Do Americans lack humor
 

or is it just incompatible with the old world?

Often, when I talk to my English mates, they mention, that they get serious philosophical answer on posts in this humor section, mainly by US Americans, though the original post was only meant to be fun.

So are we different? If you do feel the need to answer seriously, please do it at least in a satirical way ;)

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

the problem arises because all Americans are either power mad plastic surgery junkies, rednecks or street hoodlums where as we Brits tend be tea drinking snobs in bowler hats or cockney street urchins selling our wares or sweeping chimney's! As a foreigner in our green and pleasant land I can forgive your ignorance of these matters as you are obviously not as wise as us Brits (we once ruled the world you know..... well, some of it anyway!) :D :p

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

I blame the parents myself

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Being an american in the UK, I find that half of the time I am still trying to work out what has been said, still working out the accent, the different language, etc. and then the topic has moved on!
Of course I can't claim such an excuse when I am reading!

To prove your point, a serious reply. The sense of humor is different, entirely. But we do get it and enjoy it. :)




Finish the joke- ...an aikidoka walks into a bar and........

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

..... says 'Ouch!' ....?

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

...Orders a pint?

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

you brits need to remember one thing, we kicked your ass in world war 2 and we'll do it again!

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Must have been a fluffy bunny aikidoka because he failed miserably to blend with the bar. ;)

===

An aikidoka walks into a bar and the bartender says, "I'm sorry, I can't serve you here unless you are wearing a tie."

The man says, "Okay, I'll be right back," and goes to his car to find anything he can use for a tie. All he finds is a set of jumper cables, so he ties them around his neck, goes back in and asks, "How's this?"

The bartender replies, "Well, okay, but don't start anything."

===
(not an aikidoka joke, but ...)

A Scotsman is sitting in a bar in Cuba and is minding his business when a man with a large black beard walks in. The man goes to the bar and orders a shot of whisky. The bartender serves him, the man drinks the whisky then starts walking out the door. The bartender says, "Hey aren't you going to pay for that?" The man says, "Excuse me, Castro's Army." The bartender says, "Alright then" and the man leaves.

A few minutes later another man with a large black beard walks in. The man goes to the bar and orders a shot of whisky. The bartender serves him, the man drinks the whisky then starts walking out the door. The bartender says, "Hey aren't you going to pay for that?" The man says, "Excuse me, Castro's Army." The bartender says "Alright then" and the man leaves.

The Scotsman gets an idea and walks up to the bar and orders a shot of whisky. He drinks the whisky then starts walking out the door. The bartender says, "Hey aren't you going to pay for that?" The Scotsman says, "Excuse me, Castro's Army." The bartender says, "Hey where is your big black beard?" The Scotsman thinks quickly. He lifts his Kilt and says, "Secret Service!"

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

One of the best sources of humor between cultures of any sort is the language foibles.
You will not likely find of chain of stores called "Fanny Farmer" in Britain, now will you? It's a chocolatier.

On another note, our instructor is a Brit, and he finds us to be incredibly funny, I swear. Not funny 'ha-ha' per se, but more like funny looking.


Anyhow, to wreck myself and be serious, you should include some links to a few of these threads wherein some 'Murican is a touch too up on themselves.

At any rate, I'm not one to say that Britain has no sense of humour, nor cuisine.

[spoiler]Their cooking is a joke in itself!! ... Zing! [/spoiler]

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Of Course, you have to say something funny!

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Must be why we imported McDonald's into Britain!
[spoiler] Lets see if I can cook up something to test your sense of humour next time you turn up for class evileyes[/spoiler]

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Though, I completely forgot about american beer. There, that's our joke to the world.

mike.

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Are you suggesting this might be a good time for another 'out of town' interview? Heh. My ankle is sore for some odd reason, but without doubt we'll be there Friday night. Cheers.

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

I coulda swore y'all ruled that part where the sun never sets ... I forget where that is, exactly. Probably right next door to that place where it doesn't shine at all ...

(I would have used satire, but Doug & Dinsdale cornered the market a looong time ago ...) Lend us the claw hammer will ya -- these nails are really starting to muss my hair ...

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Where as an American would blame whomever his shrink told him to blame...

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

[quote=Finish the joke- ...an aikidoka walks into a bar and........[/QUOTE]

...says, "No, no, no, that's not how we attack in my dojo. Attack this way..."

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

LOL! Nice. :p

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Yes, Americans (as representative people in general of all nationalities) tend to take themselves too seriously, give consciously constructive suggestions (even in a context that humor would more appropriate and possible helpful), and in general are trying (in intent at least) to help make a better world (including the art of Aikido).

Thanks for noticing. I don't think we get enough credit for this.

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

While truthful in it's optimism, and I am an optimist, I will for the moment regard the above post as finely crafted sarcasm. Unless you want me to take that seriously :) But since this thread was moved from humor to open discussion, I suppose it deserves more sincere attention. It might be a preference for not being mistaken online. Humor is hard to transmit via internet, and while the signal seems loud and clear when it leaves your keyboard, it deteriorates, and can end up unintentionally insulting. Something often avoided by aikidoka.

On the other hand, I've found that my sense for sarcasm as a form of humor went down the drain after a period of time in which I was able to participate in group zazen meditation. All the thinking and the experiencing of what is, now, tended to engender sincerity, and sincerity is essentially the oppsite of sarcasm.

Anyhow, don't hurt me, I didn't move it from the humor department!

michael.

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

You're right: Abu Ghraib, Baghram, Guantanamo, and tossing out Habeas Corpus are our ways of telling the world that "we care." If the Spanish Inquisition was human society's stumbling attempts at sick humor: you could think of extroadinary rendition as our attempt at modernizing the knock-knock joke, with a helluva "punch"line ("Knock-knock." "Who's there?" *sounds of a door getting smashed in* "'Sounds of door getting smashed in,' who?") ;)

See...? You claim that we American's have no sense of humor; but we take our humor very seriously (just look at who we elected). When Bush said that he's a "uniter: not a divider," he was making his first steps in his valiant effort to mine the depths of irony.

Now, we will not sleep until we've steamrolled every single English word in our bid to "irony-out" terrorism! (see? We're great punsters, too!!) :crazy:

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

I didn't expect that!

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Ziing! (extra i for extra zing!)

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

that's because...

Wait for it....

NO one expects the SPANISH INQUISITION!!

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Ha.

Re: Do Americans lack humor
 

Neil my friend you're really going to have to watch your back for those secret service dudes!

I don't think there is a topic in which you can't turn into a jab against Bush or the government - you've a gift to say the least ;)