dsfsdfds

1) UNDERSTANDING HUMOR AS ARGUMENT
i) To use humor in arguments, you must first understand the foibles of human nature. ii) Humor often works best when it deals with ordinary life and day-to-day events, as well as controversies in the world of politics and entertainment iii) Often involves subtle strategies of exaggeration, amplification, repetition, understatement, and irony iv) Humor can sharpen many different kinds of argument many different kinds of argument by giving heightened presence to logical, emotional, and ethical appeals
v) Can even dictate the structure of an argument vi) Can make people pay attention or feel good or make them want to buy stuff or do what others ask vii) Has a darker side; it can make people feel superior to its targets of ridicule and most people don't want to associate with people who seem ridiculous viii) Plays a large roles in arguments of character ix) Puts listeners at ease and helps them identify with the speaker
x) Self-depreciation can endear writers or speakers to the toughest audiences. People listen to others confident enough to make fun of themselves bc they seem clever and yet aware of they own limitations. xi) Also works bc a funny remark usually contains at its core, an element of truth xii) May even involve looking at a subject a little too logically xiii) Satire and parody get their power from just twists of logic
2) CHARACTERIZING KINDS OF HUMOR
i) Possible to write whole books about comedy, exploring its many forms such as satire, parody, burlesque, pastiche, lampoon, caricature, farce, and more ii) Almost all types involve some kind of argument bc laughter can make people think, even while they're having a good time iii) Not all purposes are praiseworthy iv) Laughter can expose hypocrisy or break down barriers or prejudice and thereby help people see their worlds differently
v) Might use a while sequence of comic examples and anecdotes to keep readers interested in a serious point- a rhetorical device called amplification vi) Exaggeration is a basic technique of humor. We make a situation bigger than life so we can see it better
b) Satire
i) Satire- a genre of writing that uses humor to unmask problems and then suggest how they might be fixed ii) Most editorial cartoons are also satiric when they highlight a problem in society that the cartoonist feels needs to be both ridiculed and remedied iii) Satire often involves a shift in perspective that asks readers to look at a situation in a new way iv) Satire is sometimes more thought-provoking than funny, the point of some satire being to open readers' eyes rather than to make them laugh out loud humorous
v) The key to writing effective satire may be finding a movie or novel angle on a subject and then following through
c) Parody
i) Offers an argument ii) What distinguishes between satire and parody? Parody makes its case by taking something familiar and turning it into something new iii) The argument sparkles in the tension between the original work and its imitation iv) Parodies work best when audiences make the connection with the object being imitated
v) You need to be thoroughly knowledgeable the work on which its based, particularly its organization and distinctive features
3) DEVELOPING HUMOROUS ARGUMENTS
i) You can use humor in an argument to:
(1) Point out flaws in a policy, proposal, or other kind of argument
(2) Suggest a policy of your own
(3) Put people in a favorable frame of mind
(4) Acknowledge weaknesses or deflect criticism
(5) Satirize or parody a position, point of view, or style ii) Look for humor in incongruity or in "what if?" situations iii) Don't look for humor in complicated ideas iv) Look for humor in concrete and proper nouns, in people and places readers will recognize but not expect to find in your writing
v) Timeliness is a factor, too; you need to know whom or what your readers will recognize and how they might respond vi) Seek inspiration for humor in these sources:
(1) Popular magazines, especially weekly journals (for current events)
(2) TV, including commercials (especially for material about people)
(3) Classic books, music, films, artwork
(4) Comedians vii) Humorous arguments can be structured exactly like more serious ones viii) Humor has its own relentless logic ix) Creating humor is a robust, excessive, and egotistical activity
x) Requires assertiveness, courage, and often a (temporary) suspension of good judgment and taste