SPEECH 1: HUMOUR

Who here has smiled today? I encourage everyone to smile just for a second – before I start my
speech. Today, I am going to talk about humor. Not only the nitty-gritty of it, but also a
demonstration of how humor can be practiced effectively. I’m sure everyone over here has had the
feeling that they can be a stand-up comedian – just by making someone laugh over a silly joke. If not,
then perhaps, I am a bit weird. / Phew guess I’m not as weird as I thought I was.

Let’s begin with a question: What is humor? In bookish terms – it is the capacity to perceive what is
funny, both as a source of entertainment and coping with awkward situations. For example, imagine
me having a conversation:
P1: Hey! How are you?
P2: I’m good. What about you?
P1: I’m doing just fine….
Now, imagine there to be awkward silence between both the people….
P2: Oh yeah fun fact.. My IQ test results came back. They were negative.
P1: Hahaha [Awkward laugh]

Concluding that example, we realize that humor can build up the awkward tension in a social setting
if practiced unsafely.

Now, I’ll talk a bit more psychologically. The science behind humor. Although, humor in itself is a
light-hearted topic; the science behind is not as much. Diving deep, we can understand that humor
has allowed human beings, since a very long time, to interact with one another and build social
relationships. Theories on humor have come up with key findings such as – that it relieves tension,
reduces stress, and releases feel good hormones. Philosophers such as the passionate Plato, and the
ever so famous Aristotle, criticized humor. In fact, they believed it to be an emotion that “overrides
self-control.” I suppose such findings can be explained with their lack of interpersonal social
interactions with other human beings – aka having friends. In the 18th century, Sigmund Freund held
that laughter helps release “nervous energy”. When the punch line comes, the energy being
expended to suppress inappropriate emotions, such as hostility, is no longer needed and is released
as laughter. In the modern world, research shows that laughter is bound to happen in a social setting
filled with people. Furthermore, humorous people are perceived as creative, emotionally intelligent
as well as extroverts. Which explains, what I am not.

Another form of humour is surprisingly self – depreciating humor. Not only is it very common
nowadays, but also extremely hilarious to some people. Science believes that the ability to relate
with another person while having a laugh about their “dire need of help state” acts as a recipe for a
form of magic – known as humour.

Now that I am done with the boring, theoretical part of humour, let’s move on to the funny part.
Hope no one cringes over that joke. How do we practice humor effectively? The key to being that
funny person everyone loves, is by understanding the context. As an instance, please do not try
cracking a dark joke at a funeral. I mean that.

No, one should not only build suspense for the punchline, but also change their facial expressions
accordingly. Here is a demonstration:

“I am a vegetarian!”

“Wow! I didn’t know that”

The last thing to remember about humour is that it is perfectly alright if someone doesn’t get it. In
fact, laugh at yourself for creating such a bad joke that even a person on laughing gas had a deadpan
expression. As long as one smiles regularly, and tries improving their broken sense of humour, I’m
pretty sure they will become a hilarious person. Maybe not.

Thank you.