Saturday, November 15, 2008

What's funny about reindeer?

Hilarious. Some psychologists are obsessing over Who Enjoys Humor More: Conservatives or Liberals?.

What about urinals? Are conservatives or liberals more shy when someone is standing next to them?*

"Common stereotypes link the word "liberal" with words such as open-mindedness, tolerance, and impartiality, while the word "conservative" is linked with tradition, caution, and conventional values. Given these associations we might expect that liberals will appreciate, and respond more to humor and jokes than conservatives."

Liberal stereotypes, I would add.

Personally, I've found people of either ilk to be equally humorless when you get to the poles of the spectrum. Rigid doctrinaire people have more in common than what I find in their political differences. But they make good butts for jokes.

Surprise! The study was picked up by The New York Times.

"Could it be that the image of conservatives as humorless, dogmatic neurotics is based more on political bias than sound social science?" John Tierney asks. Ya think?

* I'll explain if you insist.

2 comments:

Lil' Hammerhead said...

Nah.. the "humorless conservative" is based on sound social science.

KAP said...

Martin Eisenstadt seems to prove the opposite.