Hahah well that is undoubetly tue, but also money comes into. TV people make their choices on what garners more viewers hence what programs advertisers are willing to pay more show their wares in. On Wednesday, 28 November 2012 09:38:32 UTC, Allan Heretic wrote: > > Playing to the lowest common denominator is probably the greatest > reason of you can give..It shows the mental ability of the those who > plan what the public views > Allan > > > On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 10:28 AM, Lee Douglas > <[email protected]<javascript:>> > wrote: > > Perhap it is just TV playing to the lowest common demominator? > > > > > > On Tuesday, 27 November 2012 02:45:36 UTC, archytas wrote: > >> > >> Not seen Chris or Charles Don. Hicks, a few derivative references > >> apart, could have been a Brit. Our cultures are probably less far > >> apart than such matters as the absence of footpaths in the States. > >> Our serious comedy is mostly political satire from Yes Minister to The > >> Thick of It. What I was wondering was whether any one else feels more > >> general film and literature has gone Tragic and plots and characters > >> less and less comedic in the old Greek sense. Our old sitcoms like > >> Dads' Army, Steptoe and Son and plenty of others had a great element > >> of 'daft people like me and you caught in a plight and muddling > >> through'. Bilko and Top Cat had this too. A fairly recent French > >> fil,m Mario et Jeanette had this. > >> > >> On 27 Nov, 00:40, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > On Sat, Nov 24, 2012 at 6:15 PM, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > At other levels I think we should be ridiculing such matters as the > >> > > absence of disabled people in politically correct newsrooms and > such. > >> > > >> > What about Chris Mathews? budda bump bump > >> > > >> > Charles Krauthammer, in contrast, is a paraplegic but ok from the > neck > >> > up. > >> > Most people don't even know about his disability because it's not > >> > relavent. > >> > We like his commentary. > >> > > >> > dj > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > On Saturday, November 24, 2012 6:15:40 PM UTC-6, archytas wrote: > >> > > >> > > The Brits do more nob gags and used to pack theatres to see a guy > play > >> > > the trombone with ass-gas- needless to say a Frenchman. Audience > >> > > milking is central to some humour - this tends to put me off, but > some > >> > > are so good at it I don't notice until afterwards. US comedy films > >> > > are usually dross, but your stand-ups usually great. My recent > >> > > favourite is 'The Pope's Toilet' from Uruguay. The hero rides a > bike > >> > > everywhere and his wife describes him as lacking pump for a bicycle > >> > > man. Why do the French smell? So even the blind can hate them. > Why > >> > > would you find an Irishman in the Alps? Where else would you find > a > >> > > downhill lake. Irish jokes are Belgian, Polish and Swedish etc. > >> > > >> > > At other levels I think we should be ridiculing such matters as the > >> > > absence of disabled people in politically correct newsrooms and > such. > >> > > >> > > On 24 Nov, 21:46, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > > Over here, social workers have taken kids off foster parents > because > >> > > > of their membership of UKIP - a party that shares the desire of > 65% > >> > > > of > >> > > > the population to leave the EU and restrict immigration. You > have > >> > > > to > >> > > > laugh - or cry! > >> > > >> > > > On 24 Nov, 21:38, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > >> > > > > Morecambe and Wise with Mum and Dad at Xmas perhaps. Laurel > and > >> > > > > Hardy. Many other popular comedians are more likely to make me > >> > > > > weep. > >> > > > > I never liked Chaplin (actually thinking Hitler more of a > comedian > >> > > > > than 'The Dictator') and we had Cannon and Ball here who hit a > >> > > > > nerve I > >> > > > > don't like. I can laugh with some of the ostensibly more > >> > > > > vicious > >> > > > > types like Bill Hicks and Frankie Boyle. Police and army > culture > >> > > > > reveres tough, sadistic humour with self-depreciation thrown > in. > >> > > >> > > > > I'm against speech crime but it's also clear not everything > goes. > >> > > > > I > >> > > > > don't agree with the Greek split - it's from Stanford EP - > >> > > > > suspecting > >> > > > > humour is closely linked with breakthrough thinking (though not > >> > > > > the > >> > > > > same) and unseating the biological trance of hierarchy (The > Name > >> > > > > of > >> > > > > the Rose). > >> > > >> > > > > The SEP article concludes: > >> > > >> > > > > Along with the idealism of tragedy goes elitism. The people who > >> > > > > matter > >> > > > > in tragedy are kings, queens, and generals. In comedy there are > >> > > > > more > >> > > > > characters and more kinds of characters, women are more > prominent, > >> > > > > and > >> > > > > many protagonists come from lower classes. Everybody counts for > >> > > > > one. > >> > > > > That shows in the language of comedy, which, unlike the > elevated > >> > > > > language of tragedy, is common speech. The basic unit in > tragedy > >> > > > > is > >> > > > > the individual, in comedy it is the family, group of friends, > or > >> > > > > bunch > >> > > > > of co-workers. > >> > > >> > > > > While tragic heroes are emotionally engaged with their > problems, > >> > > > > comic > >> > > > > protagonists show emotional disengagement. They think, rather > than > >> > > > > feel, their way through difficulties. By presenting such > >> > > > > characters as > >> > > > > role models, comedy has implicitly valorized the benefits of > humor > >> > > > > that are now being empirically verified, such as that it is > >> > > > > psychologically and physically healthy, it fosters mental > >> > > > > flexibility, > >> > > > > and it serves as a social lubricant. With a few exceptions like > >> > > > > Aquinas, philosophers have ignored these benefits. > >> > > >> > > > > If philosophers wanted to undo the traditional prejudices > against > >> > > > > humor, they might consider the affinities between one > contemporary > >> > > > > genre of comedy—standup comedy—and philosophy itself. There are > at > >> > > > > least seven. First, standup comedy and philosophy are > >> > > > > conversational: > >> > > > > like the dialogue format that started with Plato, standup > routines > >> > > > > are > >> > > > > interactive. Second, both reflect on familiar experiences, > >> > > > > especially > >> > > > > puzzling ones. We wake from a vivid dream, for example, not > sure > >> > > > > what > >> > > > > has happened and what is happening. Third, like philosophers, > >> > > > > standup > >> > > > > comics often approach puzzling experiences with questions. “If > I > >> > > > > thought that dream was real, how do I know that I'm not > dreaming > >> > > > > right > >> > > > > now?” The most basic starting point in both philosophy and > standup > >> > > > > comedy is “X—what's up with that?” Fourth, as they think about > >> > > > > familiar experiences, both philosophers and comics step back > >> > > > > emotionally from them. Henri Bergson (1911 [1900]) spoke of the > >> > > > > “momentary anaesthesia of the heart” in laughter. Emotional > >> > > > > disengagement long ago became a meaning of > >> > > > > “philosophical”—“rational, > >> > > > > sensibly composed, calm, as in a difficult situation.” Fifth, > >> > > > > philosophers and standup comics think critically. They ask > whether > >> > > > > familiar ideas make sense, and they refuse to defer to > authority > >> > > > > and > >> > > > > tradition. It was for his critical thinking that Socrates was > >> > > > > executed. So were cabaret comics in Germany who mocked the > Third > >> > > > > Reich. Sixth, in thinking critically, philosophers and standup > >> > > > > comics > >> > > > > pay careful attention to language. Attacking sloppy and > illogical > >> > > > > uses > >> > > > > of words is standard in both, and so is finding exactly the > right > >> > > > > words to express an idea. Seventh, the pleasure of standup > comedy > >> > > > > is > >> > > > > often like the pleasure of doing philosophy. In both we relish > new > >> > > > > ways of looking at things and delight in surprising thoughts. > >> > > > > William > >> > > > > James (1979 [1911], 11) said that philosophy “sees the familiar > as > >> > > > > if > >> > > > > it were strange, and the strange as if it were familiar.” The > same > >> > > > > is > >> > > > > true of standup comedy. Simon Critchley has written that both > ask > >> > > > > us > >> > > > > to “look at things as if you had just landed from another > >> > > > > planet” (2002, 1). > >> > > >> > > > > One recent philosopher attuned to the affinity between comedy > and > >> > > > > philosophy was Bertrand Russell. “The point of philosophy,” he > >> > > > > said, > >> > > > > “is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth > >> > > > > stating, > >> > > > > and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will > believe > >> > > > > it” (1918, 53). In the middle of an argument, he once observed, > >> > > > > “This > >> > > > > seems plainly absurd: but whoever wishes to become a > philosopher > >> > > > > must > >> > > > > learn not to be frightened by absurdities” (2008 [1912], 17). > >> > > >> > > > > I laughed a lot more reading Lyotard's 'Libidinal Economy' - > >> > > > > rather as > >> > > > > I might chuckle along with a Tom Sharpe farce. I'm not sure > what > >> > > > > makes me laugh until it does. The ideologies through which > people > >> > > > > live lives often does, but this is without joy. > >> > > >> > > > > On 24 Nov, 19:40, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > >> > > > > > I have seen it used recently as an ineffective cover for a > badly > >> > > > > > positioned provocative argument. "I was only kidding, she > >> > > > > > doesn't > >> > > > > > understand my humor..." not hard to see through and not > >> > > > > > inspiring > >> > > > > > confidence. The dance of the fool. > >> > > >> > > > > > Kind humor, irony, absurd, surprise are more my style than > >> > > > > > sarcasm > >> > > or > >> > > > > > more aggressive humor that derides or shames. > >> > > >> > > > > > There is no denying the biochemical rush that comes with > >> > > > > > laughing > >> > > > > > oneself to tears, and the joy that comes with sharing such a > >> > > > > > moment. > >> > > >> > > > > > On Nov 24, 1:51 pm, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > >> > > > > > > While there is only speculation about how humor developed > in > >> > > > > > > early > >> > > > > > > humans, we know that by the 6th century BCE the Greeks had > >> > > > > > > institutionalized it in the ritual known as comedy, and > that > >> > > > > > > it > >> > > was > >> > > > > > > performed with a contrasting dramatic form known as > tragedy. > >> > > > > > > Both > >> > > were > >> > > > > > > based on the violation of mental patterns and expectations, > >> > > > > > > and in > >> > > > > > > both the world is a tangle of conflicting systems where > humans > >> > > live in > >> > > > > > > the shadow of failure, folly, and death. Like tragedy, > comedy > >> > > > > > > represents life as full of tension, danger, and struggle, > with > >> > > success > >> > > > > > > or failure often depending on chance factors. Where they > >> > > > > > > differ is > >> > > in > >> > > > > > > the responses of the lead characters to life's > incongruities. > >> > > > > > > Identifying with these characters, audiences at comedies > and > >> > > tragedies > >> > > > > > > have contrasting responses to events in the dramas. And > >> > > > > > > because > >> > > these > >> > > > > > > responses carry over to similar situations in life, comedy > and > >> > > tragedy > >> > > > > > > embody contrasting responses to the incongruities in life. > >> > > >> > > > > > > Tragedy valorizes serious, emotional engagement with life's > >> > > problems, > >> > > > > > > even struggle to the death. Along with epic, it is part of > the > >> > > Western > >> > > > > > > heroic tradition that extols ideals, the willingness to > fight > >> > > > > > > for > >> > > > > > > them, and honor. The tragic ethos is linked to patriarchy > and > >> > > > > > > militarism—many of its heroes are kings and conquerors—and > it > >> > > > > > > valorizes what Conrad Hyers (1996) calls Warrior > Virtues—blind > >> > > > > > > obedience, the willingness to kill or die on command, > >> > > unquestioning > >> > > > > > > loyalty, single-mindedness, resoluteness of purpose, and > >> > > > > > > pride. > >> > > >> > > > > > > Comedy, by contrast, embodies an anti-heroic, pragmatic > >> > > > > > > attitude > >> > > > > > > toward life's incongruities. From Aristophanes' Lysistrata > to > >> > > Charlie > >> > > > > > > Chaplin's The Great Dictator to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit > >> > > > > > > 9/11, > >> > > > > > > comedy has mocked the irrationality of militarism and blind > >> > > respect > >> > > > > > > for authority. Its own methods of handling > >> > > >> > ... > >> > > >> > read more » > > > > -- > > > > > > > > > > -- > ( > ) > |_D Allan > > Life is for moral, ethical and truthful living. > > > I am a Natural Airgunner - > > Full of Hot Air & Ready To Expel It Quickly. >
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