Summary: Have pulled out Arthur Koestler's analyses of various acts of creation. In his view the creations of humor, the arts and sciences as well, are acts of paradigm shift; each is an act of creation, involving the juxtaposition of frames of reference hitherto NOT on speaking terms.
Arthur Koestler was, in his time, a famous counter-revolutionary, philosopher and novelist. You may have read, for example, Darkness at Noon. But have you read The Act of Creation? To me, reading it gave depth to my understanding of the word as well as the psychology of acts of "creativity". In the book he moves the reader from one major area of human activity to the next, from Art to Sociology to Mathematics. He starts, however, with humor, using humor to introduce his basic ideas of creativity to his readers; in between chuckles we read the basic outline which will apply to all acts of creation.
Arthur Koestler was, in his time, a famous counter-revolutionary, philosopher and novelist. You may have read, for example, Darkness at Noon. But have you read The Act of Creation? To me, reading it gave depth to my understanding of the word as well as the psychology of acts of "creativity". In the book he moves the reader from one major area of human activity to the next, from Art to Sociology to Mathematics. He starts, however, with humor, using humor to introduce his basic ideas of creativity to his readers; in between chuckles we read the basic outline which will apply to all acts of creation.
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I list, below, several of his examples. See what you think.
- "Two women meet while shopping at the super market in the Bronx. One looks cheerful, the other depressed. The cheerful one inquires: 'What's eating you?' 'Nothing's eating me.' 'Death in the family?' 'No, God forbid!' 'Worried about money?' 'No, nothing like that.' 'Trouble with the kids?' 'Well, if you must know, it's my little Jimmy.' 'What's wrong with him, then?' 'Nothing is wrong. His said he must see a psychiatrist.' 'Pause. 'Well, well, what's wrong with seeing a psychiatrist?' 'Nothing is wrong. The psychiatrist said he's got an Oedipus complex.' 'Pause. 'Well,well, Oedipis or Shmoedipus, I wouldn't worry so long as he's a good boy and loves his mamma.'
- Another: "Chamfort tells a story of a Marquis at the court of Louis XIV who, on entering his wife's boudoir and finding her in the arms of the Bishop, walked calmly to the window and went through the motions of blessing the people in the street. 'What are you doing? cried the anquished wife. 'Monseigneur is performing my functions,' replied the Marquis, 'so I am performing his.'
Try also the "howler's from the exam section at Willie Holmes [a guess] wackywebsite. The juxtaposition of frames (yours and the students') leads to quite a few laughs. (It may also have to do with my years as a teacher).
An example:
"The leopard has black spots which look like round soars on its body. Those who catch soars get leprosy."
