Conservatives Lack Sense of Humor, Study Finds

[Triana]

By Massimo Pigliucci on May 5, 2009 - 12:44pm in Rationally Speaking

I have always thought that conservatives have a much less developed sense of humor than liberals. While it is easy to list a large number of liberal-leaning comedians, for instance, it is hard to come up with more than a handful of conservative ones (and even they, like Dennis Miller, are better characterized as libertarians). This, I think, is because it is difficult to come across as hilarious when you make fun of the poor, minorities and other obvious targets of conservative scorn. Attacking the rich and powerful, on the other hand, is an all time favorite and explains the success of the likes of Jon Stewart.

Then again, in my more sober moments I keep thinking that this can’t be right, and that surely it is simply my bias as a Daily Show regular watcher and leftist coming through loud and clear. Apparently, however, science backs up my admittedly less than neutral political intuition. A recent study published by Heather L. LaMarre, Kristen D. Landreville and Michael A. Beam of Ohio State University in the International Journal of Press/Politics examined how audiences of different political persuasions react to jokes made by Stephen Colbert. The results are quite astounding.

The authors used a respectable sample of 332 individuals, and found that personal political ideology is a good predictor of Colbert’s own political ideology. Here is the kicker: “conservatives were more likely to report that Colbert only pretends to be joking and genuinely meant what he said while liberals were more likely to report that Colbert used satire and was not serious when offering political statements. Conservatism also significantly predicted perceptions that Colbert disliked liberalism.” See? Conservative really do lack a sense of humor!

MORE...

http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/rationally-speaking/200905/conservatives-lack-sense-humor-study-finds

[tularetom]

1. They needed a study to learn that?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Anybody who spends five minutes at FR figures that out.

[Triana]

3. Heck no. That's one of the things that is so amusing about this...

..a study was hardly needed to reach that conclusion.

But I like how he ties it in with the Colbert Report study - HA!

[theoldman]

2. Conservatives think that sarcasm is humor.

First you have to understand what humor is. People laugh at things that are funny, not things that are hateful. Just look at the right wing political cartoons. They are sarcastic, not humorous.

[havocmom]

16. Then think racism is humor (n/t)

[Javaman]

21. yes and no. they are sarcastic but not intentionally.

they are just that way. So therefore, their sarcasm comes across as pure assholi-ness.

[EFerrari]

24. They think torture is a prank, too. Sadistic @ssholes. n/t

[Echo In Light]

4. "Just given ya shit" is very common w/them. When they repeatedly tell you they're "just joking,"

...they're usually not

[Triana]

8. abusive insults disguised as "jokes"

common tactic for thugs and verbal abusers

[havocmom]

17. That is exactly how they handle it when you debunk their crap and they can't respond with facts

'What's the matter? I thought you had a sense of humor.' I put my brother in the penalty box for that one on several occasions.

[TahitiNut]

18. The failure to distinguish between animosity and humor is the mark of a sociopath.

They get pleasure from expressions of antipathy.

[Javaman]

22. or the ever faithful, "I'm just kidding ya, your a good guy". That is the same as:

"no offense, but your ugly...What? I'm trying to help you".

[Lerkfish]

5. file this under..."DUH!"

[ShortnFiery]

6. OMG! They needed "a study" for this?!?

Thanks for stating the bloody obvious. :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t101rO7WuAM&feature=related

[Kalyke]

7. And on the adverse, what most conservatives find funny falls

flat with anyone with half a brain.

[Echo In Light]

9. ..or a sense of conscience if the 'funny' MUST come at another's expense

Another rightward trait.

[ShortnFiery]

11. Also noted that some conservatives believe ==> Stephen Colbert is secretly CONSERVATIVE.

:spray:

That's one hell-of-va secret. ;)

Delusion (Satire is REAL) - another refuge for the GOP

[Triana]

12. that just cracks me up...

...that Ohio Study re: Colbert. Bwah!

If they don't get something as simple as humor or satire (without harboring all sorts of delusions), it's no surprise they can't grok anything else either without getting it all wrong.

[Javaman]

23. or the plight of anothers misfortune.

hence bumfights.

[Fleshdancer]

10. BREAKING NEWS: water is wet

:rofl:

[HughBeaumont]

13. Just watch "An American Carol". There's all the proof you need.

Conservatives couldn't catch humor if it were tied to a whiffle ball.

To paraphrase Orson Welles: They have Van Gogh's ear for humor."

[pansypoo53219]

14. my ditto-head brother thinks he makes humorous coments,

but he hardlly gets the laughs i get. blogging snarkiness helps.

[On the Road]

15. While the Conclusion May Hold Water,

audience reaction to Stephen Colbert is NOT a valid way of measuring a sense of humor in a situation like this. Of course liberals are going to laugh at him and conservatives are not going to be amused. Would have expected from someone who took the effort to conduct a study.

[EC]

19. Steven seemed to be trying to make his standpoint very

clear last night...he was more pointed in his criticism, there shouldn't be any mistaking his point of view last night even to the most dimwit of the right....

[Javaman]

20. that is why there will never be a funny conservative comedian.

all of their jokes come out as gloved attacks or pure racism.

Conservatives don't know:

1) irony

2) sarcasm

3) self depreciating humor.

They also have to have:

1) puns explained to them

2) gently told you were only kidding when they were the butt of the joke

3) told that the Colbert Report is satire.

Me: Take my wife, please!

repuke: why would I do that?

Me: sigh.

[Orsino]

25. So much of humor is based on Misrule...

...the inversion of a status quo. Conservatives, if they stand for anything, stand for the perpetuation of power structures. They're just not going to appreciate as much humor.