Thai Sense Of Humor

[TAWP]

Great, this thread is gonna be closed faster then a BGs legs infront of an empty wallet...

[ColPyat]

Come off it! Laughing at a distaster like that is wrong no matter where you are in the world. How can you even begin to condone it?

Laughing at someone slipping over a banana skin is one thing, thousands of people being killed on live TV is something quite different.

Not everybody has to throw around with cheesy Americanisms. Not just in Asia people have laughed about this disaster, but in many other cultures around the world, and have made jokes about it, without applauding the disaster. Usually this i believe is called something like "Gallows Humor", or "Black Humor".

Edited September 24, 2007 by ColPyat

[ashacat]

Not everybody has to throw around with cheesy Americanisms

No idea what you mean here.

Not just in Asia people have laughed about this disaster

Does that make it OK then?

made jokes about it...i believe is called something like "Gallows Humor", or "Black Humor

Finding bad taste humour in the way of cheap gags and puns following a sad event such as this (see the Pavarotti and Steve Irwin jokes that have been posted on ThaiVisa in the past) is different to laughing at the images of a disaster on the scale of 9/11 unfolding on TV in front of you.

Edited September 24, 2007 by ashacat

[ColPyat]

No idea what you mean here.

Yes, i have realized that.

[mrt273nva]

I see it as a misunderstanding behind the reactions of various cultures to respond to different stimuli. When you hit your "funny bone" on your elbow for example, why do you laugh. You are in pain. Pain is not common to induce laughter but yet you find yourself laughing because there is nothing you can do about it until it goes away.

I find myself laughing in disbelief to situations all the time usually followed by a statement "this is crazy" then a few more giggles in disbelief. It isn't a comical laughter and I don't find the situation to be funny but laughter seems to be the only reaction that is warranted at the time. Further reflection brings about other emotions but the initial shock puts you into laughter.

I find myself laughing in anger at things and people as well. However there is a tone to laughter that can be distinguished as to what kind of emotion is really being represented. It is the follow up reaction to a traumatic event that will reveal the an individuals feelings on the matter.

A large amount of TV posters here are associating laughter with comedy which is the most common form of laughter in most cultures. Have you ever cried because something was so funny? I have. I wasn't sad or in pain but I found myself in tears at a comment or situation that was legitimately funny.

This is a psychological discussion on emotion and reaction to those emotions. I don't doubt that there are sinister people that have inappropriate reactions to horrific events but we are discussing the majority.

[elkangorito]

I see it as a misunderstanding behind the reactions of various cultures to respond to different stimuli. When you hit your "funny bone" on your elbow for example, why do you laugh. You are in pain. Pain is not common to induce laughter but yet you find yourself laughing because there is nothing you can do about it until it goes away.

I find myself laughing in disbelief to situations all the time usually followed by a statement "this is crazy" then a few more giggles in disbelief. It isn't a comical laughter and I don't find the situation to be funny but laughter seems to be the only reaction that is warranted at the time. Further reflection brings about other emotions but the initial shock puts you into laughter.

I find myself laughing in anger at things and people as well. However there is a tone to laughter that can be distinguished as to what kind of emotion is really being represented. It is the follow up reaction to a traumatic event that will reveal the an individuals feelings on the matter.

A large amount of TV posters here are associating laughter with comedy which is the most common form of laughter in most cultures. Have you ever cried because something was so funny? I have. I wasn't sad or in pain but I found myself in tears at a comment or situation that was legitimately funny.

This is a psychological discussion on emotion and reaction to those emotions. I don't doubt that there are sinister people that have inappropriate reactions to horrific events but we are discussing the majority.

I'll bet that you confuse the hel_l out of people with all of your 'reverse' emotional reactions. Also, when I hit my 'funny bone', I don't laugh as I am usually in some pain. You are probably the only person in the cosmos who laughs when you hit your 'funny bone'.

I suggest, in this land of 1 000 001 rules for behaviour, that 1 tiny extra rule be added (since rules are so well loved & adhered to)..."don't laugh at tragic events."

