breath.

Let us not forget the “skolastikos,” or egghead: “An egghead was on a sea voyage when a big storm blew up, causing his slaves to weep in terror. ‘Don’t cry,’ he consoled them, ‘I have freed you all in my will.’”

Bada-boom.

Holt, a frequent contributor to The New Yorker and a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, combs through a number of obscure texts, ancient and modern, in his fast-moving, idiosyncratic survey of humor and its vagaries through the ages.

More here.

Comments

[Felix E F Larocca MD]

Freud (1905) Did more than use the jokes as an end, on and by themselves, but as a means of understanding the unconscious mind of the participants, in this hilarious activity (at times), achieving the opposite effect.

He studied their mechanisms, the pleasure they produced and their comparison with dreams.

Not the simplistic overview offered by the book reviewer.

[Pete Chapman]

Hey!... I like the one about the skeleton.

[aguy109]

...and this one, translated from the hieroglyphics of an ancient Egyptian papyrus scroll:
A lady of rank had an exquisite pair of sandles made and then showed them to her daughter.
- When I pass to the Other World, I want you to be sure to put these on my feet, so that I may be properly shod in my journey to the Next Life."
- Oh but Mum, these shoes are just soooooooo Last Dynasty! I wouldn't be seen dead in them, and neither should you!"
- Oh well, maybe you're right, I'll wear them now instead. And who knows, my dearest, maybe by the time you die they'll be back in fashion!"

Bada-bam.

[Donald Lebeau]

At Anne Frank's house, Amsterdam 1944

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Ve Vil ask the qvestions...