Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Open Discussions

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 11-02-2006, 12:05 AM   #1
Michael Meister
Dojo: South Hetton
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 97
United Kingdom
Offline
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
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 02:50 AM   #2
Lee Mulgrew
Dojo: Dynamic Aikido Noquet Hartlepool England
Location: Hartlepool
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 88
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Michael Meister wrote:
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
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!)
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 04:06 AM   #3
happysod
Dojo: Kiburn, London, UK
Location: London
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 899
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

I blame the parents myself
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 06:09 AM   #4
Keith Gotschall
Dojo: Yama Dojo
Location: Salida, Colorado
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 19
United_States
Offline
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........
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 06:19 AM   #5
Kyudos
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 13
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

..... says 'Ouch!' ....?
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 06:20 AM   #6
RampantWolf
Dojo: Cork Aiki Dojo
Location: Cork
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 39
Ireland
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Keith Gotschall wrote:
Finish the joke- ...an aikidoka walks into a bar and........
...Orders a pint?

If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 06:22 AM   #7
chris w
 
chris w's Avatar
Location: michigan
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 38
United_States
Offline
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!
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 06:37 AM   #8
MM
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,996
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Keith Gotschall wrote:

Finish the joke- ...an aikidoka walks into a bar and........
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!"
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 06:56 AM   #9
MikeLogan
 
MikeLogan's Avatar
Location: Rochester, NY
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 281
United_States
Offline
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]
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 07:25 AM   #10
JMCavazos
Dojo: Aikido Center of South Texas
Location: Houston,Tx
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 151
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Of Course, you have to say something funny!
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 07:39 AM   #11
vjw
Dojo: Rochester Phoenix
Location: Rochester, NY
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 83
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

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

Their cooking is a joke in itself!! ... Zing!
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 [/spoiler]
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 07:40 AM   #12
MikeLogan
 
MikeLogan's Avatar
Location: Rochester, NY
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 281
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

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

mike.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 08:03 AM   #13
MikeLogan
 
MikeLogan's Avatar
Location: Rochester, NY
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 281
United_States
Offline
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.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 09:35 AM   #14
Erick Mead
 
Erick Mead's Avatar
Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,619
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Lee Mulgrew wrote:
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!)
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 ...

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 10:08 AM   #15
Eric Webber
Dojo: Aikido West Reading
Location: Reading, Pa
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 261
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Ian Hurst wrote:
I blame the parents myself
Where as an American would blame whomever his shrink told him to blame...
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 10:10 AM   #16
Eric Webber
Dojo: Aikido West Reading
Location: Reading, Pa
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 261
United_States
Offline
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..."
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 11:23 AM   #17
James Davis
 
James Davis's Avatar
Dojo: Ft. Myers School of Aikido
Location: Ft. Myers, FL.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 716
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Chris Willenbacher wrote:
you brits need to remember one thing, we kicked your ass in world war 2 and we'll do it again!
LOL! Nice.

"The only difference between Congress and drunken sailors is that drunken sailors spend their own money." -Tom Feeney, representative from Florida
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 11:39 AM   #18
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
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.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 12:26 PM   #19
MikeLogan
 
MikeLogan's Avatar
Location: Rochester, NY
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 281
United_States
Offline
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.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 12:39 PM   #20
Neil Mick
Dojo: Aikido of Santa Cruz
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 225
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Lynn Seiser wrote:
Yes, Americans ...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.
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!!)

Last edited by Neil Mick : 11-02-2006 at 12:51 PM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 03:39 PM   #21
deepsoup
Dojo: Sheffield Shodokan Dojo
Location: Sheffield, UK
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 524
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Neil Mick wrote:
Spanish Inquisition
I didn't expect that!
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 07:45 PM   #22
MikeLogan
 
MikeLogan's Avatar
Location: Rochester, NY
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 281
United_States
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Ziing! (extra i for extra zing!)
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2006, 08:19 PM   #23
Neil Mick
Dojo: Aikido of Santa Cruz
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 225
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Quote:
Sean Orchard wrote:
I didn't expect that!
that's because...

Wait for it....

NO one expects the SPANISH INQUISITION!!
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2006, 12:40 AM   #24
Charlie
 
Charlie's Avatar
Location: Elgin, IL
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 165
Offline
Re: Do Americans lack humor

Ha.

Charles Burmeister
Aikido Yoshinkan Yoseikai

"Calmness is trust in action"
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2006, 12:48 AM   #25
Guilty Spark
 
Guilty Spark's Avatar
Location: Flordia
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 300
United_States
Offline
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

If you're hungry, keep moving.
If you're tired, keep moving.
If you value you're life, keep moving.

You don't own what you can't defend
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Lack of progress? Tommy_S Training 12 07-27-2005 04:08 PM
Did O-Sensei have a sense of humor? Ulises Garcia Humor 13 05-16-2005 05:43 PM
Article: Lack of Spirituality by George S. Ledyard AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 23 09-11-2004 02:20 AM
Lack of Progress or Lack of Patience? isshinryu88 General 12 10-29-2002 05:09 AM
Chicken Humor Ben_t_shodan Humor 2 09-04-2002 08:10 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:24 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate