What's so funny?

                If we were to categorize all Youtube videos, I think the vast majority of those videos would be entitled along the lines of, ”epic fails,” or “fail compilations.” It seems that there is something about watching other people’s misfortunes or failures that make people entertained and laugh.  But why do we laugh when someone falls off a bike and hurts themselves, why do we laugh when someone trips and falls flat on their face.  We are laughing at other people’s suffering and embarrassment. Is that a good thing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biz_tniY9x0

                We watched a Keeton film today in class and we laughed at his misfortune.  We laughed as he helplessly twirled around in circles on the boat.  But also we learned in class today that there must be a downfall to have a laugh.  Something has to go wrong in order for it to be funny.  So I guess that’s why we laugh at the Youtube videos of other people failing.  That’s why it was funny to see Keeton twirling around in circles; because they were messing up, they had their own little downfall.  The bicyclist thought he could make the jump, but he couldn’t, the car driver thought he could run a red light, but not safely.  In each fail, the person thought he could do something and that was his downfall. That’s what makes it so funny.