Let’s Talk About Humor in Culture
Consider this phrase: “If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much…”
Please, don’t switch off, but please read on. Now ask yourself: is this funny or not? Chances are that it was, or it was not. In other words, it depends. On what? In your culture. Your cultural background determines what you consider funny or not funny. Let me explain.
Britain
Consider this photo below. You probably know this person (Mr. Bean). My question to you is: how would you 
characterize the British sense of humor? So not per sé the Mr. Bean humor, or your personal humor preference, but the typical British keywords that describe that typical British humor. Chances are that you come up with items like Dry humor; Black humor; Cynical humor; Self-deprecating, etc. Maybe a few more or a few less.
The Netherlands
Now consider the person in the picture on the right. This is a Dutch comedian/presenter 
called Paul de Leeuw. Well known in the Netherlands. Now how would you describe “typical” Dutch humor, should you know any? Here are a few examples: Cynical; Usually over the top, with many or often sexual connotations; and diametrically opposed to British humor making fun of others (whether they’re there or not). There could be more, but let’s leave it at this.
And Finally…
Finally look at our last example on the left: German humor. 
My experience is that most people (including the Germans!) will say or think something like: “they have no humor…” Now is this fundamentally true? Of course not. Germans have a sense of humor, just like everyone else. The only thing is that German humor is considered a serious matter. Humor in Germany has a time and place. These three countries are geographically very close to each other, and yet they all have a very different sense of humor. Considering the three examples just given, and because humor, in general, is something you hopefully experience every day, my question to you is: If humor is already not Culturally neutral, is there anything that is Culturally neutral?
In my humble opinion and experience, there is nothing that is Culturally neutral. Not even humor in culture (nor is retail business, Brexit, football, etc). Read this article to watch a video about humor in culture.
Make sure you also listen to the podcast about humor and cultural differences.
Read an article here about humor and the impact on social media; what do we find funny?
I’m curious to hear your opinion or examples of possibly Culturally neutral examples. I haven’t found them yet…
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I think there are two questions you raise here, Chris, by asking whether humor is culturally neutral or not. We have discussed humor here before, but not in terms of these questions.
The first question, one that would be in the foreground for most interculturalists, is whether or not the humor is likely to offend someone. Political correctness has done a lot to suppress humor by searching out potentially offensive nuances in the name of equality & fair treatment of targeted populations. There is a point here in the sense that, if humor adds to the humiliation and lack of power of a deprived group in a certain social setting, it would seem that refraining from such humor is the humane & ethical thing to do.
There seems to be a different attitude and impact, however, when people, seen pretty much as equals & are able to joke about and kid each other, even when this has ethnic or racial overtones. (This may be more culturally male than female). Richard Hill’s books, (a bit on the Brit side, as you describe it, Chris) “Sharks and Custard,” and, “Have you Heard this One?” are largely in this vein, where Europeans can poke fun at one another along the lines of their stereotypes of each other & enjoy it. This is not to say that one or the other European may not take offense at what another European says in humor, but the relative equality of EU citizens gives them greater latitude in poking fun at each other. This may be situational, though, as it might be in bad taste to tell certain Greek jokes in the current economic crisis, or to attack immigrants & vulnerable minorities.
Humor, however, has also had a leveling effect when those “underneath” use jokes, irony, & parody to attempt to bring down those whom they feel are using their power, wealth, position, practices, etc., to the disadvantage of the general public or of a specific cultural group. Sometimes it seems that humor is the only weapon that people may have. Political cartoons can be good examples of this, or, as in the USA, the large repertoire of lawyer jokes.
Finally, there is self-deprecation in humor which in some cultures is a way of ingratiating oneself with the audience & in other cases may be a group’s way of lightening the pressure or oppression they maybe be feeling. I found it interesting when the Borscht Belt comedians were accused of internalized oppression, for making fun of their own people, by politically correct purists — the purists didn’t stand a chance against the wit of Rodney Dangerfield or Lenny Bruce & company.
These distinctions are fuzzy around the edges, which simply means that joke telling needs a good deal of cultural savvy & awareness of the context in which it is to be used.
The second question, it seems to me, has more to do with the nature of humor itself as a kind of social discourse–its pragmatics, so to speak. Without our embedded cultural conversations about what is right, wrong, beautiful, ugly, etc. etc., humor cannot function. Humor causes a laugh because it strikes an unexpected connection. Our synapses connect and fire with an “Aha!” that results in a “ha ha!”
We all swim in a sea of cultural discourse, some of which we adopt as our own, some of which passes close to us, and some of which we never enter or become aware of, Thus, intended humor may hit home personally, may be recognized in our environment, or totally fail. It all depends on our position in the stream of cultural discourse,
In the video of the joke addressed to the the Dalai Lama was bewildered because the pizzeria and play on words had little or no cultural context for him–not part of his cultural discourse. On the other hand, viewers found the situation of the failed joke hilarious, by recognizing their own experience of having a joke flop & seeing the bewildered look on the face of our listener, or not “getting” a joke ourselves. The scene became funny because we could identify with both the interviewer & the Dalai Lama.
Thanks for your excellent comment and nuances.
If you consider a (there are many) definition of Culture: “The Collective Programming of the Human Mind” then what I’m trying to address is the “General Trend(s) in Society”.
My experience has tought me that from person to person humor transfers easier (but certainly not always: I’m Dutch myself, living in Belgium, and the Belgians hardly every appreciate Dutch humor!).
What “goes” (as a General Trend) in one country often does not “go” in another country though.
Go to ‘Sharks and Custard’ which gives you most of the answers, Chris. The chapter on German humour happens to be the longest in the book. You’ll find this and other books on humour on the http://www.europublications.com website.
Indeed, the Belgians don’t appreciate most Dutch jokes about them beacuse they are, not surprisingly, extremely blunt. My favourite is this one which is evenly balanced and needs a bit of thinking about:
Q. What would happen to the average IQ of the Netherlands and Belgium if the Dutch province of Limburg was transferred to Belgium?
A. The average IQ of both the Netherlands and Belgium would go up.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for your addition.
Also for the joke 🙂
• Depends on how you say it – like most utterences in life! The Finns used to say “Better off in marital union than the Soviet Union! (Parempi avioliitossa kuin Neuvostoliitossa). You can certainly read a lot into that.
I tried to access the europublications website and my webbrowser, Internet Explorer, could not access. Suggestions?
Also, you mention the video of the Dalai Lhama not understanding a joke. Where would I find that?
Thanks,
Hi again, George. Where can I see the video of the Dalai Lama and the joke? Sounds great.
Thanks.
Hi Lucia,
You can find the Dalai Lama video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltzDHTbaI8s