Is a sense of humour important for aspies?

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Surfman
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20 Sep 2010, 4:43 pm

Many times I have heard the importance of a sense of humour.

As aspies, we may need this more than most other people.

I believe that a sense of humour can be developed by trying. I think it is like a muscle. Even if its hard to train at first, things get easier with time, just like any training.

Not only is it good for your health and heart, a sense of humour may assist you in finding love.

Many singles sites list a sense of humour, as desirable in a partner.

Why do aspies have difficulty with a sense of humour? Can this be mitigated?




A guy is flying in a hot air balloon, and he's lost. He lowers himself over a field and calls to a guy "Can you tell me where I am and where
I'm headed?"
>
"Sure. You're at 41 degrees 2 minutes and 14 seconds North, 144 degrees 4 minute and 19 seconds East; you're at an altitude of 762 meters above sea level, and right now you're hovering, but you were on a vector of 234 degrees at 12 meters per second"
>
"Amazing! Thanks! By the way, do you have Asperger's Syndrome?"

"I do! How did you know that?"

"Because everything you said is true, it's much more detail than I need, and you told me in a way that's no use to me at all."
>
"Huh. Are you a clinical psychologist?"

"I am, but how the heck did you know that??"

"You don't know where you are. You don't know where you're going. You got where you are by blowing hot air. You put labels on people after asking a few questions, and you're in exactly the same spot you were 5 minutes ago, but now, somehow, it's my fault!

:P



Fizzgiz
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20 Sep 2010, 4:55 pm

ROFL!! ! :lol: That was great! And yes, a sense of humor is important for all, but especially for those in any challenging situation. If I couldn't laugh at myself, I don't know where I'd be mentally. :D



sandra3
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20 Sep 2010, 5:24 pm

Being able to smile and laugh does make me feel good and I can do both even though it can be hard , I do have bursts of pure joy.



CockneyRebel
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20 Sep 2010, 5:53 pm

I think that it's good that I can joke, and laugh about my problems. I think that it's really important, for us to have a sense of humour about ourselves. If I didn't have a sense of humour, I'd be very depressed and suicidal.


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azbluesgal
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20 Sep 2010, 6:00 pm

Good endorphin release...nothing like a quick chuckle to buck up a already pretty good day. got 4 major "unpleasant" tasks done (the last being a new hot water heater, ouch!). keep em coming. we need all the laughs we can get. Zig :lol:



schleppenheimer
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20 Sep 2010, 8:46 pm

I think a good sense of humor is possibly THE MOST important thing for Aspies to learn. I know it's not easy, but I've seen it help my oldest immensely. It's a really hard thing to teach, though. Why is something funny? (by the way, the OP's joke was HILARIOUS!! !)

My youngest, who's more definitely on the spectrum than my oldest, wants so badly to be funny, but rarely hits the mark. So, we are trying to take him to comedy shows (ComedySportz) as often as we can, and watch appropriate stuff on the Comedy Channel. I figure, he's only 14 -- we've got time to hone his skills. He is funny sometimes, and when he is, he's REALLY funny. But man, it's hard to figure out a formula for funny. I wish I could break it down so that we could study "funny" like you can study "social studies."



jmnixon95
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20 Sep 2010, 10:01 pm

It's really important to me, but I can't speak for all of us.



bee33
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20 Sep 2010, 10:06 pm

I think a sense of humor is one of those spontaneous things. Somebody says something and a comeback line just comes to you. (Not that they come to me very often.) It's not an easy thing to actually learn.



buryuntime
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20 Sep 2010, 10:13 pm

I don't think humour is something to be trained. If you're trying, you're probably not being funny. I like typical internet humour, really silly humour, and word play. When I was younger I was often sarcastic but it makes me feel unpleasant now so I'm not sarcastic as often.



nick007
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20 Sep 2010, 10:44 pm

A sense of humor is very important to me. One of my main obsessions rite now is comedy music & I'm also a huge Family Guy fan


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Surfman
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21 Sep 2010, 12:03 am

bee33 wrote:
I think a sense of humor is one of those spontaneous things. Somebody says something and a comeback line just comes to you. (Not that they come to me very often.) It's not an easy thing to actually learn.


I dunno. Just because no one has found a way to train oneself for humour, doesnt mean its not possible.

I'm a big believer in the power of our unconscious or sub conscious, I'm not sure exactly what I mean here. If one realises the importance of something, or really wants something, often they will find a way to get it. Could depend on how strong that want is, as well as ones abilities, pertaining to that want.

If enough importance is assigned to humour, it climbs the list of wants or needs, and resides with financial security, finding a spouse, keeping healthy, eating well, finishing college, etc etc

But I DO believe it can be developed, just like muscle training.



aspiegirl2
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21 Sep 2010, 12:09 am

I think that a sense of humor is very important. I don't think I would have gotten by without being able to at least laugh at something. I don't know what it is, but I have this innate ability to make others laugh. It's almost addicting to make others laugh, and I love laughing myself. I like laughing at ridiculousness, and I love making puns! lol


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liveandletdie
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21 Sep 2010, 12:14 am

Sense of humor is subjective...what one person see's as funny another will not...

Though you might not be funny to one person, you might be funny to another.

You can probably pick out some people who are funny to you, while there are probably some people in your life who attempt to be funny but it goes right over your head because you didn't think it was funny- so much so that you didn't even realize it was a joke. (Happens to me atleast)

Obtaining a sense of humor about things/people is how you think...I don't believe you can change the way in which you think.

Laughing about your life situations is more of a humility thing...that can be learned.


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Surfman
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21 Sep 2010, 12:41 am

liveandletdie wrote:
Sense of humor is subjective...what one person see's as funny another will not...

Though you might not be funny to one person, you might be funny to another.

You can probably pick out some people who are funny to you, while there are probably some people in your life who attempt to be funny but it goes right over your head because you didn't think it was funny- so much so that you didn't even realize it was a joke. (Happens to me atleast)

Obtaining a sense of humor about things/people is how you think...I don't believe you can change the way in which you think.

Laughing about your life situations is more of a humility thing...that can be learned.


I still disagree. The above seems to be a contradiction to me. If one can learn to laugh at oneself, surely being able to laugh at others and life in general should be just as possible, if not easier?

Could 'being funny' be different from a sense of humour? One could have a strong sense of humour, but not be outgoing, nor appear funny at all.

A sense of humour is a personal thing, that radiates from within. I think it resides in the heart, figuratively speaking

Being funny is a doing thing, I dont consider it as important as a 'sense of humour', unless your an extrovert.



buryuntime
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21 Sep 2010, 12:45 am

What is funny though? Why does one laugh?



liveandletdie
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21 Sep 2010, 12:54 am

lol...didn't read the joke til now ha..good one =)


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