[ExI] humor

[spike]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org 
> [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of 
> Harvey Newstrom
> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 6:46 PM
> To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> Subject: Re: [ExI] jewish humor, was the anti-Jews
> 
> On Sunday 17 May 2009 3:11:09 pm spike wrote:
> > A New Yorker is crossing a bridge and sees another man 
> about to jump, 
> > asks why, the jumper says "It is so unfair.  I designed 
> this beautiful 
> > bridge you are standing on, but do the people point at me and say 
> > 'There goes Jacob, the famous bridgebuilder'?  NO!  And I 
> helped draw 
> > up the blueprints of half the skyscrapers you see there, but do the 
> > people say 'There goes Jacob, the great architect'?  NO!  But I get 
> > caught with just ONE LITTLE COCK in my mouth, and they all 
> point and say..."
> >
> > Made ya laugh, didn't it?  Why?
> 
> At the risk of being accused of being humor impaired, I have 
> to say that I can't imagine laughing at a gay guy about to 
> commit suicide because he had been outed.
> ...
> --
> Harvey Newstrom <www.HarveyNewstrom.com>

Harvey, the joke actually ridicules society, shames society's values.  He
built bridges, designed buildings!  But let him use an alternate orifice for
sensual pleasure and now he's derided, all of his accomplishments forgotten.
The gay jumper is the sympathetic character.  It really is unfair.  I
picture myself in that situation; even tho I am not particularly competent
with human emotions, I think I could talk the guy down.

A common thread in Jewish humor, according to Asimov, is a sense of tragedy
along with the comedy.

spike