Edited September 24, 2007 by elkangorito

[mrt273nva]

I see it as a misunderstanding behind the reactions of various cultures to respond to different stimuli. When you hit your "funny bone" on your elbow for example, why do you laugh. You are in pain. Pain is not common to induce laughter but yet you find yourself laughing because there is nothing you can do about it until it goes away.

I find myself laughing in disbelief to situations all the time usually followed by a statement "this is crazy" then a few more giggles in disbelief. It isn't a comical laughter and I don't find the situation to be funny but laughter seems to be the only reaction that is warranted at the time. Further reflection brings about other emotions but the initial shock puts you into laughter.

I find myself laughing in anger at things and people as well. However there is a tone to laughter that can be distinguished as to what kind of emotion is really being represented. It is the follow up reaction to a traumatic event that will reveal the an individuals feelings on the matter.

A large amount of TV posters here are associating laughter with comedy which is the most common form of laughter in most cultures. Have you ever cried because something was so funny? I have. I wasn't sad or in pain but I found myself in tears at a comment or situation that was legitimately funny.

This is a psychological discussion on emotion and reaction to those emotions. I don't doubt that there are sinister people that have inappropriate reactions to horrific events but we are discussing the majority.

I'll bet that you confuse the hel_l out of people with all of your 'reverse' emotional reactions. Also, when I hit my 'funny bone', I don't laugh as I am usually in some pain. You are probably the only person in the cosmos who laughs when you hit your 'funny bone'.

I suggest, in this land of 1 000 001 rules for behaviour, that 1 tiny extra rule be added (since rules are so well loved & adhered to)..."don't laugh at tragic events."

i agree. Tragic events should not provoke comical laughter. What you are saying is that people can't have first reactions. That is impossible. A tragic event is not comical but it still my produce laughter as an emotional reaction. You are still confusing laughter with comedy.

[sbk]

Unnecessary and insulting posts have been deleted. Lets keep this civil or warnings will be handed out

[KhaoNiaw]

I find myself laughing in disbelief to situations all the time usually followed by a statement "this is crazy" then a few more giggles in disbelief. It isn't a comical laughter and I don't find the situation to be funny but laughter seems to be the only reaction that is warranted at the time. Further reflection brings about other emotions but the initial shock puts you into laughter.

I can certainly relate to 'laughing in disbelief' at something like 9/11, especially when you're just watching it on TV and have no personal connection.

[popshirt]

The Thais' just haven't evolved as quickly as the rest of the world with regards to many things and I think comedy is one of them. The culture here is so insular, most Thai don't know any famous foreign stars by name and wouldn't know good comedy if it bit them in the ass.

How many Thai's tell jokes? Not many if you think about it.

The comedy of screaming shouting falling down and men dressing up like women is infantile at best and when I see people laughing at it, I am just happy they enjoy it but still look at their development as being a little backward and this is due in no small part to the government putting so much of this crap on the TV to keep the avergae person where they want them. They don't want them to know much about the outside world or develop themselves because then they would stand a chance of becoming educated to a decent standard and pose a threat to the richie riches'. How many times have you seen a big international story on the web and no mention on the Thai TV?

I like some of the people here, but I pity them and all kids that will have to grow up here watching the crap on TV. Too much silly stuff, not nearly enough serious programmes.

I was amazed last week as my closest Thai friend who is a recent graduate of Chulalongkorn Univ. with a major in music had never heard of Luciano Pavarotti. He also seems rather ignorant of world politics, even in places like Burma and other Asian countries. He is intelligent, but his education does seem very insular and narrow.

[TAWP]

When Luciano past away I only got blank stares from people when commenting it...no-one had a clue who he was...or 'maybe heard something'.

[popshirt]

Ok time for a personal confession ........... I had stuffed myself at the Oishi buffet and was riding down the escalator with my friend at my side.

