Things you really shouldn't laugh at (but do)

[Guest]

I recently saw a story on the BBC site concerning a 6year old boy who was involved in an unfortunate vomiting
incident at the Wales - Australia international -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59372210

For most people the immediate reaction would be sympathy for the child's predicament. Unfortunately my
reaction was to burst out laughing - and for quite a while. I realise that my response was not appropriate,
and I should be ashamed of myself, but I couldn't help it. I suspect that the slightly aggravating Harry Potter
like look of the child didn't help.

Any other examples of inappropriate mirth?

[Serial_Apologist]

I recently saw a story on the BBC site concerning a 6year old boy who was involved in an unfortunate vomiting
incident at the Wales - Australia international -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59372210

For most people the immediate reaction would be sympathy for the child's predicament. Unfortunately my
reaction was to burst out laughing - and for quite a while. I realise that my response was not appropriate,
and I should be ashamed of myself, but I couldn't help it. I suspect that the slightly aggravating Harry Potter
like look of the child didn't help.

Any other examples of inappropriate mirth?

People tripping up in the street - but to be fair I do always laugh at myself if I have a fall or bang my head. It may be that we are hard-wired to laugh at such misfortunes, without really thinking of them as funny, as an involuntary kind of nervous tick. Laughing at someone getting their comeuppance is all right.

Laughing at politicians, such as Boris Johnson when he loses his way when making a speech, especially those who effectively laugh at us by making false promises, is the best form of humiliation, probably more likely to end their reputations than argument. Normally I would not target some disability, but here all is fair game.

[french frank]

Not quite as shameful as yours and more the run-of-the-mill type of example: a couple of days ago the BBC had a clip of a Japanese baby (a few months old) learning how to snowboard, and the moment that the board slipped from under him and he fell flat on his back made me laugh. It should be said, of course, that young babies survive this type of accident much better than adults and he was raised to his feet and carried on.

I recently saw a story on the BBC site concerning a 6year old boy who was involved in an unfortunate vomiting
incident at the Wales - Australia international -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59372210

For most people the immediate reaction would be sympathy for the child's predicament. Unfortunately my
reaction was to burst out laughing - and for quite a while. I realise that my response was not appropriate,
and I should be ashamed of myself, but I couldn't help it. I suspect that the slightly aggravating Harry Potter
like look of the child didn't help.

Any other examples of inappropriate mirth?

[Serial_Apologist]

Not quite as shameful as yours and more the run-of-the-mill type of example: a couple of days ago the BBC had a clip of a Japanese baby (a few months old) learning how to snowboard, and the moment that the board slipped from under him and he fell flat on his back made me laugh. It should be said, of course, that young babies survive this type of accident much better than adults and he was raised to his feet and carried on.

It is strange though how we laugh at physical misfortunes of this kind without scruples - many of the "funny youtube" footage that sometimes gets broadcast, eg of cats failing to make it when leaping. Watch children reacting to Tom when he gets his comeuppance in any Tom & Jerry cartoon. Dawkins will probably say there's some evolutionary mechanism involved. I would never criticise anyone who laughed at me for coming off my bike, which has been known to happen - unless such an accident came at the end of a day of misfortunes, of course! This is when we make amends by apologising (sincerely) and offering any help possible. Which we would do anyway, no?

[Petrushka]

I never could see anything remotely funny in those Candid Camera type programmes on TV that played practical jokes on unwitting members of the public for screening on national television for the rest of the public to find totally hilarious. It all had too much of the schoolboy bully about it and an unsettling humiliation of other people that I found a bit weird. A superiority complex in the laughing masses? Very likely.

I didn't laugh at this story either because in that laughter some of the same factors are in play as the above mentioned TV programmes. the final comment from the OP is very telling: 'I suspect that the slightly aggravating Harry Potter like look of the child didn't help'.

[Serial_Apologist]

I never could see anything remotely funny in those Candid Camera type programmes on TV that played practical jokes on unwitting members of the public for screening on national television for the rest of the public to find totally hilarious. It all had too much of the schoolboy bully about it and an unsettling humiliation of other people that I found a bit weird. A superiority complex in the laughing masses? Very likely.

