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Step 4 of 7~8 min read~29 min left
Anatomy of a Joke
Dissect several real jokes through the lens of the three theories and benign violation.
“Benign violation theory: humor occurs when and only when (1) a situation is a violation, something threatens how things ought to be; (2) the situation is benign, it also seems okay, safe, not too serious; (3) both perceptions occur simultaneously. [...] Incongruity resolution: the setup creates a context that leads to an expectation; the punchline provides a punchline incongruent with the expectation; 'getting the joke' is the resolution of the incongruity; this resolution itself is pleasurable. [...] Superiority theory: laughter as sudden glory, a flash of self-congratulatory feeling at another's expense. [...] Relief theory: laughter as release of pent-up nervous energy around taboo or anxiety-inducing topics. — McGraw and Warren, Benign Violation Theory (2010); IEP 'Humor'; IU Blogs 'What Makes a Joke Funny?' (2023); Bucknell 'Superiority in Humor Theory'”