Aug 8, 2008

Why Isn't THAT Funny?

I was sitting in a staff meeting at work and one of my colleagues announced the new corporate IT policy that your laptop computer would follow you where ever you go. It used to be that if you changed departments you had to leave you computer with the other department and got a new computer in the next department. Now the computer transfers with you.

But when he said, "Your computer follows you wherever you go, I pictured this little computer floating along just behined my shoulder. At first it's convenint, but then it gets on my nerves because it's always there. So, I laughed and said, "It sounds like some kind of corporate drug trip." No one laughed.

But later when another guy was talking about something mundaine having to do with the family cat, everyone burst out laughing. What is it with humor and neurotypicals. They get a bigger charge out of laughing at each others mundain stuff, but can't laugh at the odd or nonsequeter.

I still don't understand neurotypicals. They don't get edgy funny stuff.

Adam

5 comments:

  1. Why would you say your "joke" was "edgy"? I just don't think it sounds like it makes any sense, as related to the laptop policy. Like with music, humor is also quite subjective. That's the challenge with most comedy - will anyone else find it funny. That's also what makes a TV show like "The Office" so risky - the "joke" isn't presented with a laugh track. Either you get it or you don't, and the producers aren't going to tell you.

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  2. I loved your comment about the "little computers following you around" or something like that. I got a laugh as I pictured it.

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  3. Thankyou, Anonymous. At least some one gets the joke.

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  4. Reading the first paragraph, before seeing the other paragraphs, the mental image I got was a laptop wiggling itself forward on the floor behind someone (following them).

    I thought it was funny and kind of disturbing, because I don't think I would like electronics to trail me around everywhere. Besides, if they wiggle around on the floor like that they'll get dust and static electricity build up...

    That is the kind of stuff I think about all the time, and then people wonder why I don't like TV much. I get too worried about complete hypotheticals.

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  5. I also immediately assumed (not exactly pictured) a laptop following the person around, and *then* I took the "correct" meaning of the word follow in this case.

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