I didn't laugh at this story either because in that laughter some of the same factors are in play as the above mentioned TV programmes. the final comment from the OP is very telling: 'I suspect that the slightly aggravating Harry Potter like look of the child didn't help'.

I completely overlooked that last line. That's got me thinking... Is this always the case when we laugh when someone trips up? Indeed, to what extent do such tropes or superficial appearance stereotypes determine how we react to others' misfortunes?

[teamsaint]

People tripping up in the street - but to be fair I do always laugh at myself if I have a fall or bang my head. It may be that we are hard-wired to laugh at such misfortunes, without really thinking of them as funny, as an involuntary kind of nervous tick. Laughing at someone getting their comeuppance is all right.

Laughing at politicians, such as Boris Johnson when he loses his way when making a speech, especially those who effectively laugh at us by making false promises, is the best form of humiliation, probably more likely to end their reputations than argument. Normally I would not target some disability, but here all is fair game.

Wandering down Guildford High Street a few years ago with a colleague I found myself sliding quite badly as I took a step, and looked down to see that I had actually managed to slip on a banana skin.

[french frank]

I had actually managed to slip on a banana skin.

That made me laugh! I wonder if there is a brief time lag so that if it's clear that someone has fallen heavily and been hurt, one doesn't laugh?

[Serial_Apologist]

That made me laugh! I wonder if there is a brief time lag so that if it's clear that someone has fallen heavily and been hurt, one doesn't laugh?

Time lag or no time lag, I can testify that in no way does teamsaint bear any resemblance to Harry Potter.

[ardcarp]

those Candid Camera type programmes on TV

Much worse was 'You've Been Framed' where viewers sent in clips of minor catastrophes. I reckon most were put-up jobs. I hasten to add that I only watched it when grandchildren begged to see it. They thought it hilarious despite frequent life-threatening situations involving children, old people and animals. I didn't, but had to humour the g-kids from time to time with a somewhat forced chuckle.

[TBuckley]

I completely overlooked that last line. That's got me thinking... Is this always the case when we laugh when someone trips up? Indeed, to what extent do such tropes or superficial appearance stereotypes determine how we react to others' misfortunes?

I would have laughed whoever it was - it would just be a question of degree. When I first saw the item on the BBC Sport site there was just an image of that child, with his little Owl-like face full of hope and anticipation, together with the headline saying that he had been vomited on during the game. It was in large part the ludicrous contrast between image and headline that set me off - a case of 'you couldn't make it up'. So the child's appearance was certainly a factor in this. The situation did remind me of the sort of thing David Walliams and Matt Lucas might have included in Little Britain.

Although it gave me a good laugh, I did wonder why on earth this was even a news story at all. I've been to many sports events over the years and have seen too many vomiting incidents & worse - to the best of my knowledge none of these events made the news. I think this was an example of the sort of curdled sentimentality/human interest story that the media (print & broadcast) seem to be all too keen on these days.

[Old Grumpy]

I would have laughed whoever it was - it would just be a question of degree. When I first saw the item on the BBC Sport site there was just an image of that child, with his little Owl-like face full of hope and anticipation, together with the headline saying that he had been vomited on during the game. It was in large part the ludicrous contrast between image and headline that set me off - a case of 'you couldn't make it up'. So the child's appearance was certainly a factor in this. The situation did remind me of the sort of thing David Walliams and Matt Lucas might have included in Little Britain.

Although it gave me a good laugh, I did wonder why on earth this was even a news story at all. I've been to many sports events over the years and have seen too many vomiting incidents & worse - to the best of my knowledge none of these events made the news. I think this was an example of the sort of curdled sentimentality/human interest story that the media (print & broadcast) seem to be all too keen on these days.

I blame smartphones and social meeja...

[kernelbogey]

Wandering down Guildford High Street a few years ago with a colleague I found myself sliding quite badly as I took a step, and looked down to see that I had actually managed to slip on a banana skin.

[kernelbogey]

My local paper has the following heading to a story:

Inmates at city Jail getting older

Well, you can see what they really mean....

[french frank]

I would have laughed whoever it was

I didn't laugh at all - a bit taken aback because I misinterpreted "a 6year old boy who was involved in an unfortunate vomiting
incident" as meaning the small boy had been film suddenly throwing up when half way through his burger 'n' icecream. Now if he'd vomited suddenly on a drunken fan …