by Peggy Molloy

Created on: January 09, 2011

I went to wikipedia for an overview of what exactly humor is supposed to be since so many persons are the victims of the cruel word, done in the name of humor.

Humor has certainly changed in my lifetime. Public belittling of others on the stage and screen has become a vicious sport. The editors of magazines, movies, blogs and television opinion shows have stooped to a typed of humor which is in fact on the top of the list. Humor by the superiority theory, which is all it is, a theory. I usually have a taste of acid in my mouth after watching some of the women's shows, they aren't funny to me, just crass and crude. This is done in the name of freedom.

The level of misogyny that is currently ever-present in most liberal newscasts shocks me. The words used towards women, and the hatred towards women who are strong and articulate, isn't freeing at all. To me it becomes a psychological purdah, who needs a veil?

Once religion, and the kindness of God, was stripped from our society's norm, the cruel, the petty, the outrageous and the crude turned its' ugly head and became fashionable to shock and demean, rather than uphold civility and social grace. Too bad, we all lose.

Humor is generally considered a healthy method of communicating the illogical, the philosophical, and the spiritual references often equate humor with a "gift from God." I will offer a list that I uncovered. Superiority theory of humor. Incongruity, Ontic-Epistemic Theory(personal note, these folks obviously are incapable of laughing a themselves to create such a thing), Sexual selection, Misattribution, Benign Violation, Humor as a defense mechanism (that's me all over it) and Humor as relief of fear. OK I can see it as the great neutralizer.

Based on the understanding of the ancient Greeks, the Latin word for humor means "body fluids", and were referred to as the humours, or a testament to one's health. Humor has specific social meanings attached, and can differ widely according to upbringing, sexuality, age, and social status. Unfortunately, if one compares the recent films with their obligatory sex and violence as the bedrock of every story, there are those of us who prefer to curl up at home and watch Turner Classic Movies, especially the Black & Whites.  Some comprehension of civility and kindness is represented in older films that simply has long disappeared.

Vulgarity sells, the lowering of expectations towered over us by the naming of cable shows, example: Reality TV, there is no reality present, and the notion that bad language is more real than respect of others, including their particular maturity level, i.e. children...without the help of the Almighty who saves us, our culture and the humor lost within it, needs a makeover.

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