The podcast explores how contemporary comedy has evolved from fostering community connections to creating tension and anxiety in audiences.
A significant theme discussed is the recognition of alienation as an intrinsic aspect of human subjectivity, enriching our understanding of community and socialist politics.
The examination of didactic humor reveals a trend towards reinforcing ideological divides, challenging the spontaneity and shared experience central to genuine laughter.
Deep dives
The Path to Psychoanalysis
The speaker recounts their journey into psychoanalysis, initially pursuing a PhD focused on Charles Dickens’ comedy but feeling disillusioned. A transformative discovery of Elenka Zupancic's book, The Odd One In, shifted their focus toward psychoanalytic theory, especially influenced by the Slovene school. Through connections at the Jan van Eyck Academy in Holland, they encountered key figures like Mladen Dolar, who guided their understanding of Freud, Hegel, and Lacan. This experience shaped their ongoing work, which revolves around blending Marxism with psychoanalytic theory to explore human subjectivity.
Alienation and Subjectivity
The conversation highlights a critical distinction in how the Slovene school views alienation, shifting away from the notion that it must be overcome. Instead, it argues for accepting alienation as an intrinsic aspect of human subjectivity, which is vital for understanding community and socialist politics. This approach allows for a more profound connection among individuals, as it recognizes shared alienation, opening pathways to explore universal themes in social dynamics. The speaker emphasizes that this perspective enables a new, productive way to engage in political discourse and collective action.
Comedy's Evolving Role
The podcast discusses a significant transformation in comedy, particularly how it has shifted from a communal source of laughter to one that often breeds tension and anxiety. The discourse points out how recent trends have led to an anxiety-driven form of comedy, contrasting with past where laughter created community ties. This evolution indicates a societal change where shared laughter, once liberating, now enforces divisions and reflects ideological rifts. The speaker notes that understanding these dynamics is crucial for analyzing contemporary cultural and political landscapes.
Didacticism in Humor
A critical examination of didactic humor reveals its function in reinforcing ideological divides rather than fostering genuine laughter. The discussion identifies a trend where laughter becomes a tool for affirming one's beliefs, removing the spontaneity and shared experience that characterize authentic humor. This change may lead to a perception of humor as increasingly didactic, focusing on 'agreeable' laughter rather than genuine comedic relief. The implications of this shift suggest a need for reevaluating how humor functions both socially and politically.
Comedy as a Reflection of Society
The relationship between comedy and societal change is explored, highlighting how laughter historically serves as a mechanism for processing cultural shifts. The podcast suggests that humor can thrive as a method of social negotiation, where shared experiences facilitate understanding and adaptation to new norms. Examples of comedians who engage in self-deprecating humor demonstrate the potency of laughter in bridging divides and fostering empathy. Ultimately, the speaker advocates for a recognition of the universal human experience embedded within comedy, emphasizing the potential for laughter to unite rather than separate.
Alright, this week Tim is still away and certainly not obsessed with Anomancy a truth procedure which involves reading the folds and wrinkles of someones anus to discover profound insights into health, love, and destiny…he is rather off the wagon only to run someone down and will be back soon.
In the meantime we’re talking to Alfie Bown author of Post-Comedy which is Alfie's latest book in the same series as Mladen Dolar, Alenka Zupancic, Helen Rollins and many others.
We’re talking anxiety, ideology, the form of comedy today, and the ontology of laughter.
We’re getting into the disappearance of the laugh track, cringe comedy, crowd work & platform capitalism, the politics of offence, didactic humour, and how since comedy is surprises, if you're intending to make somebody laugh and they don’t laugh...that’s funny too.
