Themes Of Filipino Humor

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Another point of analysis in this study is how most of themes of Filipino humor are political. Based on the results of the data, the things which we cannot directly say to the government are then transformed into the form of jokes by us. This attitude is said to showcase the Filipino values such as “hiya” and “loob” (Romero, n.d. in Lapeña, 2012). We, Filipinos, are, by nature, mahiyain. The proper grounding for hiya is dangal or honor. Feeling ashamed is a product of diminishing one’s honor, either externally caused by another person, or internally if caused by one’s own doings (Tabbada, 2004). Relating this argument to the Filipino humor, firing back at authority using jokes instead of direct confrontation would prevent us from any experiences …show more content…

Many foreigners have been saying that Filipinos are a bunch of loud and hilarious people – be it through the use of social media or through face-to-face interaction. The usual themes of Filipino humor are sexual themes, political themes, social themes, themes that have to do with languages and themes that have something to do with physical appearances or physical defects. In the study, ten random people are chosen as informants for the interview. Based on the results, all of them agreed that Filipino humor is something that is innate to us. Meaning to say, the constitution of Filipino humor is independent of any external influences. In addition to this, data results showed that the Filipino humor is one that is anchored in the personal level – that is, Filipino humor emanates from within the self. This is where the “kapwa” as the core concept of Sikolohiyang Pilipino comes into picture. Kapwa is the unity of the “self” and the “others” (Enriquez, 1992). If Filipinos find a joke funny, it is because it is something that they can easily relate to. The two most popular themes of Filipino humor are political themes and themes that have something to do with physical appearances and physical defects. According to Romero (n.d. as cited in Lapeña, 2012), firing back at the authority with the use of humor showcases the Filipino values like “hiya” and

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