Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!convex!killer!ames!vsi1!apple!voder!blia!blic!inspect
From: inspect@blic.BLI.COM (Mfg Inspection)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Artificial intelligence and laughter
Summary: joni
Keywords: laughter, tears, empathy, crocodile tears, remorse
Message-ID: <674@blic.BLI.COM>
Date: 3 Nov 88 16:14:41 GMT
References: <448@soleil.UUCP> <1620@hp-sdd.HP.COM> <5220@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> <41489@linus.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Britton Lee, Los Gatos, CA
Lines: 24

In article <41489@linus.UUCP>, bwk@mitre-bedford.ARPA (Barry W. Kort) writes:
 
> I think the teenage males consider crying the excepted behavior
> and laughing the accepted behavior.  But some of us take exception
> to accepted norms.
> 
> --Barry Kort

Exactly!
In much of Western culture (society) males are expected not to cry under any
but the most dire circumstances.  The need for emotional release is there, so
laughter is used to defuse the emotions.

In Japanese culture (society) emotional constraint is an ideal and it is a
bit disconcerting for a Westerner to see a Japanese person laugh in a situ-
ation lending itself more to tears.  I saw my (long ago) Japanese boyfriend
laugh  when laughter seemed quite inappropriate, but I understood. I laughed
when a friend broke my foot.  The pain was intense, but we were in a social
situation and I did not want to cry. 

I think Joni Mitchell expressed it well in one of her songs, when she sang,
"laughter and crying, you know it's the same release"

- Jennifer