Pet peeve: Inappropriate laughter at General Conference

[Vort]

Many General Conference speakers will begin their sermon with a humorous anecdote. A possible unfortunate side effect of this is that many listeners begin to expect humorous stories, and are primed to laugh at whatever is said, however inappropriate the laughter. This is especially noticeable in President Monson's sermons, perhaps because he so often uses jocular language. But I really dislike it.

I remember one recent talk, referenced elsewhere, where President Monson told of a prison warden who worked to help the incarcerated men. Upon hearing that "leopards can't change their spots," President Monson reported his response as, "You should know I don't work with leopards. I work with men. And men change every day."

New flash: There is nothing comical about that. It is a profound insight. Yet, predictably, the audience was yukking it up at President Monson's non-existent hilarity.

Again, I acknowledge that to some extent it's President Monson's own fault, given how often he inserts jokes, humorous comments, or asides to his audience. But I would think a thoughtful listener would actually think about what was said before reflexively laughing aloud at it.

Could be worse, of course. The people laughing at inappropriate moments might instead have skipped General Conference altogether. Better that they're there, possibly learning something, even if they laugh at the wrong time, than that they skip.

I remember sitting in a movie theater watching a scene and laughing out loud at it because of its incongruity. Months or years later, I rewatched the movie and realized that the scene was tense and emotional, not humorous. I commented as much to my wife, who responded, "I wondered why you were laughing about it before." Oh, well. I guess we chuckleheads need to all stick together.

Edited March 4, 2013 by Vort

[Vort]

Whoa, Windseeker, that was totally inappropriate!

[Windseeker]

I'm j/k

I agree with you. Maybe there are more people that are like me, who laugh at people who are laughing at inappropriate moments.

So really it's just one guy at conference who actually laughs at inappropriate times, and the other people that are laughing are laughing at his inappropriate laughter.

..something to consider anyway

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I wouldn't call it a pet peeve, but you know, I remember times during General Conference when I thought, "why are they laughing?" I'm pretty sure I had one of those moments during the exact example you shared.

I guess what I am trying to say is thanks for illuminating me on why that happens.

[Vort]

Just for that, I'm laughing at you, too. So there.

[Vort]

I wouldn't call it a pet peeve, but you know, I remember times during General Conference when I thought, "why are they laughing?" I'm pretty sure I had one of those moments during the exact example you shared.

Watching Priesthood Session on the sly, huh, Parakeet?

[Windseeker]

I'm j/k

I agree with you. Maybe there are more people that are like me, who laugh at people who are laughing at inappropriate moments.

So really it's just one guy at conference who's laughing at inappropriate times, and the other people are laughing at his inappropriate laughter.

..something to consider anyway

[Vort]

I'm j/k

I agree with you. Maybe there are more people that are like me, who laugh at people who are laughing at inappropriate moments.

So really it's just one guy at conference who actually laughs at inappropriate times, and the other people that are laughing are laughing at his inappropriate laughter.

..something to consider anyway

Just for that, I'm laughing at you, too.

[Wingnut]

In the example above, I can see laughter being appropriate if the response was curtailed at "I don't work with leopards." If it were me, I probably still would have chuckled at the end of the full remark, but I wouldn't have full-out laughed.

To clarify, Vort, is your pet peeve laughter during General Conference in general, or just laughter during moments that (you feel, at least) are inappropriate? I'm just trying to understand if you feel laughter is inappropriate at all during those 8 (10) hours.

[jerome1232]

As a completely divergent thought, have you ever watched a movie you have seen way to many times, and caught yourself laughing in anticipation of a funny scene?

I have difficulty staying on a topic sometimes, I had a related it thought but it's gone now, sorry.

[Vort]

To clarify, Vort, is your pet peeve laughter during General Conference in general, or just laughter during moments that (you feel, at least) are inappropriate? I'm just trying to understand if you feel laughter is inappropriate at all during those 8 (10) hours.

No, when someone makes a joke, I think laughter is appropriate. I just wish people would not anticipate a joke and so laugh sort of automatically, when it quickly becomes apparent that it's wrong.

In fact, the whole "laughing at cleverness" thing quickly becomes a game to determine level of sophistication, something absolutely antithetical to what General Conference is about. For this reason, I think it might be wiser for General Conference speakers to tone down on usage of humor, and when they do use humor, to make it broad, obvious, understated, and innocuous.

My wife and I used to go to operas a lot, and occasionally we still do. Operas can be a great deal of fun, but I often notice this same thing at play in operas. Note that most operas are not in English, and most opera-goers (around here) don't speak the language of the opera. So translated supertitles are provided above the stage for the audience's convenience. Sometimes, the situation or the particular words used in a translation suggest some sort of possible humor, when it's clear from context (especially if you do speak the original language) that no humor is intended. Still, people start laughing aloud at how funny the supposedly "clever" remark was -- which in fact was neither funny nor even particularly clever, but sad/irate/profound/desperate/loving/whatever. (In fact, one of the reasons we stopped going to operas -- besides the exorbitant cost and the overabundance of Wagnerian Germanic operas and lack of Mozartian Italian operas -- was the artificiality of much of the audience. Many of them were very evidently there to be seen, and had little interest in the production itself. This tended to lower the enjoyment of the production, much like how watching a movie in a theater full of loudmouth teenagers can significantly lower your enjoyment of the film.)

[Windseeker]

There was a member of the High Council who would visit our ward and it was like watching a comedian on stage. One of our members was highly offended. I personally think he could have toned it down a bit. I think a little bit of humor in a talk is a good thing to keep people listening.

My favorite conference talks don't contain any humor though.