I felt the gas buildup and thought I would let it pass as there was no one behind us (I thought) and as I am vegetarian my farts are usually not "kee min". Well this one got out of control and sounded like a trumpet. I heard a belly laugh from behind and it was a Thai woman who had sneaked up on me and of course heard it. I suddenly realized that she was letting me know that she knew that I knew that she had heard it and somehow this did ease my embarrassment at farting in public. I don't think this would happen in the west. I thought it was a lovely reaction.

[wilko]

You'd have got a blank stare off Pavarotti too!

[BFD]

I couldn't believe it when a student of mine farted loudly in class. These are grade eight kids; prime-time for hardcore humiliation. I heard it and looked up, as did most of the students. The girls that sat behind this poor kid just smiled at him and one of them wagged her finger!

It's amazing that this kind of thing would be tantamount to social death in Canada. I wonder what sort of things Thais would find embarrassing are commonplace in the west.

BFD!

[elkangorito]

I couldn't believe it when a student of mine farted loudly in class. These are grade eight kids; prime-time for hardcore humiliation. I heard it and looked up, as did most of the students. The girls that sat behind this poor kid just smiled at him and one of them wagged her finger!

It's amazing that this kind of thing would be tantamount to social death in Canada. I wonder what sort of things Thais would find embarrassing are commonplace in the west.

BFD!

Depending upon the length, sound & odour of the fart, you would be given a medal in Australia. I guess it all depends upon your sense of humour. I must say, a good fart is always a laughable matter in any country, unless surrounded by right wing conservatives.

[ratchabuild]

I couldn't believe it when a student of mine farted loudly in class. These are grade eight kids; prime-time for hardcore humiliation. I heard it and looked up, as did most of the students. The girls that sat behind this poor kid just smiled at him and one of them wagged her finger!

It's amazing that this kind of thing would be tantamount to social death in Canada. I wonder what sort of things Thais would find embarrassing are commonplace in the west.

BFD!

Depending upon the length, sound & odour of the fart, you would be given a medal in Australia. I guess it all depends upon your sense of humour. I must say, a good fart is always a laughable matter in any country, unless surrounded by right wing conservatives.

I read a book a few years ago about a guy who took some disabled kids as crew and made the first boat crossing from one sea to the other across thailand. He was a real hard case who carried a sword and was prepared to use it and on more than one accasion nearly ran through lots of Thais who queued up to laugh at the disabled Thai kids. The explanation he got from a Thai was that because you get in life what you deserve you can laugh at misfortune because they are getting paid back for what they did in a previous life....Bhuddist teaching. Funnily enough when Thai TV did a piece on the kids and they became media stars the towns along their route lined up to cheer them every inch of the way.

Edited September 25, 2007 by ratchabuild

[endure]

Last Christmas Thai Granny manoeuvred herself in front of 3 of her grandchildren who were sitting on a sofa watching the TV and farted right into their faces

[mark henry]

When my wife joined me here the UK i made the terrible mistake of getting Thai tv for her. Now i must endure the most awful comedy shows and serials imaginable. I can't understand what they are saying but you can tell it's total ****, it really did/does surprise me how simple and child like the programmes are. The wife is rolling around at the sight of some bald fat guy in drag getting a slap on the head! We are currently watching a serial about a "Medusa" woman who does that Thai style look (you know narrowing the eyes and pursing the lips routine) before turning her victims to stone and she simply refuses to die!

[geriatrickid]

Depending upon the length, sound & odour of the fart, you would be given a medal in Australia.

In Australia? ummm, I don't doubt it......

[mrt273nva]

I have the "True" network now. I am glad that my wife now prefers the educational channels (eg. Discovery, NatGeo, etc.) over the silly Thai comedies, but when her friends are visiting the TV gets changed right to the slapstick humor silly sound effects shows. But they don't laugh very much because they know I am making fun of the show the entire time. I verbally try to replicate the sound effects as much as possible while I'm sitting with them. I think deep down they know it is quite ridiculous but they just need someone to point it out to them in a comical way. I love to ask them "what are they talking about"? They respond "They talk about joking". AAAAAAhhhhhhhh