Jewish Humor (Term Paper Sample)

JEWISH HUMOR OF LAUGHTER AND TEARS Student’s Name Course Date Introduction This paper delves to explain the relationship between laughter and tears in the context of Jewish humor while utilizing the theory of dimensional accrual and dissociation. Furthermore, the discussion scrutinizes the extent to which the humor has transformed as impacted upon by globalization orientation of the current world. The Jewish society, through the hardships of life, has turned to be realists (without illusions); with a Jewish joke not limited to fun but often, the joke has an important message for the audience. Hence, a listener, more often than not, frequently becomes silent and thoughtful after laughing at the quip or joke as attributed to the fact that the Jews are mostly jesting philosophers. More interesting is the fact that the Jewish culture is such that it can utilize the moments of sorrow/cries to create sudden bursts of joy. Nevertheless, the periods of laughter and tears may interchange at a particular instant of communication in the Jews world. Is there some connectedness between laughter and sorrow? How do the two elements of humor differ? It is true that we often realize tears are trickling down our faces during the instances of laughter, and frequently hearty laugh at the termination of a ‘good’ cry. Considering the feeling one has after either a hearty laugh or a good cry may give a reasonable insight into the two phenomena. A drained feeling accompanies the instances of a cry, but with relief as the closing sensation; exactly how one feels after a hearty laugh. Superficially, humor may be perceived as a simple concept in which either, something is said (or happens) and there erupts a hearty laugh or cries. However, understanding the psychology behind the humor is quite a tricky task, hence the conception of several theoretical frameworks to examine its complexities. Such was the cause for an alarm to introduce the theory of dimensional accrual and dissociation to help account for the technical concepts of humor in a laugh-cry domain. The perspective of dissociation and dimensional accrual accounts for the many temporal and spatial communicative behaviors in human culture; and postulates that as individual shifts from the worlds of magic univalent, mythic bivalent, and perspectival trivalent, there is a subsequent increase in the dimensional awareness. In the method, dissociation implies a state of affairs in which a factor observed and the subjective observer are increasingly and mutually separated; the subject and object are inseparable and you cannot have one without the other. Is that the relationship between laughter and tears in the Jewish symbolic world of humor? To answer such an interesting question, it is important to thoroughly, comprehend the concepts of the theory of dimensional accrual and dissociation. The Theory of Dimension Accrual and Dissociation It clarifies that as an individual change from the worlds of magic univalent, mythic bivalent, and perspectival trivalent, there is a subsequent increase in the dimensional awareness. In the method, dissociation implies a state of affairs in which a factor observed and the subjective observer are increasingly and mutually separated; the view of subject and object is inseparable. Hence, in the magic world, the method acknowledges that no separation occurs between a thing and its function; for example, stealing a magical object does not transfer the power from the original owner as only the latter is familiar with the magic words. Nevertheless, the object and subject (the actual owner and power possessor) are inseparable, and only that subject can invoke the functioning of the object by uttering perfect incantations. The magic world is, therefore, typical of a one-dimensional communication, having strictly one meaning, the figural meaning. Besides, the mythic world is two-dimensional and symbolic in nature and trying to separate an object from the owner may not be considered as serious an offense as in the magical world. For example, mishandling a crucifix may upset a Christian as it amounts to disrespect of their God. However, the one who mishandles the object is unlikely to be killed but punished in another way. Because the crucifix is a symbol but not the actual God, the followers are not greatly upset. The concepts of metaphor dominate the world of mythology in the globe and in which things have more than a single meaning i.e. both literal and figural meaning at the same time. Finally, the perspectival world is trivalent (three-dimensional); it is a world of discrete duality where an individual experiences a critical distance that permits disinterest, doubt, and irrelevance. Like the mythological world, perspectival communication is signolic, stimulating little emotions. However, it is spatial and only conveying one meaning at a time; a classic example of perspectival communication is the use of modern codes of 1 and 0 in computers. As one shift (accrues) from magical to mythological and perspectival communication, he or she becomes increasingly disengaged (dissociated) from the rest of the world. For example, an individual’s name may be regarded as to identify the quality of that person like strength and wisdom; however, people’s names lack meaning for most perspectival dissociated moderns. Also, modern arts may serve as a complete dissociation. Radically, contemporary arts claim a peculiar isolation from the rest of the world during scrutiny alongside religious iconography and ritual artifacts. Furthermore, with the prevalence or accrual of dimensional awareness prevails, dissociation incidences increase with a broad range of related consequences; for instance, issues of metaphysical denial of meaning, increased sense of isolation, and a hyper-valuation of lack of interest may result. In the civilized world characterized by the quest for development and improvements, it is imperative to understand the position of culture. Humor, coined around laugh and tears, is an important aspect of culture worth scrutiny. A complex phenomenon is only well understandable under analysis using the theory of dimension accrual and dissociation. Humor of Laughter and Tears-what it entails Regarding balance, there is a delicate relationship between laughter and tears. How effective can humor be when coping with life constraints of depression, death, anxiety, and sickness? Humor usually surfaces during a healthy recovery or healing process. Forced laughter or contrived humor is usually risky (just in the case of blasphemy in the magical world) and therefore, considerable caution must be applied while using humor during tragic moments. Conversely, humor is a great healer during moments of grief and disaster; notably, humor is either beneficial or destructive/hurtful in nature. The advantages of humor include building relationships with friends and relatives, creating a nurturing living environment, helping people to cope, and pain management. First, enhancing positive relationships with colleagues/friends is perhaps one of the greatest strengths of humor. Realistically speaking, laughter is indicative of humor in action, reflecting the social aspect of humor; it is a distinct vocalization that unfolds during the positive social relations. It has a biological origin as a relief’s shared expression at the termination of danger (tears). The calming sensation felt after a hearty laugh may aid in inhibiting fear, making it a behavioral symbol of trust in one’s companion. Laughter is an aspect of human behavior controlled by the brain; it helps human subjects to make clear their intentions in socialization while providing an emotional tinge for conversations. It signals one’s acceptance of an interaction group and may be as contagious as to provoke laughter from others; hence its modern use in the television comedy shows. Second, humor builds a nurturing environment for living; a positive emotional touch (humor) provides the emotional baseline for the neurological establishment of children from birth. Those who lack the necessary emotional development seem to lack ability to interact appropriately to the humor of joy, laughter, fun, and cry. Third, humor has also been tested to help people cope and as such, a sense of humor implies a human’s ability to respond the challenges of life while optimistic; it aims at enhance optimistic patterns of response alongside positive emotional experience. Moreover, in reaction to life tragedies, there is always the issue of dark or sick humor and on that basis; humor can be utilized as a tool to provide an easement owing to the most painful life experience like the loss of a loved one. For example, in the New York’s 2011 terrorist attack, Jay Leno made fun of the color-coded terror alert system, reiterating that the system was confusing: “Yesterday the alert changed from blue to pink; now half the nation feels we are pregnant, Leno joke. Hence, there existed a positive emotional impact among tense citizens who watched the late night show.” Finally, humor is an essential arsenal for pain management; for example, a study of cancer and chemotherapy-related symptoms and the immune/endocrine stability between subjects watching either humorous or non-humorous DVD proved the notion. The results depicted that there was a decrease in the symptoms among humorous observers compared to the non-humorous counterparts. Besides, the group showed physiological shifts indicative of better immune functions; hence, humor may be critical in positively influencing health outcomes. Most data emerging from biological research have thus proved the link between humor and quality living although it is evident that fear and stress or depression antagonize human’s well-being. However, the real discovery of the already researched work that humor maximize learning, build relationships, relieve stress/...