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What's the Deal with Shock Humor?

Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
edited July 2008 in Debate and/or Discourse
The TV show my mom watches just showed a video of a teenager putting a baby on an inflatable pillow, jumping on the pillow, and launching the baby through the air before hitting the floor. I didn't see it, but I heard the commentator describe it. My mom was horrified; she asked me "What is wrong with people?"

Now, I'm glad I didn't see the video, and if I witnessed such a thing happen in person I would be horrified and and probably want to beat the shit out of the guy who did it. The thing is, though, that for some reason I can't help but find the idea of a baby getting launched through the air humorous. No, I don't want a baby hurt, and I wouldn't think it was funny if it actually happened, but for some reason I just can't help but smirk.

I've talked to other people I know about this before, and I know I'm not the only one who finds the idea of certain horrible things happening funny, but I don't understand why. It's not like I find the idea of someone getting cancer or beating an old man to death funny. So why are some horrible things humorous? Is their some sort of psychological and/or evolutionary reason?

Hexmage-PA on
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  • TrevorTrevor Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I think of a lot of it with shocking humor is breaking taboos and such while combining with traditional and situational humor. For example, telling a dead baby joke may provide a funny visual and cause someone to become uncomfortable while saying something that is clearly morally wrong. In that, you could possibly derive humor from the actual joke, nervous laughter from someone being uncomfortable, genuine laughter from seeing someone become uncomfortable, and a sort of ironic humor from portraying something clearly wrong as something comedic. I think as far as seeing a baby fly through the air may not be as grotesque as putting one in a blender, but it nonetheless generates a fairly funny and silly mental image and contrasts with what you would expect a baby to do.

    Trevor on
  • Fleck0Fleck0 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I don't have a real concrete opinion about shock humor... but I know I laughed to myself when I read your description of the makeshift babypult

    edit: although, you mention cancer and beating the eldery to death, what's funny is when something horrible happens and the person doesn't die. What's that german word about taking delight in another's misfortune?... Avenue Q has a song about it. As in, there's a thin line sometimes between real-life slapstick and tragedy

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  • KageraKagera Imitating the worst people. Since 2004Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    schadenfreude

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  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    There's a quote somewhere about papercuts and people falling to their deaths through open manholes. Guess which one's funny?

    Mai-Kero on
  • ZimmydoomZimmydoom Accept no substitutes Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Mai-Kero wrote: »
    There's a quote somewhere about papercuts and people falling to their deaths through open manholes. Guess which one's funny?

    Mel Brooks.

    "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die."

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  • B:LB:L I've done worse. Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Kagera wrote: »
    schadenfreude

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYzsRMaQpo


    Good 'ole released repression.

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  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I tend to assume shock humor is for people who haven't had enough exposure to cutting things open and removing their organs.

    Also laughter (especially tickling) seems to be associated with a lot of violence-oriented activities, whether physical or emotional.

    Incenjucar on
  • gtrmpgtrmp Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    babypult

    I think you mean rugratapult.

    gtrmp on
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  • Fleck0Fleck0 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    gtrmp wrote: »
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    babypult

    I think you mean rugratapult.

    touché

    Fleck0 on
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  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    You know it has been said that laughter is not a goodness, it is what you do when you can do nothing else.

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  • TalleyrandTalleyrand Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I've heard that humans generally have the same physical response when they see something repulsive as when they see something attractive or threatening. It's all the same kinda rush apparently.

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  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    grandmakickingbaby.gif

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  • Low KeyLow Key Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Talleyrand wrote: »
    I've heard that humans generally have the same physical response when they see something repulsive as when they see something attractive or threatening. It's all the same kinda rush apparently.

    Laughter is a stress reliever. A lot of experiences that make people nervous or uncomfortable result in laughter. A number of participants in Milgram type experiments end up giggling as they hear people scream.

    I don´t know how much that has to do with baby launching though. Baby launching is just funny.

    Low Key on
  • FallingmanFallingman Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    A lot of it comes from having your preconceptions played with. We have expectations of norms and we like to be shocked. The thing about shock humour is that its coupled with a social taboo. Provided in a context that we dont feel guilty about.

    In Firefly, they would set you up believing that they were following a conventiional story premise, then switch on you.

    In Hot Fuzz, when he flying-kicks the old lady in the face...

    Some just take it further... and inevitably, it nears your line of comfort. And usually crosses people's thresholds as we all have them set differently.

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  • Darius BlackDarius Black Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I laughed at the baby in a blender. But I'm not a bad person!

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  • Satan.Satan. __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    Some folks like shock humor. It's not for everyone, nor is my brand of humor for everyone else. Different strokes, etc.

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  • Wonder_HippieWonder_Hippie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    Low Key wrote: »
    Talleyrand wrote: »
    I've heard that humans generally have the same physical response when they see something repulsive as when they see something attractive or threatening. It's all the same kinda rush apparently.

    Laughter is a stress reliever. A lot of experiences that make people nervous or uncomfortable result in laughter. A number of participants in Milgram type experiments end up giggling as they hear people scream.

