The thoughtless use of common language often does us a disservice. Incorrect understanding is fixed at the level of habit, sooner or later this leads to misunderstanding. What is sparkling humor, how are gradations of this phenomenon generally defined, so that it is safe to classify a joke as good or bad? First of all, it is worth remembering that humor is a genre of oral creativity, which is largely based on impromptu, and only secondarily is the literary direction.
Signs of Real Wit
Probably, each person had to witness unsuccessful jokes when only a small part of the audience laughs, and everyone else feels awkward. Almost everyone can recognize low-grade humor - if the listeners smile forcibly, so as not to offend the wit or, no longer hiding, look at each other in shock, this is the main sign of a miss.
This distinguishes a sparkling sense of humor - jokes, figuratively speaking, “sparkle”, infect with a good mood, involve even random witnesses in the realm of fun. The percentage of awkwardness tending to zero is a direct sign of true high-order wit.
Of course, the audience in the mass can respond positively even to the most stupid jokes. In many respects, this does not even depend on the so-called “low culture” of modern society, but on the current moment, and even the political and economic situation. Culturologists note that the higher the level of tension in society, which requires increased involvement in negative or oppressive complexity processes, the more popular are the “lite” versions of art, including humor and popular music.
How is sparkling humor different?
To understand the issue, it is worth delving into the meaning of the very concept of “sparkling”. In this case, emotions are figuratively attributed to the properties of a firework, scattering colorful lights in different directions, or Bengal fire. In an empathic sense, sparkling humor is a joke that draws you into an area of high spirits. This is precisely the value of the humorous genre.
It is not enough to write or think up a subjectively funny story or a short verbal turn, you need it to have the properties of empathic involvement of viewers or listeners, cause a desire to retell, conveying further the atmosphere of a good mood.
Satire and humor are two different things.
Another facet of the so-called "entertainment genre" is satire. Despite the common roots, these phenomena have different goals, methods of achieving goals are similar, but there are fundamental differences. True sparkling humor is primarily fun, laughter and a feeling of lightness. Satire suggests a harmonious disguise of the "malice of the day" in the usual playful camouflage. A vivid example of modern satire is the famous French magazine Charlie Hebdo, and the reaction of the average layman to the satirical exercises of the authors is especially indicative.
Humor, which does not make laugh, although it pretends to be humor, but at the same time raises sharp questions - this is satire. People are shocked by the confrontation between the deliberately stupid "wrapper" and serious subtext, this sharply emphasizes the importance of the issues raised. It is the satire that is called to debunk the titled "sacred cows" of society, it calls for reflection.
The main problem of sparkling humor
The hardest part about a good joke is its timeliness. Impromptu is not as simple as it might seem; it cannot be calculated and prepared in advance. In the Russian language there is a saying “Strong in hindsight”, but in this case, the French version of l'esprit d'escalier is better suited - literally “staircase wit”.
Many have noticed that the most original answers come to mind when it is too late. As if you had already left the right place, and suddenly it dawned on the stairs. However, the moment is missed, and there is a feeling of annoyance, regret. You can be as sparkling as you like, but it is spontaneity and timeliness that is the elusive nuance that is almost impossible to prepare.
Self-criticism as a measure of one's own wit
How can you determine at what level is your ability to accurately send pangs? Each person subconsciously wants to receive confirmation of his own sociability, to verify that this is sparkling humor or yet another awkwardness, which the interlocutors assess by no means in a positive way.
Cultivating healthy self-criticism and attention to the audience will help. If you are joking in a well-known company, you need to remember that people can laugh out of politeness or because you choose topics that are familiar to them. It is worth taking an objective look at the joke. Does she really hurt the feelings of those present? Would you be funny if someone else joked like that? Perhaps you do not notice the obvious - the sharpness leaves an unpleasant aftertaste or a feeling of awkwardness. The main claim to satire is an insult to the feelings of people involved in the topic, which is ridiculed.
Time to joke, and time to be serious
Another important question is when sparkling humor is appropriate and at what points is it recommended to abstain? It is wonderful if the wit subtly feels the mood and condition of the people around him. In this case, a joke can defuse the situation, inspire, shake people, even if the situation is extremely serious. Few people are able to intuitively grasp the need for a clearly dosed portion of humor and weigh it in a timely manner. An untimely and stupid joke can spoil the image of a leader or a politician; you should be wary of witticism about your bosses.
An unambiguous ban on jokes is tragic events that cause a lot of grief. The death of loved ones, catastrophe, terrorist attacks and war is not a laughing matter, which is why Charlie Hebdo's cartoons cause so much indignation. But the satire should not cause laughter, it was not created for entertainment.
Humor, oddly enough, is a serious matter. This is a powerful tool for rebooting the nervous system, a way to relieve stress. It is humor that helps to survive in very difficult situations, to preserve personality. To successfully joke, you need to be sensitive to people and exercise more.