Taking Laughter Seriously

Author: John Morreall
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 1438413645
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 158

Book Description
"There has never been a time in Western history that humor and laughter were not topics of intellectual debate and interest. That is still true. John Morreall's broad-ranging concerns in Taking Laughter Seriouslymake it a book that will interest those in the social and behavioral sciences, philosophy, English literature and criticism, drama, and folklore. Morreall has done an admirable job of analyzing earlier theories. His discussions of humor as aesthetic experience, social lubricant, and valuable human feature are original and provocative." -- Jeffrey H. Goldstein, Professor of Psychology, Temple University "The attempt at providing a theoretical framework which will include all forms of laughter and humor and will accommodate the main types of theories previously advanced, is the principal thrust and success ofTaking Laughter Seriously. The topic is important and is one which philosophers have tended to ignore, as have most disciplines. It needs periodic philosophical reflection. The book is clearly written, well organized, and well illustrated. Morreall's style, sometimes almost conversational, fits the subject matter. One would hope that a book on laughter and humor, even a scholarly one, would not be so ponderous and officious that it evidenced little relationship to its announced topic. Taking Laughter Seriously avoids that contradiction and strikes a good balance." -- Conrad Hyers, Professor of Religion, Gustavus Adolphus College, author of The Comic Vision and the Christian Faith. "The book's qualities are, first, its scope and persuasiveness. The whole book demonstrates the seriousness of humor and its central place in human life. I know of no comparable work. The second quality of Taking Laughter Seriously is its clarity and its engaging style. It knocks out previous theories of laughter (including Freud's) and replaces them with a comprehensive one of its own. It is bloody funny. It will be enjoyed by philosophers, psychologists, teachers, and anyone who can read." -- G. J. Barker-Benfield, Associate Professor of History, State University of New York at Albany

Humor, Seriously

Author: Jennifer Aaker
Publisher: Crown Currency
ISBN: 0593135296
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 274

Book Description
WALL STREET JOURNAL, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER • Anyone—even you!—can learn how to harness the power of humor in business (and life), based on the popular class at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Don’t miss the authors’ TED Talk, “Why great leaders take humor seriously,” online now. “The ultimate guide to using the magical power of funny as a tool for leadership and a force for good.”—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive We are living through a period of unprecedented uncertainty and upheaval in both our personal and professional lives. So it should come as a surprise to exactly no one that trust, human connection, and mental well-being are all on the decline. This may seem like no laughing matter. Yet, the research shows that humor and laughter are among the most valuable tools we have at our disposal for strengthening bonds and relationships, diffusing stress and tension, boosting resilience, and performing when the stakes are high. That’s why Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach the popular course Humor: Serious Business at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where they help some of the world’s most hard-driving, blazer-wearing business minds infuse more humor and levity into their work and lives. In Humor, Seriously, they draw on findings by behavioral scientists, world-class comedians, and inspiring business leaders to reveal how humor works and—more important—how you can use more of it, better. Aaker and Bagdonas unpack the theory and application of humor: what makes something funny, how to mine your life for material, and simple ways to identify and leverage your unique humor style. They show how to use humor to rebuild vital connections; appear more confident, competent, and authentic at work; and foster cultures where levity and creativity can thrive. President Dwight David Eisenhower once said, “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” If Dwight David Eisenhower, the second least naturally funny president (after Franklin Pierce), thought humor was necessary to win wars, build highways, and warn against the military-industrial complex, then you might consider learning it too.