    I don´t know how much that has to do with baby launching though. Baby launching is just funny.

    Milgram-esque experiments are hilarious on their own, in a way.

    "I have a heart condition."

    *participant proceeds to fake shock the everloving shit out of the confederate*

    Wonder_Hippie on
  • .kbf?.kbf? Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    .kbf? on
  • emnmnmeemnmnme Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    emnmnme on
  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    emnmnme wrote: »
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    That's mostly film nerds being d-bags.

    If they were honest they'd admit that Suspiria is really fucking boring if you aren't on LSD and Hostel 2 is a better flick with better effects.

    JohnnyCache on

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  • .kbf?.kbf? Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    emnmnme wrote: »
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    Hostel series anyone? How is people being graphically tortured for the duration of the movie not an escalation. It not necessarily a matter of it being more "scary" but the movies moving farther and farther into things that may not have been acceptable in films 20 years ago (honestly those movies are disgusting).

    It's like roller coasters. The first time you go on one you're scared out of your mind. The next year that same first coaster is not only not scary but down right boring so you move on to bigger and faster ones. Etc Etc.

    But that's just one example. Any kind of classic addiction would be another excellent case.

    .kbf? on
  • Nakatomi2010Nakatomi2010 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Baby on an inflatable air pillow eh... I remmeber my wife telling me that the makers of this video are in fact being punished for something along the lines of stupidity....

    However, it is my unprofessional opinion that should anyone be laughing at that type if video, it's not that far off from anyone watching videos from this company, many of their videos involve people getting injured, or things going horribly wrong, and many of us laugh as a defense mechanism for realizing "HOLY CRAP!" type scenarios...

    I provide you with the following examples...

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=CJUknqGugXA

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=eeI12pUfneU&feature=related

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=opoCilsdCWk&feature=related


    These two examples are a little more brutal

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=TjSTR0ZN3XM

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=eCLPg1yOaQ0&feature=related

    So yeah.... Seeing other people suffer just makes most people laugh...

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  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    .kbf? wrote: »
    emnmnme wrote: »
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    Hostel series anyone? How is people being graphically tortured for the duration of the movie not an escalation. It not necessarily a matter of it being more "scary" but the movies moving farther and farther into things that may not have been acceptable in films 20 years ago (honestly those movies are disgusting).

    It's like roller coasters. The first time you go on one you're scared out of your mind. The next year that same first coaster is not only not scary but down right boring so you move on to bigger and faster ones. Etc Etc.

    But that's just one example. Any kind of classic addiction would be another excellent case.

    Hostel doesn't feature people being graphically tortured for "the duration" of the movie

    I Spit on Your Grave came out in 1978.
    Texas Chainsaw Massacre came out in 1974.
    Wizard of Gore came out in 1970
    Martin - 1977
    It's Alive 74
    Last House on the Left - 72

    To say nothing of the proliferation of horror movies in the 80s.

    Now people find those movies campy, but they're pretty intense - particularly the 70s stuff, which had less of a supernatural focus. Are you sure you aren't confusing advances in effects with escalations in writing?

    And are we putting horror movies in the same category with reality shock humor?

    JohnnyCache on

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  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Fallingman wrote: »
    A lot of it comes from having your preconceptions played with. We have expectations of norms and we like to be shocked. The thing about shock humour is that its coupled with a social taboo. Provided in a context that we dont feel guilty about.

    Exactly. For many types of Shock Humor, it's about breaking social taboos. I like that kind of humor.

    If you do it at the right time, with the right joke, you can make people laugh while at the same time making them squirm and feel uncomfortable.

    Think a really good clever holocaust joke or something.

    Funny joke + thing that makes people uncomfortable = Even funnier Joke

    It can also be about the unexpected. The kind of stuff people just don't say.

    shryke on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    JohnnyCache wrote: »
    emnmnme wrote: »
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    That's mostly film nerds being d-bags.

    If they were honest they'd admit that Suspiria is really fucking boring if you aren't on LSD and Hostel 2 is a better flick with better effects.

    Depends. I always find the lack of graphic imagery, gore, or even just signs of what the hell is going on to be more frightening and more depraved than if you can see what exactly is happening. Let's face it, nothing is going to be as fucked up as what you can imagine occurred not least of which because you know your own worst fears which a writer or graphics department just doesn't.

    moniker on
  • ElldrenElldren Is a woman dammit ceterum censeoRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    moniker wrote: »
    JohnnyCache wrote: »
    emnmnme wrote: »
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    That's mostly film nerds being d-bags.

    If they were honest they'd admit that Suspiria is really fucking boring if you aren't on LSD and Hostel 2 is a better flick with better effects.

    Depends. I always find the lack of graphic imagery, gore, or even just signs of what the hell is going on to be more frightening and more depraved than if you can see what exactly is happening. Let's face it, nothing is going to be as fucked up as what you can imagine occurred not least of which because you know your own worst fears which a writer or graphics department just doesn't.

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  • ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    There's this.

