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Journal Chacham's Journal: Verbiage: Laughing & Appreciating one's own jokes. 11

Journal by Chacham

When i was younger i used to hear "If you can't originate, don't imitate." That never made any sense to me. If they couldn't originate what else would they do? The other addage, "Imitiation is the sincerest form of flattery." is much better. Further, this seems to say that origination allows the person to imitate. But, why would they want to? They can originate!

In modern day mystory (as opposed to history) people find me laughing at my own jokes. I am often derided for this with the malevolent question "Why do you laugh at your own jokes?" It's like it some form of crime to laugh before the other person. I'm telling the joke because i think it's funny! And that is why i'm laughing. If i *didn't* think it was funny, relating it to the other person (and thus wasting his time) would be an insult. And yet, if they don't laugh, neither can i. Make sense, this does not.

So, when it comes to cute comments, i prefer my own. Other people may or may not tickle my fancy, i always do it just right. And, as long as it is far in enough in the past that i don't remember it (i think that's about five seconds) i find it hilarious to re-read those comments.

Thus, whilst searching comments for pre-uid days (only the stories are online, the moderation system is not backwards compatible (see this)) i found this story, in which i made this comment (yeah, recent, but i was on my way :). I find the best part I really must get back to working on my perpetual motion machine. I was so close before, but recently I seem to have lost my bearings. Did *i* really say that? I'm so proud of myself. :) I love a good bad pun.

I wonder how other people deal with their narcissism. Do they share it, or are they content in keeping it to their own, loving self?

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Verbiage: Laughing & Appreciating one's own jokes. More

Verbiage: Laughing & Appreciating one's own jokes.

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  • You don't laugh at your own jokes for the same reason that you don't stutter, and, er, forget what you're doing in the middle of --where was I again, oh yeah--telling the joke.

    A proper joke is delivered, if not deadpan, at least without breaking out into chuckles. The idea is to get the OTHER person to laugh, and if you laugh first, you sort of kill it for them.
  • i laugh at my own jokes often. And i like it when other people can deliver them with a grin. I don't like it when people joke in rapid-fire manner that doean't let me get a word in. But i like it when people know they've got something good on hand- rather than vanity, i think of it as a sort of human touch- we appreciate our good lines because we, of all people, know just how many bad ones we come up with. So we want to share our best, we know it's our best, and that's a good moment for humanity, you know?
    • Why did the elephants paint their toenails red?
      • to hide in cherry tree?
        • Yes! You are the first person to ever have gotten that one! (Thinks about what kind of prize might be appropriate...)
          • been collecting elephant jokes for 20 years. I know all the follow-ups, too...

            i think i deserve to have you rescind all the suggestions offered for Lent penalties. *grin*

            • Hmmm... Still remember that, do you? I don't know, I'd have to discuss that with sillypixie. I'm not sure what she would have to say about it. Besides, what are the odds that you would actually accrue one of those penalties? Not good, I would say. And I would not want to deprive you of any potential motivation. ;-)

        • Re:hey (Score:2)

          by Chacham ( 981 ) *
          But i've bever seen an elephant in a cheery tree!

    • Re:hey (Score:2)

      by Chacham ( 981 ) *
      we appreciate our good lines because we, of all people, know just how many bad ones we come up with

      Thanx. Good point.

      And i think the bearings line is a GREAT line.

      And i appreciate that too.

      Me, i like elephant jokes.

      You must have a trunkful.

      Name that comic. Elephant in a phone boot missing a foot. Tag line "They turned it into a what?"

      In Hebrew, the term for elephant is "peel". The puns almost create themselves. :)

      You know how seldom i get a laugh out of people?

      Tell them to come out of their

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