Sense of humour ?

[Blargh]

Just as I was-a-replying to certain attempts to chew me up on another thread, it occured to me that there just might be something in general about diving and humour, so I went and dug out something out of the trash can...

What follows is an extract from an email that landed recently into my (e)mailbox. Said email was penned by [author censored] in reply to *that* "DIR joke" , which has already been posted here on the scubaboard as well....

It may be humour but it implies a criticism. I have got to put a couple of thoughts on the wall:
· DIR is a framework, a tool,
- it helps you ask better questions;
- it helps you to go to (and solve) the nuclear causes of diving related problems (dangers, useless expenditures, et cetera);
- it helps you to improve your skills and diving philosophy, the way one see things around, a better (healthier) buddy and, above all,
* it is open for discussion, improvements and
evolution.

Many critics see DIR as a kind of neo-fascist lobby with cadaver discipline. This is so because many divers
· dont know why they dive;
· dont get the idea on the usefullness of a formal protocole for uw-operations;
· dont know there cannt be any evolution without the formalization of protocoles (this is a very important factor, indeed).

Serious work is always carried out through formalized frameworks.Picasso could go the way he wanted to paint something, apparently in a chaotic way, BUT his oil-colours were scientifically ordered and mixed up after exact recepis.

etc.. you get the drift. Now... that reply up there, while factually correct, and the responses I've seen here recently made me think that, by and large, the diving community is completely devoid of a sense of humour. Please discuss.

Incidentally, for some bizarre reason, most frequent posters on this board seem to lack the humour-impairedness genome. Could that be because people with a sense of humour are more prone to socialising? Please discuss.

Finally... combining the two from above together, can we conclude that the good folks on scubaboard are non-typical, abnormal even, divers with a sense of humour ? Please discuss.

I'll go and hide in a cave while the storm blows over......

[jbd]

I'm confused by "Please discuss" #1; however that is a natural state of affairs for me. On other boards people seem to have a humourless outlook unless you are specifically in line with their thinking.

As for "Please discuss" #2 we may well resemble that statement. We like to socialize and have fun and even invite others to go diving with us which means we have to be nice or someone may execute the Warhammer Manuever or use that Walter technique(something about using a knife and CO2 inflator)

For "Please discuss" #3 What can I say other than we are the best, impaired, abnormal, fun loving bunch that can be found in,under and above the water.

[joewr]

(Erin go) Blargh,

I am not clever enough or humorous enough to answer your questions, but could it be that like the Grinch, their hearts are 3 sizes too small?

Or, maybe the answer is less cosmological than that: They have been taking Lomatil pills daily thinking that they were multi-vitamins?

Or maybe they never heard that even though we are talking about serious stuff, we really do not need to take ourselves so seriously.

As I am fond of writing, "Incoming, duck!"

Joewr (the sage regulator)

[Heads Up]

Basically I HAVE to have a sense of humour. For me (and I suspect a lot of fellow members) I dive for fun - it is NOT a way of life. Diving is something I do for enjoyment and half the fun is derived from the surface interval socialisation aspect. I don't get wet as often as I like yet I frequent this board often. I have made tons of friends through chatting here as well as on the dive boat journeys to and from dive sites.

Also, my diving techniques are NOT perfect. In my club I am known as "Billy no weights" due to my persistent habit of striding into the water, trying (unsuccessfully) to submerge only to discover that my intergral weights are still on board the boat. If I took my diving too seriously, I would no longer be doing it. Instead, I take alot of stick, gather my weights and off I go.

If you lose your sense of humour (IMHO) you are not diving for fun anymore.

[mlove]

Blargh,
Humour is somthing that should be spontaneous, if you are to analytical you can not be spontaneous. That was alot of words.
Mike

[Greg G.]

I would disagree with all 3 of your conclusions. I've learned not to respond to the anal rantings of DIR types. I've long since put it on the same level as arguments over PADI v NAUI v SSI, et al. IOW, it's a waste of time. I've already said more than I care to about that. Just ignore them and continue to post as much humor as you like.

Boils down to an old saying - "F*** 'em if they can't take a joke!"

[Kane(adian)]

Blargh, the original reply that you posted was dealing with DIR and I think that you have generalized all divers as this type of person, no offence, that just how I read it.

DIR types are the extremists of diving, or so I have read it. They want a system that everyone they will dive with will be familiar with. I think that it is a matter of universality, so that your buddy knows your equipment just as good as you know his and your own.

As for non-DIR types, we sometimes make fun of DIR, for there 'extremist' views, and they sometimes blast us, for what I would call not being serious enough, or not being professional enough.

DIR is a system, some disagree with it, some live it, and others are partial converts. They do tend to be serious though, and sometimes blast us, but that is just because we are on opposite sides of the tracks.

Most of us on Scubaboard are a fun loving group, who are waiting for gills, and I have never seen a sign that said 'check your sense of humor at the door'. I think that I have one, although I am not sure whether anyone else would agree.

Canuck

[keralucu]

Blargh - most of us frequent posters on this forum are as you say, lacking in the humour-impairedness gene, atypical, abnormal (but what's normal anyway?) and are completely certifiable! And that's why we're all here because we love to laugh, mainly dive for fun and like to have lots of laughs talking about fun diving, not to mention socialising.

Never lose your sense of humour...

[joewr]

your sense of humor!

Joewr

[DameDykker]

I just geuess we have our own special standard

DSAO