*Supremacy Theory *

The superiority theory suggests that we find things funny because we feel superior to some aspect of the joke or situation. It explains why there must always be a victim in comedy. For example, when someone trips and falls, we laugh because we feel superior in that moment. Stand-up comedians often use self-deprecating humor for the audience to laugh at their own faults. Comic strips often rely on characters saying silly and dumb things for humor.