Humanities Homework Help

It is a well-known fact that humor is universal but how humor manifests itself differs cross-culturally. Humor is culturally conditioned. It is an intrinsic part of human interaction.  However, it is not cross-culturally accepted. Therefore, what is funny in one culture may not translate in the same way in another. For this exercise, please observe a joking situation where you or someone else tells a joke or is teasing another person. Provide an in-depth description of the context, i.e., provide me a description of the joking situation by answering the following questions. These questions are prompts for your narrative essay. You can discuss a past humorous/funny situation if you do not have a current one. Analyze the situation like an anthropologist: apply the holistic perspective (holism).

Prompts for the paper:

• Do you have concepts of avoidance and joking relationships in your family (kinship)/culture? Who are the relatives/people with whom you can joke around? 
• Discuss what type(s) of jokes are most common in your circle/community.
• Who usually tells the joke (or who is doing the teasing)? What is your relationship with this individual?
• Where did the telling of the joke take place?
• Analyze why the situation is funny. 
• Did anyone get angry or offended?
• Do jokes vary from generation to generation? Discuss.
• What would an observer (particularly from a different culture) of this interaction have to know to understand the joke? 
• Have you ever been in a situation where you have not understood the joke? Discuss.
• What are the functions of humor, jokes, and comedy? Why is it an integral part of every society and culture?
• Your reflections: ? Discuss whatever ideas, thoughts, and feelings emerged because of this assignment.