Topic Propsal

For my essay I am going to write about how laughter is the best form of medicine.  The purpose of this argument is to persuade the audience that people who laugh more are healthier. There are a few studies to back up this theory. For example, Norman Cousins wrote five books about curing himself with laughter. Many people have seen the movie Patch Adams, which is a perfect example of my argument. That is the media that this text uses to back up its argument. The text gives examples of a mother and her child playing with each other and overall has a lighthearted tone to it.  I think the audience is very broad. Everyone can use laughter to make them feel better. In the movie Patch Adams, the patients that are sick are children but Norman Cousins is an older gentleman. This argument can appeal to everyone because everyone can use laughter to make him or her feel better.

SWA 2

The idea that I found most interesting so far was the reasons that we laugh.  I usually just laugh because something is funny and don’t think about it. But chapter two explains that there at eight specific reasons people laugh at things.  I think the most common reason is surprise. When we see something that surprises us, or even embarrasses us, it makes us laugh. Many movies and T.V shows use this tactic such as Knocked up and Jackass. Knocked-up surprised audiences by making fun of unplanned pregnancy and Jackass makes people laugh because most people would never do half the things the cast members attempt.

            The one reason they left out is irony. Irony is an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected. I don’t know if ironic events are laugh out loud funny but they are def humorous and happen to me a lot.

 The text I choose was also about why we laugh from WebMD. It has some different ideas that are also interesting. http://men.webmd.com/features/why-we-laugh 

This article talks about how laughter is a form of communication. It is not a learned behavior because newborn babies can laugh. Humans were born to laugh. We tend to laugh when we are around other people and when they are laughing also.  Laughter is contagious. 

Throughout chapter one there are various quotes  about humor that make the chapter more interesting,  It  explains why humor is so important and how it can be used in every day life such as your job.  Humor can be used in many jobs, especially advertising and new ideas can always emerge.   This chapter also explains what successful humor requires. These three things are appropriate material, the right audience and the way the performer presents the material.

Can doing exercises like the ones stated in chapter one really make one funny? I believe someone is born with a sense of humor and they can't just learn one.  This chapter talks about consistency. Well if you are consist on being not funny it will do you no help. 

The Laughing Matters readings talk about how humor writers often use exaggeration and repetition to appeal to the audience.  Someone might think its stupid but someone else might love it.

            In the Laughing Matters readings it says that  humor is a matter of prospective. Everyone sees the world differently. I truly believe that. That’s why there are so many different movie reviews in the paper about comedies.  Most people laugh at what is out of the norm.  Some people even laugh at people getting hurt and some people don’t think that’s funny at all. 

Question:  If someone practiced all these exercises everyday and uses these techniques would they really become funnier?