#522: What Is Wit and Why Does the World Need It?

The Art of Manliness

Society & Culture, Education, Philosophy

4.7 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 3 July 2019

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When you think about wit, what comes to mind? Someone who's quick with a funny remark? My guest today says that while humor is one part of wit, it's really better thought of in a broader way, as a kind of "improvisational intelligence." His name is James Geary, and he's the author of Wit's End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It. Today on the show, we discuss all things witty. We begin our conversation describing the nature of wit, and how it's linked to one's all-around sense of resourcefulness. James then makes the case that instead of getting our contempt, puns should actually be praised as a sophisticated form of wit. We then dig into what fencing and jazz can teach us about the role of improvisation in wit, why we need wit more than ever these days, and what you can do to start being a bit more witty. Get the show notes at aom.is/wit.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Brett McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.
0:11.1	Now when you think about wit, what comes to mind?
0:14.4	Someone who's quick at the funny remark, my guest today says that while humor is one
0:17.5	part of wit, it's really better thought of in a broader way.
0:20.1	It's a kind of improvisational intelligence.
0:22.8	His name is James Geary and he's the author of the book Wits End.
0:26.0	What wit is, how it works and why we need it.
0:28.9	Today on the show, we discuss all things witty.
0:31.2	We begin our conversation describing the nature of wit and how it's linked to ones all
0:34.4	around sense of resourcefulness.
0:36.0	James then makes the case, instead of getting our contempt, puns should actually be praised
0:41.0	as sophisticated forms of wit.
0:43.0	We then dig into what fencing, as the sport of fencing, not putting in fencing in your
0:47.0	backyard, and jazz can teach us about the role of improvisation in wit and why we need
0:51.7	wit more than ever in these days and what you can do to start being a bit more witty.
0:56.3	Out of the shows over, check out our show notes at a o m dot i s slash wit.
1:00.4	James joins me now via clear cast dot i o.
1:12.7	All right, James Geary, welcome to the show.
1:15.5	Thank you for having me.
1:17.2	She's got a new book out wits end.
1:19.9	What wit is, how it works and why we need it.
1:22.9	So what got you thinking about wit and deciding, we need to have an entire book dedicated
	...

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