[Guest]

I'm j/k

I agree with you. Maybe there are more people that are like me, who laugh at people who are laughing at inappropriate moments.

So really it's just one guy at conference who's laughing at inappropriate times, and the other people are laughing at his inappropriate laughter.

..something to consider anyway

It's like an inappropriate laughter vortex!

Get it? Vort-ex.

[Vort]

It's like an inappropriate laughter vortex!

Get it? Vort-ex.

Pam, we need a Groan button.

[EarlJibbs]

I get where you are coming from Vort. I thought I was left in the dark on the jokes.

At least President Uchdorf laughs at his own jokes so I know when I should really be laughing.

[NeuroTypical]

Light-minded: Mocking the sacred things of God. Big no-no.

Light-hearted: Good natured humor at our mortal condition and all it's foibles. Critical coping mechanism. Adds spice to life. Expression of joy. Way to share/spread/create happiness.

[Tough Grits]

This past Sunday the 1st counselor in the bishopric stood up during the sacrament meeting to conduct and said something completely boastful and absurd in an attempt at humor...and then some woman sitting in the front pew actually said out loud, loud enough for the whole chapel to hear, "Whatever."

There was laughter and snickers all over the chapel, and the woman immediately covered her mouth with her hand and was appropriately embarrassed. Apparently she didn't intend to have a loud "blurt out" in the chapel.

I am sure I don't even know who that woman was , but I am sure she didn't mean to have a "blurt out" moment, nor did she mean to cause anybody to lose the Spirit. It was just a thought bubble that accidentally had the volume turned on. It happens.

[Anddenex]

OK, I am seriously confused. I thought Vort was being serious, however with all the "Laughed Out Loud" button clicks...I am thinking may be he was joking....

If he was serious, in connection with all the "Laughed Out Loud" button clicks, I am thinking this is the best irony I have come across.

Was this serious or do we "chuckle heads" need to stick together?

By the way, I am being serious.

[annewandering]

I thought the leopard remark was humorous. I think it was intended to use a bit of humor to make a serious point. Whats wrong with humor anyway? People tend to remember something like that more so than a serious comment. Probably because it hits an emotional cord and with the leopard it hits humorous and touching cords at the same time. Two makes it twice as memorable.

Vort, you remember it specifically because people thought it was funny. It tweaked the resonance of the message and the anger at it seemingly being diminished by the laughter.

Somehow I feel quite sure Pres. Monson knew it would garner a few laughs. He seems to have a good sense of humor.

[Vort]

OK, I am seriously confused. I thought Vort was being serious, however with all the "Laughed Out Loud" button clicks...I am thinking may be he was joking....

If he was serious, in connection with all the "Laughed Out Loud" button clicks, I am thinking this is the best irony I have come across.

Was this serious or do we "chuckle heads" need to stick together?

By the way, I am being serious.

I was completely serious in my OP.

No, seriously. I was. Really. I'm not kidding.

Quit laughing.

PAAAAAAMMMMM!!!! MAKE THEM STOP LAUGHING!!!!

[BenRaines]

My Pet Peeve are those who think the Testimony time on Fast Sunday is to practice their Stand Up routine.

It is a time for sharing testimonies. Not your latest jokes.

Ben Raines

[Vort]

One use of humor that I admit I really appreciated was in Elder Christofferson's most recent Priesthood Session talk, where he was talking about young men failing in school and generally not living up anywhere near their potential. He gave an example of spending vast amounts of time in online gaming, "ironically being of the world but not in the world." The laughter was delayed by at least five seconds, as people realized his meaning and thought, "Did he really just say that?" Very funny moment.

[prisonchaplain]

President Monson told of a prison warden who worked to help the incarcerated men. Upon hearing that "leopards can't change their spots," President Monson reported his response as, "You should know I don't work with leopards. I work with men. And men change every day."

New flash: There is nothing comical about that. It is a profound insight. Yet, predictably, the audience was yukking it up at President Monson's non-existent hilarity.

Okay, this is not a knee-slapping joke, but it is mildly humorous. President Monson took the warden's pat cliche and responded dead-pan that it was irrelevent. In picturing the scene, it's easy to chuckle. Again, the Warden though he'd delivered a font of wisdom with his tired stanza, and the response was something akin to the little boy saying "The Emporer has no clothes." Imagine the look on the Warden's face...I could see some people chuckling at the thought.

I wonder how President Monson felt about the reaction.

[Vort]

One use of humor that I admit I really appreciated was in Elder Christofferson's most recent Priesthood Session talk, where he was talking about young men failing in school and generally not living up anywhere near their potential. He gave an example of spending vast amounts of time in online gaming, "ironically being of the world while not being in the world." The laughter was delayed by at least five seconds, as people realized his meaning and thought, "Did he really just say that?" Very funny moment.

[Wingnut]

OK, I am seriously confused. I thought Vort was being serious, however with all the "Laughed Out Loud" button clicks...I am thinking may be he was joking....

If he was serious, in connection with all the "Laughed Out Loud" button clicks, I am thinking this is the best irony I have come across.

Was this serious or do we "chuckle heads" need to stick together?

By the way, I am being serious.

Either people are laughing at the OP just to get on Vort's nerves (wouldn't surprise me...lol) or they're laughing at just the "chuckle heads" comment. It's my experience that our thank/laugh reactions usually associate most closely with the last thing we read in a post, instead of the post overall. There are times when I want to laugh at a post, but then the last comment is something serious or depressing, and I find myself thinking it would be inappropriate to laugh at the bulk of the comments when the hanging remarks don't merit it.

People tend to remember something like that more so than a serious comment.

I think it depends on the person.

Vort, you remember it specifically because people thought it was funny.

Okay, fair point...lol.