The difference between comedians and the general public is that we are meant to be funnier. And when you've got politicians giving material so easy that the general public is doing it, what is the necessity of us anymore?
Jim JefferiesRead
I don't think comedy really does change people's minds; I think you can only get someone who is almost ready to change their mind. You can't change someone from one direction straight into the other, but if you get someone who is considering your view, and you make a good point, there's power in that.
Interpretation
Comedy can only influence those who are already open to change, not change them outright.
This quote by Jim Jefferies highlights the limitations of comedy as a tool for persuasion. While humor can effectively reinforce the views of those who are already contemplating a shift in perspective, it is unlikely to convert staunch opponents of an idea directly. Instead, it serves as a means of engaging and prompting reflection in those who are already on the fence about an issue.
In practice
During a speech about the importance of open-mindedness, this quote can be used to illustrate the nuances of persuasion.
The difference between comedians and the general public is that we are meant to be funnier. And when you've got politicians giving material so easy that the general public is doing it, what is the necessity of us anymore?
People don't get angry at you for shock value. People get angry at you when you affect something that is at their core, whether it be guns or religion or whatever. Their belief system.
A prohibitionist is the sort of man one couldn't care to drink with, even if he drank.
It is astonishing how articulate one can become when alone and raving at a radio. Arguments and counter arguments, rhetoric and bombast flow from one's lips like scurf from the hair of a bank manager.
My mother always used to say: 'The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.'
I'm a lot less serious than people think, it's probably because the way my face is put together.
Laugh at your problems; everybody else does.
According to the rules of comedy, your suffering will be funny after an undetermined length of time. Maybe not while you're having your gangrenous leg sawed off, watching your home burn down or learning how to be intimate with your cellmate, but, in the big scheme of things, soon.
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