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About this quote

What does it mean?
Humor lacks objective standards, yet everyone confidently judges what is funny.
In plain terms
No one agrees on humor standards but everyone thinks they know.
What can you take from it?
Humor is subjective despite confident opinions.

Where it applies

  • entertainment decisions
  • comedy writing
  • criticism

Putting it to work

  • accept diverse humor
  • avoid absolute standards

Questions to consider

  • Is humor ever objective?
  • Why do we judge comedy so confidently?

Another view

Shared cultural contexts create some common humor standards.

More from John Kenneth Galbraith

  1. We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.

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  2. You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does big things badly, does small things badly, too.

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  3. Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite.

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