The "old Communist joke" Krugman mentions today was brought to the West by JK Galbraith (he recounts being told it at a meeting of the Polish Economic Association). Personally I prefer the story on the preceding page of "A Life in Our Times":
In a Communist country, one is naturally eager for indications of surveillance or, even better, of sinister intrigue. Feeling myself a pioneer, I was naturally thus alert. As I dined by myself one night in the dimly lit, slightly overstuffed restaurant of the Grand Hotel ORBIS in Warsaw, I became aware of two men of deeply conspiratorial aspect at the immediately adjacent table. They were talking in low intimate tones in English, and, by moving my chair slightly, I discovered I could hear some of what they were saying. My recollection is notional:
"He has real courage."
"Yes, but he has made enemies."
"Nonetheless he would speak out against them."
"You really think he would?"
I was now deeply engaged, my imagination fully at work. Presently I learned that they were both chiropractors from Cleveland, Ohio, who were discussing the chances of getting fair treatment from the medical establishment and legislature in the state.
The trip to Poland took place while "The Affluent Society" was in press, so the chapter ends with a summary of the rave reviews of that book, which concludes "Only a strong character can resist such praise. I made no effort".
ReplyDelete"precisely the opposite" is a stupid joke, and I find it hard to believe that it was conceived in a communist country. In fact, a typical communist country joke was, well, exactly the opposite: 'we pretend to be working and they pretend to be paying us.'
ReplyDeleteAs far as jokes go it's not that bad but the 'they're giving away free cars in Petersburg" one is much better (as are most of the Radio Erevan ones)
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, anti-communist jokes is probably the best manifestation of the communist concept out there, certainly better than the opensourse stuff.
ReplyDeleteIn the west, where they always try to find someone to credit with things like "coining a phrase" or bringing a joke to the West, this form of social interruction/collective art seems incomprehensible. An anti-communist joke (aka 'anecdote') is the result of an effort of (probably) thousands of people, all of whom prefer to remain anonymous; adding a slight twist, intonation, perfecting it. There seems to be no incentive, no reward whatsoever, and yet something (sometimes) quite beautiful is produced.
Of course there's an incentive to making up a good joke... non-monetary, true, but there's still a reward. If anything, anti-communist jokes are a representation of the comic Darwinism of a truly free joke market, rather than the command joke economies of the West - "This joke must be funny because Bob Monkhouse said it".
ReplyDeleteWell, of course by 'communism' (small 'c') I don't mean 'command economy'; 'republicanism' doesn't mean 'cutting taxes'.
ReplyDeleteThe word 'communism' is known to identify an ideal social arragement with no private propery or coercion: "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need."
Of course there is a reward in making up or improving a joke anonymously and altruistically - that's the whole point.
abb1, I wasn't being entirely serious. Very possibly I wasn't being entirely funny either, but I try my best...
ReplyDeleteThere isn't, however, a reward in making up a joke anonymously - is there? If you tell it to someone, it's no longer anonymous, because it's you that's telling it!
Hmm, yes and no. On one hand, when you tell these jokes you never claim authorship. On the other hand, yes, you tell a good joke and for a few seconds you are a hero, center of attention; so yes, some vanity certainly is involved here.
ReplyDeleteUnless this is something you write on a wall in a public bathroom; the ultimate altruistic act. Sadly, I have to admit I haven't seen anything brilliant written in those places.
So, it appears that communism is as always on the horizon (another anti-communist joke).
Here's one I heard recently.
ReplyDeleteSoviet military base, general comes to visit, to raise the morale.
General: Hello, soldiers! How're you doing, soldiers?
Soldiers: Hello Comrade General! Good, good, doing great!
G: Do we send you enough food, soldiers?
S: Oh yes, Comrade General, enough, quite enough, more than enough!
G: What? More than enough?? What do you do with what's left, soldiers, do you throw it away?
S: Oh, no, Comrade General, never; whatever's left we eat it too, and it's not even enough!
"The ultimate act of altruism is to write a good joke on the wall of a public bathroom. As no such jokes are ever any good, human nature is intrinsically selfish."
ReplyDeleteDiscuss. (20 marks)
Retelling or slightly improving a joke contributes to filtering. Filtering distributes well, but the benefits are mainly externalized. Making up your own jokes is showing off. It is a high-risk activity with most of the gains internalized, unless your friends are neophiles.
ReplyDeleteFiltering is a very important public good whose provision has broken down over time.
The best communist jokes were told by Stalin, cf: the "Comrade Nosenko" routine. But then he was allowed.
ReplyDeleteYakov Smirnoff certainly says something about the comedic relationship of communism to capitalism, but I'm not quite sure what -- or who the joke is on.
ReplyDeleteThat guy is the lowest common denominator, just think of the pseudonym he picked - Smirnoff.
ReplyDelete