Humor and satire can be used to distract a reader from an otherwise lacking paper. I find myself searching for jokes to tell when I run out of things to say. This goes for conversation as well as writing. Luckily, I have some time to think about what I'm going to say while writing so I don't make a fool of myself by telling a terrible joke. By making a reader laugh, you can make it seem like you're saying a lot more than you actually are.
On the other side of this, I sometimes find it difficult to incorporate humor into papers about topics on which I feel strongly. If I intend to poke sarcastic fun at something I use humor, but unfortunately I'm losing this wit as I try to make my arguments stronger and attempt to use rhetorical strategies beyond my humor that had been signature throughout middle school and early in high school.
Note must be taken, however, that humor is not always appropriate. The line has to be drawn somewhere. Serious topics can have jokes. Those jokes have to be in the right tone to work otherwise they can be construed as disrespectful attempts at making-fun.
It is important to word your passion carefully. A single joke might make an argument collapse on itself if it is not told tactfully.I had always considered humor to be important in writing. It helps keep the reader awake and interested. Recently, I've felt like I'm failing to do this. Am I getting too mature? Am I losing my touch for humor in writing? From here on out, I am going to try to make my writing a little lighter when I can and use my wit to help my arguments rather than disregarding it.
I thought that it was pretty interesting that you chose to post something about this, Andrew. I always picture you as someone who would try, or at least want to, incorporate humor into writing and as someone who would do it well. I didn't realize that you considered yourself so serious. Lighten up!
ReplyDeleteStill, I think you're very right about people needing to be conscious of how their humor will come across and of when it is appropriate to use it. I too have found that I make jokes in everyday conversation when I don't want to discuss something or can't think of what to say next. That being said, this post was a little bit of a wake up call for me! I'm going to have to be sure that that habit is not making its way into my writing.
Thanks! Good post!
Sometimes humor can detract from an argument, and jokes that are just immature attacks are detrimental and devoid of meaning. However, if done well, satire can be extremely effective and expressive. One of my favorite Onion articles is a simple story about a local hero saving children from a burning house. Every time the man is mentioned, he is described as "gay" or "homosexual" eventhough it is completely irrelevant to the story. This parody works extremely well because it is very close to something that might actually be published and because the slight alterations or exagerations make a clear point that the reader has to think about. It is a mature, serious subject and written for constructive purposes, not out of malice.
ReplyDeleteAs Isis said, humor can work wonders in a paper or it can destroy and invalidate it. It's all in the context of how you use it. Certain touchy subjects may not be the place to incorporate humor, but don't let that stop you from keeping the reader entertained! If you quit using humor altogether your writing will turn into boring "Giancoli" style writing (AP Physics reference for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about).
ReplyDeleteVery true, your post it. Very true. It's a hard tool to utilize, but it's amazing how much more effective it can be than stony-faced logical and pathos attacks. I hate to cite something as crude as Colbert for an example, but I think the reason his popularity is at such a height is that his viewers can relate to these messages more personally then the avenue of politics. You made some great points that I agree with.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post. Humor can cover up things that are lacking. But just the same, it doesn't have to. It can actually stengthen an argument and give it more depth. I don't think you should try to change your writing unless you really think what you're doing will make it better. Just write what you feel like, not what you think you should do.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. When I find a way to include humor in my writing, I feel so clever. On top of that it makes it a much better read. The take home DBQs for example, I just had fun with it.
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