Dlaczego śmiejemy się z informatyków. Przyczynek do kulturowej analizy współczesnych przekazów humorystycznych

Abstract

In this chapter I discuss the contents and functions of contemporary jokes about IT specialists. The analysis includes accounts circulated orally, in print, and electronically. It also refers to a variety of visual and verbal-visual materials on the Internet. In the first part of the chapter I use some theories of humour (especially the theory of “moving away from the norm”) to justify the use of jokes in revealing hidden norms and cultural models. Further, I reconstruct a humorous image of the I.T. specialist, which includes the following elements: physical unattractiveness, sloppiness, a lack of resourcefulness and commonsense thinking, using professional jargon in everyday life, doubtful professional competence, poor social life, a total lack of concern for sex, or helplessness in erotic contact. In the final part of the text I analyse the functions of the collected materials and conclude that they may have three mutually completing functions, which are: 1) building the identity of a “normal” male by indicating an anti-model; 2) compensating one’s own defeats and frustration by using the mechanism of scapegoating; 3) fighting with a stronger adversary by using humour as a weapon.