January 12, 2005

Is humor subversive?

http://www.iSteve.com/05JanA.htm#humor.subversive

I remarked below on how small-c conservative New Yorker cartoons are. (A reader recalled his favorite: A diner say to his waitperson, "Chris, do you mind if I call you 'Waiter?'") On the other hand, several readers pointed out how movie comedies, from the Marx Brothers on, tend to be devoted to tearing down formality. The only problem is that they've succeeded so well that there is very little formality left in modern life, which is why so many contemporary comedies include weddings, which is one of the few truly formal occasions left in anybody's life anymore.


Steve Sailer's homepage and blog is iSteve.com

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