"When Should You Insult Yourself?"

This is another one of those boring articles I found. (Just kidding, actually it is slightly interesting) 'When Should You Insult Yourself?' by John Tierney, found in Putting Ideas in Science to the Test at http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/when-should-you-insult-yourself/#more-353
This article is about when you are able to use self-depricating humor and when you shouldn't. I love this one quote in the article because I think it is too true, "The whole reason to watch a TV show is because it ends, if I wanted a long, boring story with no point to it, I got my life." Basically all this article taks about is when it is healthy to insult yourself and when it is dangerous for you to do so. In one point in the article Tierney writes, 'Would this make you seem more attractive? The answer, according to social scientists at the University of New Mexico, is that it works if your status is high enough.'
Basically, if your self-esteem is high enough and you are popular enough then using self-depricating humor is funny and healthy. Personally I use it a lot, even though I am probably in niether category but, to me at least, making fun of myself is funny and healthy. I think we all need to make fun of ourselves at least a few times a week if not in a day.
Lauren

Effects of humor.

Humor can have positive and negative effects on your states of mind. It could cause emotional revelation, or even utter despair. The combination's of normal and violet humor effects your mind differently. It all depends on your mind set at the time. If you are in a wary state of mind, you humor could be lessened. If you're surroundings are more serious, so could you humor. Things around you, very much effect how you take things on the humorous level. Your environment, who you are with, what you are doing, everything takes part in the process of trying to decipher your humor level, what it takes for your mind to decide if something is funny.

Reactions on a psychological level

There is a certain state in which triggers a reaction, causing laughter. Humor occurs when things are normal, while at the same time there is something wrong. You usually laugh, at the idea of others being caused pain. A lot of humor comes from an emotional "pain" that doesn't hurt. Certain things can trigger the laughter. It all depends on what a person finds funny, at the time. If you are not connected some way to the topic on a psychological aspect, you could either hind it humorous, or not.

The states of humor are three major ones; Playful, Serious, and Bad.

Playful humor consists of cheerful, and hilarious mind sets. Serious consists of earnestness, pensiveness, and soberness. And Bad, consists of Sadness, melancholy, and ill-humor.

Sad or angered might not always work on a humorous level.
If your state of mind, is on the "Fritz" your humor varies. States of mind play a major role, in how humor phases you.