    To show how effective it can be, here's a little message from the Weasley twins:
    twincest.jpg

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  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Scalfin wrote: »
    There's this.

    That really does explain it so well.

    I loved this.

    shryke on
  • 2 Marcus 2 Ravens2 Marcus 2 Ravens CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    shryke wrote: »
    Scalfin wrote: »
    There's this.

    That really does explain it so well.

    I loved this.

    Rape jokes are so passé. However, that is a good example of recent shock humour that was beat to death until it wasn't shocking or funny anymore.

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  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    JohnnyCache wrote: »
    emnmnme wrote: »
    .kbf? wrote: »
    I think there's an element of escalation here. This "shock" humor was, at one point, probably not quite so graphic but over time people got bored so it moved up the ladder. The evolution of horror movies would be another good example or even the Roman Colosseum.

    It's a natural progression and can be seen all throughout both our personal lives and history.

    That's weird. Everyone says today's horror movies suck horribly compared to the decades-old classics. Less shock = more scary?

    That's mostly film nerds being d-bags.

    If they were honest they'd admit that Suspiria is really fucking boring if you aren't on LSD and Hostel 2 is a better flick with better effects.

    Agreed

    Nightmare on Elm Street was hilariously bad. The worst part? The dated effects were only a small part of the what made the movie so bad.

    aww... that wesley thing is so disappointing...

    Casual Eddy on
  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    gtrmp wrote: »
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    babypult

    I think you mean rugratapult.

    touché

    Anklebitrebuchet.

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  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Cryin' Maiden

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  • CokomonCokomon Our butts are worth fighting for! Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Scalfin wrote: »
    There's this.

    Man, I got lost on that page for a little bit.

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  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Falx wrote: »
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    gtrmp wrote: »
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    babypult

    I think you mean rugratapult.

    touché

    Anklebitrebuchet.

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    moniker on
  • CokomonCokomon Our butts are worth fighting for! Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    moniker wrote: »
    Falx wrote: »
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    gtrmp wrote: »
    Fleck0 wrote: »
    babypult

    I think you mean rugratapult.

    touché

    Anklebitrebuchet.

    Siege weapon.

    Am I doing this right?

    Meat Wagon

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  • Wonder_HippieWonder_Hippie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    Cokomon wrote: »
    Meat Wagon

    Actually, this is a really good example. I've heard ambulances called that as long as I can remember, mostly from my dad, and people considered me insensitive when I started saying it aroujnd other people later in life. I had no idea, then I thought about it.

    Wonder_Hippie on
  • CokomonCokomon Our butts are worth fighting for! Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Wonder_Hippie wrote: »
    Cokomon wrote: »
    Meat Wagon

    Actually, this is a really good example. I've heard ambulances called that as long as I can remember, mostly from my dad, and people considered me insensitive when I started saying it aroujnd other people later in life. I had no idea, then I thought about it.

    What? I was talking about this:

    unit-meatwagon.gif

    since we were on the subject of catapults. But I guess your reasoning is more on topic.

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  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Wonder_Hippie wrote: »
    Cokomon wrote: »
    Meat Wagon

    Actually, this is a really good example. I've heard ambulances called that as long as I can remember, mostly from my dad, and people considered me insensitive when I started saying it aroujnd other people later in life. I had no idea, then I thought about it.

    man in the old cyberpunk 2020 pen and paper rpg there was an independent ambulance service called Rapid Emergency Operatives' Meatwagon

    REO MEATWAGON

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  • Wonder_HippieWonder_Hippie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    JohnnyCache wrote: »
    Wonder_Hippie wrote: »
    Cokomon wrote: »
    Meat Wagon

    Actually, this is a really good example. I've heard ambulances called that as long as I can remember, mostly from my dad, and people considered me insensitive when I started saying it aroujnd other people later in life. I had no idea, then I thought about it.

    man in the old cyberpunk 2020 pen and paper rpg there was an independent ambulance service called Rapid Emergency Operatives' Meatwagon

    REO MEATWAGON

    This right here? This is glorious.

    Wonder_Hippie on
  • AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Nakatomi2010 wrote: »
    Baby on an inflatable air pillow eh... I remmeber my wife telling me that the makers of this video are in fact being punished for something along the lines of stupidity....

    However, it is my unprofessional opinion that should anyone be laughing at that type if video, it's not that far off from anyone watching videos from this company, many of their videos involve people getting injured, or things going horribly wrong, and many of us laugh as a defense mechanism for realizing "HOLY CRAP!" type scenarios...

    I provide you with the following examples...
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=CJUknqGugXA

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=eeI12pUfneU&feature=related

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=opoCilsdCWk&feature=related


    These two examples are a little more brutal

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=TjSTR0ZN3XM

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=eCLPg1yOaQ0&feature=related

    So yeah.... Seeing other people suffer just makes most people laugh...

    Seeing people fall down is and shall forever be funny. Deal with it.

    That's not really shock humor, it's slapstick.

    AbsoluteZero on
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