I love humor. It is a uniquely human trait. No other animal does it. It's a gift and it, along with the emotional properties of music and the joy of ice cream, is the only evidence I've ever seen that there is a god.

But humor takes a lot of forms. My favorite is the clever or surprising juxtaposition of ideas. Some surprising connection that the humorist made that we can't help but laugh at.

Some things are funny because they're weird or run counter to our own logic or social habits. This is why a dog chasing it's tail is funny or why The Far Side is still syndicated.

I tend to loathe humor based in the defensive reinforcement of ignorance.

But all this humor is dependent on you. Humor is not an intrinsic property. We project ourselves, our biases, experiences and ideas, onto the joke. This is the very basis of catharsis and it's why sit coms about dysfunctional families or hicks spouting racist ideas are funny for some. It's why all my leftist slacker friends can't get enough of the Daily Show. It speaks to their own assumptions about something and seeing someone charismatic or clever reinforcing those ideas is a cathartic release for the audience (for better or worse).

I dislike ignorant humor but I will defend it's right to exist to the death. People have the right to be stupid and you have the right to change the channel. So do I.

Long live humor and may everyone find something that they truly find funny.

Cyran0