May 10th, 2014

Humor and Wit

Humor is the "recognition and expression of incongruities or peculiarities in a situation or character...it illustrates some fundamental absurdity in human nature or conduct." (Webster's Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition) It often involves an individual or something being observed, frequently involving a visual or nonverbal component, and it is in a playful context. On the other hand, wit is the "quick apprehension and ingenuous and apt expression of the connections or analogous properties between things seemingly unlike." What is the relationship on the differences to creativity? Psychological studies (eg.Tierney, Farmer, and Graen (1999)) utilizing tests involving humor for measuring creativity have found that those who exercised the tasks were more creative than those who were not participants. 
As those in my world can attest, I love to laugh so humorous situations are usually welcome. At the beginning of the year, I decided that with the belief that wit and humor enhances creativity, I will apply these to hone my talents and interests. Wit can have degrees of playfulness (mischief, pranks included)

"Art is like soup. There will be some vegetables you don't like but as long as you get some soup down you, it doesn't matter"
                                                                ~ George Wylle, on modern art~

(Re-posted from my other site dated  Friday, February 18, 2011)