The Skill of Humor | Andrew Tarvin | TEDxTAMU

Summary

In this humorous and insightful talk, the speaker shares anecdotes about his grandmother's amusing text messages, using them as a springboard to discuss the importance of humor in our lives. He argues that humor is not just a nicety but a necessity that can enhance productivity, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. The speaker, an engineer turned humorist, demonstrates that humor is a skill that can be learned and applied to make work and life more enjoyable, using personal experiences and professional insights.

Takeaways

• 📲 The speaker's grandmother's initial text message was endearingly formal, reflecting her newness to texting.
• 😅 A humorous exchange occurred between the speaker and his grandmother, where she misunderstood the casual nature of texting and the internet acronym 'WTF'.
• 🎭 The speaker emphasizes the importance of humor in the workplace, suggesting it can increase productivity and reduce stress.
• 🤔 Skepticism about the value of humor is common, but the speaker argues that humor is essential in today's demanding work culture.
• 🧠 Humor aids in learning and communication by improving memory retention, understanding, and group cohesiveness, all supported by research.
• 💰 Using humor can have tangible benefits, such as higher pay, as it is associated with positive personal qualities.
• 🦁 A story about 'The Lion Whisperer' illustrates that fear of performing comedy is common, even among those with unusual occupations.
• 🎨 The speaker shares his journey from an unlikely background in engineering to a successful career in comedy, showing humor as a learnable skill.
• 🎤 Learning humor involves practice and repetition, drawing parallels to the speaker's experience in improv and stand-up comedy.
• 🌐 The speaker suggests that everyone has a unique perspective that can be used to connect with others and make a point through humor.
• 🤹‍♂️ The 'Yes, and...' mindset from improv can be applied to both creating humor and fostering meaningful connections.
• 💡 The speaker encourages embracing humor in daily life, whether by creating it, sharing it, or simply smiling, to improve personal and professional experiences.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction to receiving a text message from his grandmother?

The speaker was surprised because his grandmother, who was 78 years old at the time, had never sent a text message before.

How did the grandmother's first text message to the speaker differ from a typical text message?

The grandmother's first text message was similar to a letter, starting with 'Dear Andrew,' and ending with 'Love, your grandma,' which is more formal and longer than usual text messages.

What was the grandmother's misunderstanding of the acronym 'WTF'?

The grandmother thought 'WTF' meant 'Wow That's Fun' because someone at Bridge, presumably a social club or community center, told her it did.

Why did the speaker leave his corporate job at Procter and Gamble?

The speaker left his corporate job to teach people about the value of humor, believing it could make people more productive, less stressed, and happier.

What are some of the benefits of using humor according to the speaker?

Using humor can increase long-term memory retention, improve understanding and learning, aid in communication, improve group cohesiveness, reduce status differentials, diffuse conflict, build trust, and bring people closer together.

How does the speaker suggest that humor can improve one's professional life?

The speaker suggests that humor can make people look better, live longer, and potentially earn more, as people who use humor are often paid more.

What is the speaker's background in humor and comedy?

The speaker has a background as a stand-up comedian, improviser, storyteller, and spoken word artist, having performed in all 50 states, 18 countries, and has fans in over 150 countries.

What is the speaker's educational and professional background before becoming a humorist?

The speaker has a degree in computer science and engineering from Ohio State University and worked as an IT project manager at Procter & Gamble.

How does the speaker describe the mindset of improvisation?

The speaker describes the mindset of improvisation as 'Yes, and...', which is about accepting and building on ideas to explore and heighten a point of view.

What advice does the speaker give for using humor in the workplace?

The speaker advises that humor should not replace work but enhance productivity. It's also important to be positive and inclusive, and to recognize that job satisfaction and stress management are personal responsibilities.

How does the speaker's grandmother continue to use humor in their interactions?

The speaker's grandmother uses humor by commenting on his Facebook posts in a way that is either genuinely supportive or potentially trolling, leaving the speaker unsure if she is being sincere or playful.