Is humour still humour if nobody gets it?

Question

Like maybe self-depricating humour or perhaps a subtle pun?

Answer 1

Sorry, but I didn't understand your joke.


Seriously, an interesting philosophical question. Is there such a thing as objective humour? Could a joke be funny, even if those who hear it don't happen to get it? Or is the measure of humour based on a consensus of those who experience it? I tend towards the latter. Humour, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, so I don't believe something could be said to be humourous if only a small proportion of people find it so.

Or maybe there's degrees of humour, and everything is humourous to a certain extent. It's only if humour is the primary characteristic that would determine if it's funny. And consider perspective-- slipping on a banana peel is not funny to the person doing the slipping, so humour depends on one's point of view.

Ow. my head hurts. That's not funny.

Answer 2

Well, it would not be considered humour to the majority, and to those that it does-- unextended or limited humour.

Answer 3

it isn't it any more because the only one who get's it is nuts