Anything Can Be Funny

Thanks to Con for choosing to appose me in this debate. I hope this will be a fun way of discussing the question, "what makes something funny?" Clarifications & Definitions The claim goes as follows: Anything Can Be Funny The respective burdens in this debate are split, with each of us needing to prove something. As Con, my opponent must show that there are things which are not funny As Pro, I must show how anything could be funny ************ As evidenced, the key term of this debate is "funny". The Oxford dictionary defines "funny" as: making you laugh; amusing With the burdens and key term now clarified, I will move into my arguments and rebuttals. **************** Arguments: 1. You Can Laugh At Anything The term "funny" is a relative term. The very definition of the word hinges on the statement, "What makes someone laugh?" So... What makes someone laugh? Can anything make someone laugh? If the answer to the former question is "yes", then I MUST be correct. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the Humor Research Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder (HuRL for short). This program is dedicated to the scientific study of humor, its antecedents, and its consequences. HuRL is directed by Dr. Peter McGraw, Associate Professor of Marketing and Psychology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. So how do the people at the Humor Research Lab answer the question "what makes things funny?" Well, they use something called the Benign Violation Theory as their theoretical foundation. Don't worry, its not as confusing as it sounds. The theory builds on work by a linguist, Tom Veatch, and integrates existing humor theories to propose that humor occurs when and only when three conditions are satisfied; that is, something is only "funny" if it can meet these three requirements: (1) a situation is a violation (the situation threatens one"s beliefs about how the world should be) (2) the situation is benign (something makes the situation okay) (3) both perceptions occur simultaneously. Here's a good example: Play fighting and tickling, which produce laughter in humans (and other primates), are benign violations because they are physically threatening, but harmless attacks. Can anything meet these three requirements and be considered funny? Even the slow and painful death of every body in the world's parents? Well, yes. Anything can meet these requirements, because the proven requirements for what makes something funny are all based on one"s own beliefs. Because anyone can believe ANYTHING they want, anything can be funny. It all depends on what you choose to think is a violation and what you choose to consider to be okay. ************ Rebuttals: Pro (Me): Hey, why couldn't little Suzy find her parents? ಠ_ಠ Con: I don't know Dr.1up, why couldn't little Suzy find her parents? (^_^) Me: Because every body in the world's parents died a slow and painful death, that's why! >:D HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... Con: ( ಥـْـِـِـِـْಥ)... Me: ... HAHAHAHAHAHA! Hey, knock knock... Con: Who.. Who's there? ( ಥـْـِـِـِـْಥ) Me: Not little Suzy's parents!!! :3 Con: DANG IT!!! >:{ The End. I rest my case. Whether you found the situation I just provided to amusing or not; the point is, you "can" find it to be funny. Just like you "can" find "anything" to be funny. ************** In closing, I've clarified the definitions of key terms and burdens. I've provided an argument which proves that anything can be funny, and have additionally rebutted the only argument raised by Con. I now return the floor to Con. Thank you :)