Taking Laughter Seriously

Author: John Morreall
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780873956420
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 158

Book Description

Serious Laughter

Author: Yvonne Francine Conte
Publisher: Amsterdam-Berwick Publishing.
ISBN: 9780966533606
Category : Self-actualization (Psychology)
Languages : en
Pages : 156

Book Description

Comic Relief

Author: John Morreall
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444358294
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 208

Book Description
Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor develops an inclusive theory that integrates psychological, aesthetic, and ethical issues relating to humor Offers an enlightening and accessible foray into the serious business of humor Reveals how standard theories of humor fail to explain its true nature and actually support traditional prejudices against humor as being antisocial, irrational, and foolish Argues that humor’s benefits overlap significantly with those of philosophy Includes a foreword by Robert Mankoff, Cartoon Editor of The New Yorker

Laughter

Author: Robert R. Provine
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101659254
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 324

Book Description
Do men and women laugh at the same things? Is laughter contagious? Has anyone ever really died laughing? Is laughing good for your health? Drawing upon ten years of research into this most common-yet complex and often puzzling-human phenomenon, Dr. Robert Provine, the world's leading scientific expert on laughter, investigates such aspects of his subject as its evolution, its role in social relationships, its contagiousness, its neural mechanisms, and its health benefits. This is an erudite, wide-ranging, witty, and long-overdue exploration of a frequently surprising subject.

Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion

Author: John Morreall
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 1438413629
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 192

Book Description
CHOICE2000 Outstanding Academic Title Comedy, tragedy, and religion have been intertwined since ancient Greece, where comedy and tragedy arose as religious rituals. This groundbreaking book analyzes the worldviews of tragedy and comedy, and compares each with the world's major religions. Morreall contrasts the tragic and comic along twenty psychological and social dimensions and uses these to analyze both Eastern and Western traditions. Although no religion embodies a purely tragic or comic vision of life, some are mostly tragic and others mostly comic. In Eastern religions, Morreall finds no robust tragic vision but does find significant comic features, especially in Taoism and Zen Buddhism. In the Western monotheistic tradition, there are some comic features in the early Bible, but by the late Hebrew Bible, the tragic vision dominates. Two millennia have done little to reverse that tragic vision in Judaism. Christianity, on the other hand, has shown both tragic and comic features—Morreall writes of the Calvinist vision and the Franciscan vision—but in the contemporary era comic features have come to dominate. The author also explores Islam, and finds it has neither a comic nor a tragic vision. And, among new religions, those which emphasize the personal self come close to having an exclusively comic vision of life.

Take Fun Seriously

Author: Jim Gustafson
Publisher: Limitless PressLlc
ISBN: 9780978868123
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 224

Book Description
"For many years I envied people who really knew how to have fun. I had reached a point where I didn't know how to let go, loosen up and have fun. I knew I needed a serious overhaul. I looked around for a manual like Fun for Dummies and couldn't find one. So, I started looking for smiles, listening for laughter, and telling myself to Take Fun Seriously." Jim Gustafson speaks from the soul to entertain, educate, and enlighten his readers with this collection of powerful insights, witty prose, and heartfelt sympathy for the human condition.

We'll Laugh About This (Someday)

Author: Anna Lind Thomas
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 1400221978
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 241

Book Description
A hilarious argument in favor of taking life a smidge less seriously Popular humor writer Anna Lind Thomas had an epiphany after her essay about a humiliating fart went mega-viral: Everything’s funny . . .eventually. You’ll cry-laugh your way through the many grave offenses she’s endured, like not getting credit for Lady Gaga’s career, an epic financial crisis, and exercising while her children dole out biting critiques about her dimpled thighs. Anna’s wit, charm, and painful relatability will encourage you to remember that your most humiliating moment may be the best thing to ever happen to you—or at the very least, it’ll make for a really good story. “A hilarious, heartwarming trip.” —Bunmi Laditan, bestselling author of Confessions of a Domestic Failure and humorist behind The Honest Toddler “I couldn’t put this down.” —Tiffany Jenkins, bestselling author of High Achiever and humorist behind Juggling the Jenkins “Deep, bowel-loosening laughs, along with a side dish of humanity and understanding.” —Johanna Stein, author of How Not to Calm a Child on a Plane and award-winning television writer and producer “Full of humor and heart.” —Cindy Chupack, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy-winning writer/producer of Sex and the City, Modern Family, Otherhood, and more

We Take Laughter Seriously

Author: Daniel Paul
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 298

Book Description
We take laughter seriously is a collection of nine short stories.