Why Didn’t I Tell Jokes Sooner?

by PFC on December 3, 2007

“Sarging” or “going out specifically to interact with strangers” has become more challenging than it was at one time. I now have an exclusive girlfriend. I’ve ultimately been looking for a way for my girlfriend and I both to go out and get the thrill of the social power from my pick-up days, but without the inherent jealousy that might otherwise be invoked.

I think we’ve both found an awesome middle ground that is totally fun and challenging to us both as a couple. We go out together and tell people jokes. Jokes really are cool, because a well performed joke gets instant laughs from even strangers. Pre-tested, instant social interaction rewards. I’ve had the satisfaction of watching my girlfriend experience the same thrill of a social challenge or “sarge” that I’ve experienced in my day-to-day life. I watch her walk up to a set, and see the nervousness on her face totally melt away into euphoria the moment she gets a few giggles. It’s such a familiar feeling of joy that I can empathize with. It’s the feeling of facing your fears, overcoming a challenge, and being rewarded. This is a very important fear to overcome: the fear of speaking, and showing your personality to strangers.

But this whole experience has brought to my mind that I’d previously missed out on something that I’d always seen, but without realizing it, been afraid to challenge myself: telling jokes. I’d never realized that the reason I didn’t tell jokes was because I was afraid of messing up the punch-line, but it was. Jokes are great canned material that are an awesome way to open sets, keep sets moving, and overall just supplement your social interactions… even with friends.

We’re both making it a habit to, everytime we go out, learn a few new jokes and one-liners. I see this as a fun way to progressively work on my overall entertainment value — at some point I’m going to be a database of an extraordinary amount of field-tested canned material!

So here’s my suggestion: Find some jokes. Especially if you’ve got a girlfriend and want to enjoy challenging each other socially. (Hey, if you’ve enjoyed the experience of enhancing your social life… why wouldn’t you challenge your girlfriend to find some of the same satisfaction you have?) But even if you don’t… this is good material just to keep around. Oh, and hey, if you’ve got some good ones… Send them my way.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Joe April 11, 2008 at 5:04 am

You have broken the #1 rule for the Alpha Male. I guess your the Omega Male. Posted by BigD “doesn’t need to have a “relationship”, he realizes women will keep coming back because there is no better man than him.”

PFC April 11, 2008 at 10:26 am

Wow, you’re full of scorn. I feel sorry for you. But this world is a very hard one… I wish your parents loved you like mine do me. A little unconditional love can go a long way.

False dilemma (false dichotomy): where two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there are several
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

BigD April 11, 2008 at 7:21 pm

Ad hominem attacks and the fallacy of division (where an argument tries to prove falseness by dividing an otherwise indivisible argument) are additional logical fallacies that you are using.

I’m also getting a hint that you didn’t like the statement I was making — oddly and subtly passive-aggressive. Whether that’s true or not, I should probably further clarify the point — it’s about a mindset. It’s about not worrying about the relationship, yet leading it. It’s also about thinking about yourself as the best man (I’m assuming here, that you are a man) by “faking it to make it.” And, it also points out indirectly that ~some~ people (polyamorists, in particular) view relationships less constrictively than monogamy. In other words, the point being made is quite subtle and you’ve used it very bluntly.

Btw, PFC, mocking someone’s parents is also an ad hominem ;-)

BigD April 11, 2008 at 7:48 pm

One additional point that should be obvious from my original post but seems to need further clarification: an alpha male is inclusive. This means that even if someone holds different perspectives or behaves differently than the alpha male, he will not only tolerate the divergence, he will actively seek the divergences out and protect the person displaying them.

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