this is random.

[Smooch]

I remember reading somewhere that INTP's find subtle humor funny, the kind that tends to fly over most people's heads, and obvious things that others find funny are less funny to us.

When I was a kid, I remember I pretended to laugh at things I didn't really think were funny...because I noticed other kids laughing. I probably just wanted to fit in.

I also remember that I used to color things their "wrong color" cause I saw other kids doing it. Even though I knew what the "right" color was. I sometimes did things below my skill level on purpose. *is embarrassed*

did any of you do this? Or something similar? And why?

 

[MissQuote]

I remember laughing about stuff that made no sense to me, because others were laughing about it, but then having people call me on it and demand that I explain that I knew what the joke was (which I refused to do on principle whether I knew or not). Maybe I was laughing too hard or something, maybe the joke was on me and it weirded people out that I laughed too. Not sure.

 

[Smooch]

I have done that before too :/

 

[xbox]

I saw a movie once where a penguin was choking for about half an hour (it was animated!) and I couldn't stop laughing. This freaked my parents out. :/

I notice I do laugh at weird things.. I guess I found everything else boring.

 

[Cavallier]

^I think a lot of people freak out a little too much when their kid responds out of the norm. Some parents are too wrapped up in making sure their kid is normal.

I often laugh during inappropriate moments in films. For example: I laughed when a character failed to save a drowning boy in a film (it was fiction) because the way the character reacted to not saving the child was so incredibly self centered that I thought it was hilariously absurd. I've yet to find anybody else that thought that moment was funny.

I generally don't laugh when I don't understand a joke. I just ask what's going on. That sometimes irritates people though so I often go with keeping quiet.

 

[tearingmeapart]

I do instinctively laugh sometimes even before I realized whether or not it was funny. I can only guess that I molded such a reaction myself to conform to some social behaviors. At less reserved times I tend to laugh at things for way too long and find them way too hilarious. I quote my friend "Edwin takes something small and he blows it up..." Then I find everyone else around me laughing along with my excess laughter.

 

[pjoa09]

a lot.

I struggle to get over jokes that I make up for myself.

 

[Particle]

Heck, I still do it. Mimicking what others around me are doing is a social survival skill. On my own, I don't really know when I am expected to express most emotions that Es and Fs naturally do other than the stuff I can recognize by pattern or the even smaller set of circumstances under which I do feel like expressing some emotional state.

As for subtle humor, sure. When I was young and in 2nd grade, I thought I'd pulled the most hilarious prank in human history. I had placed one of the volumes of my parents' Worldbook Encyclopedia that I'd had at school for ages in the desk of a classmate. More than once it was asked of the class if anyone knew whose book it was since it wasn't the property of the student who was in possession. I knew of course, but I never said anything.

That situation was for some reason absolutely hilarious to me, which became apparent to everyone at the end of the year when I couldn't suppress my extreme desire to smile with contentment during one last poll of the class as to the book's owner. The teacher, looking around, saw blank stares from everyone except for myself--I probably stood out like a clown at a funeral. She asked me if I knew anything at which point I revealed the book was mine. I was at that point laughing, but nobody around me knew why.

Of course I didn't realize it then, but that was an early sign that I was going to be different than most people.

 

[Smooch]

Now that I think about it, perhaps this stems off the mirroring skill we INTPs tend to use in social situations?

 

[Trebuchet]

When I was a kid, I remember I pretended to laugh at things I didn't really think were funny...because I noticed other kids laughing. I probably just wanted to fit in.

I also remember that I used to color things their "wrong color" cause I saw other kids doing it. Even though I knew what the "right" color was. I sometimes did things below my skill level on purpose. *is embarrassed*

did any of you do this? Or something similar? And why?

Oh, yes! I developed the most convincing junior high school girl giggle. I practiced it in the mirror until it was perfect, and then I would just do it by reflex whenever the other girls started in. (I can still do it, too.)

I also pretended to be less intelligent, knowledgable, and competent than I was, in hopes people would like me more. I think it did get me a little more tolerance, but it didn't produce friends or happiness.

Giving into peer pressure is part of life. If you care too much about what people think, you can't be effective or be yourself. If you care too little about what people think, you can't get along in the world. Finding that balance is not easy, and takes some trial and error.

Edit: "The Men Who Stare at Goats" was funny, and subtle. "Ghostbusters" was funny, and not subtle. INTPs can appreciate both. If we don't find it funny, maybe it isn't.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

I saw a movie once where a penguin was choking for about half an hour (it was animated!) and I couldn't stop laughing. This freaked my parents out. :/

I notice I do laugh at weird things.. I guess I found everything else boring.

Hahahah, the image I had in my head of an animated penguin choking for about half an hour made me laugh out loud as well. I just imagined pingu...

But yeah, I definitely recognize this. I often did and still do stuff below my skill level. I always said I didn't know who the president of the U.S. was when my parents asked me (I live in Europe.), while I was always secretly following the news with them. I knew it was president Clinton at the time. I knew about most of the stuff that was going on in the world around age 6. I just thought it was inappropriate for a kid to know that kind of stuff so I pretended I had no idea about anything.

I still hold back in explaining interesting details to others because they find it annoying. I love impersonating people and doing different kinds of voices, which also kind of creeps people out.

The amount of I's in this post is making me feel uncomfortable :I

 

[Hadoblado]

That thing where you remember something that you found funny the other day and start laughing and everyone looks at you and your unprovoked goofy smile...



priceless.

I deliberately try and set myself up for a like situation by downloading funny pics I see to random areas on my computer. In the midst of my frustration trying to get some shit working I'll find something hilarious and improve my mood substantially.

I have been guilty of laughing at jokes i did not understand, then one time by chance a friend made a joke and I explained truthfully that I did not understand. He grinned knowingly and explained that this was good as there was actually zero content, and I had just passed some sort of conformity test. I didn't tell him it was a one off...

 

[Smooch]

The amount of I's in this post is making me feel uncomfortable :I

haha don't be, we all do that sometimes

 

[Smooch]

That thing where you remember something that you found funny the other day and start laughing and everyone looks at you and your unprovoked goofy smile...



priceless.

I deliberately try and set myself up for a like situation by downloading funny pics I see to random areas on my computer. In the midst of my frustration trying to get some shit working I'll find something hilarious and improve my mood substantially.

I have been guilty of laughing at jokes i did not understand, then one time by chance a friend made a joke and I explained truthfully that I did not understand. He grinned knowingly and explained that this was good as there was actually zero content, and I had just passed some sort of conformity test. I didn't tell him it was a one off...

You LIKE doing that?! That's good I guess, but I always feel awkward when people catch me doing that.

And what do you mean it was a one off?