Is It Narrow Minded or Single Minded?
Laughter decreases stress, increases immune cells and infection fighting antibodies. I imagine this is why standup comedians were such a hit on college campuses in the late 70s and 80s.
If you spend all of your time in person or on social media platforms with people who think just like you do and aren’t willing to think about differing viewpoints, you’re never going to see the world for what it really is. Spending all of your time with people who think just like you do is called being in an echo chamber.
An echo chamber is a hollow enclosure used to produce reverberation. Traditionally called a “chamber reverb” it was a physical enclosure where in the music industry you could achieve a specific sort of sound, think singing in the shower.
When all you do is specifically look at one kind of news and maintain one kind of viewpoint you place yourself in an echo chamber where everyone has the same thoughts and ideas.
Echo chambers are filled with people who think one way.
You feel safe in an echo chamber don’t you?
This is where we get into the deep cultural, social and political division we have in the United States right now.
Conservatives are not allowed to bring a differing opinion to college campuses.
Liberals are very narrow with the topics you are allowed to discuss in their presence.
Comedians are non existant. True comedians.
We’ve lost sensibility.
“I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions.” George Carlin
“It's always something.” Gilda Radner
Comedy lost….
There was an old time sentiment: in polite society you never talk about religion, politics, money or race. These were sacred cows. These were taboo.
When I was a college student it was great fun to go see “standup comedians”, especially when they came to campus. I always thought these guys were far smarter than me because they knew so much about everything, well enough to find a way to make fun and teach at the same time. Comedy in my day took on all the things polite society dictated as taboo. If they didn’t insult or poke fun at every personality in the room, they failed as comedian.
The more irreverent it was the better it was.
George Carlin was a big part of my homeschool. He did so much comedy on all the things polite society dictated as taboo. But in order to find funny something that George Carlin had to say, one had to be well read in religion, politics, money and race.
Think about that a minute.
But not just well read, one also needed to be comfortable in dealing with ideas they’ve never entertained or that make them uncomfortable. This was why I used his comedy in my homeschool. My student needed to look at a bit of history, or read a book that normally wouldn’t be read to “get” the comedy.
My student wanted to “get” that comedy.
Remember the 10 Commandments? George Carlin pared them down to two condensed commandments all the while stabbing at societal taboos. If you’re curious, search on “Why We Don’t Need 10 Commandments, George Carlin, 2001”.
If you don’t know what the 10 Commandments are, or the history behind them, or are appalled that someone would dare make jokes about them, the comedy is lost.
Comedy is a moment in time. That’s all.
One of my favorite sayings:
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
It’s become painfully obvious that American Universities have become bastions of groupthink (the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group that discourages creativity or individual responsibility) and echo chambers where contrary ideas are forbidden. I saw it the few times I visited my Millennial on campus.
I wasn’t one of those parents “helicoptering” around my “little-darling”. College was my Millennials deal and if I was needed, I was invited in. I wrote the checks, had no say, and wanted no say in decisions and that was fine with me.
But.
My Millennial had developed long term goals before we ever set foot on a college campus. I knew those goals were very important and I really didn’t need to worry about the social issues.
While on campus though, some of the flyers I saw posted were shocking.
It’s OK to see and hear things you disagree with. Really.
How you deal with it is what matters.
Hint: A safe space isn’t it. Neither is violence. Neither is silencing any ideas you disagree with.
Have you ever heard the saying “Laughter is the best medicine”?
Laughter decreases stress, increases immune cells and infection fighting antibodies. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, which is what makes you feel good. Endorphins also promote a sense of well-being. I imagine this is why standup comedians were such a hit on college campuses in the late 70s and 80s.
Today many of those comedians we saw probably most likely would not be allowed to perform, certainly because of your social justice warriors (Jive Turkeys) and because you would be required to think divergently. But mainly, I suspect standup comedians are discouraged from college campuses because “they” want you stressed and feeling un-well.
Stressed, un-well people are easier to control.
The desire to smother comedy with a morality cloak has always been around, but in a time where the choke of true censorship has so clearly revealed itself, it is important to remember that all of us have something to say.
If you cannot permit another to speak their point of view, you’re either narrow minded (lacking tolerance, breadth of view, or sympathy; petty) or single minded (only doing things that relate to one activity or interest).
Which word describes you?
Can you honestly say neither word?
A quote I saw somewhere:
“Why don’t the 99% of us who aren’t offended by everything quit catering to the 1% who are.”
If you were born in the 90’s or later, you may not have a clue what I am talking about when I say we had comedians who were well read and had opinions, not an agenda, about current events.
You don’t have the comedians we did who make you think about everyday things differently, politics and current events beyond the popular narrative. Who make you uncomfortable with their ideas or make you rethink a viewpoint. They don’t invite you in to think about current events beyond the pop-culture agenda thrust on us constantly. They just make fun of a subset of people or they promote what’s in the popular culture echo chamber.
If you have realized you’re narrow minded or single minded; or if you were, or are, on a campus where divergent thinking was/is not allowed and safe spaces and violence against divergent thinking is encouraged, let me free you for a moment.
Here is a list of comedians I invite you to search for and listen to bits of their vintage comedy without becoming offended.
Enjoy the endorphins:
Richard Pryor. 1974.
Steven Wright. 1985.
Eddie Murphy. 1980s.
Gilda Radner. 1980s
Billy Crystal. 1980s.
Rodney Dangerfield. 1980s.
Jerry Seinfeld. 1980s.
Lilly Tomlin. 1972.
Tracey Ullman. 1987.
George Carlin - The Ten Commandments - May contain offensive language.