Your opinions...Funny or Smart

Would you rather be funny or smart? I mean, if you had to choose one or the other, which would it be?

This little question was worth a good hour of discussion , one very slow day at work recently. You can't say "both". You have to choose. Would you rather be the person people come to for a laugh, or the one they come to for an answer?

I think I'd rather be funny. Being a "people person" always seems to get you alot further in this world than being smart. And I can always "get" smart by reading and whatnot, but being funny and entertaining seems to be something you either have or you don't.

How many times have we seen extremely intelligent people out there in our day to day travels who have the personality of a doorknob? In fact, I work with two women who fit that bill, and it's painful at times. :-P

I'd rather be smart.

Funny doesn't usually pay the bills. It's cute if you can tell a nice joke, and make people laugh, but if you are not smart enough to get your work done, you'll be funny & unemployed.

I'll go along with AngelSong and select smart as in intellegent. I'm not known as a very funny person, but am known as someone who knows a fair amount about a lot of subjects and is willing to find out what I don't know. I am also open to learning when the basis for the new information is solid facts.

One woman said her best memory of her beloved grandfather is that he was always making her laugh. So that's the answer she chose for herself. And he would probably be pretty happy that she remembers him in that way. It's a good memory. It wouldn't have been the same if he had been smart instead of funny.

I'd rather be funny. As Inda mentioned, if there were a need for
certain knowledge, it could be obtained, learned.

Smart does not necessarily mean more money, nor would more money
indicate a better lifestyle. On the flip side, funny does not indicate one would
be poor. ;-)

There are 'smart' people making fortunes and
yet they aren't happy, much less have a sense of humor. Then there
are the people who can tell you how many drops of water are in the
ocean and yet they never crack a smile.

Besides, if I was poor but funny, I could at least find humor in
eating Ramen noodles.

You know the saying "We ain't rich, but we's happy!"

Being smart doesn't go as far as it used to. Smart people still can get depressed, get mental and physical illnessess, have marital problems etc. I have seem incredibly smart people working at fast food places. If you are in school then smart goes a long way, but once out of school, unless you are a genius, smart is not necessarily going to get you anywhere. Having a sense of humor can be priceless when life gets really difficult (and it will).

I'd most definitely rather be funny. I love to make people smile and I strive to do that constantly. Give me funny anyday.

:) Kathy

I'd rather be smart. So many people will give the answer, "I want a mate who can make me laugh" before they will say, "I want to marry someone smart."

In picking a mate intelligence was key for me....you can always find ways to amuse yourself and things to make you laugh but your intelligence you carry with you and can enjoy even when even no one else is around.

I agree Inda that "funny" is something you either have or you don't...
I also agree with Angel...."smart" pays the bills.

Welllllll .. it's a no-brainer for me ... LOL

Altho' .. I'm not sure just how the issue of 'money' entered into the relatively simple question posed: albeit money is an integral part of the equation of sustaining ones living. It seems that for a good many folks: money dictates success, therefore happiness. Happiness doesn't necessarily translate to humor/funny ... And, I suppose that it goes, both ways.

For example: your next door neighbors ..
Which would make you more subject to enjoying his/her company at [their] home -?- Seeing what their money has enabled for them with their 'smarts', and your being served at elegant tables and having to contend with a boastfull old stuffed-shirt stick-in-the-mud as your host/ess -?- Or, participating in the pleasure of exchange with anothers' entertaining personality and sense of humor while enjoying your lunch on some of the finest paper plates found -?-
Which of these neighbors would you consider inviting to your home -?- Which scenario would leave the lasting impression .. (on your heart) -?-

Intelligience/'smarts' (and, perhaps some keen observation. hee) .. may would enable one to avoid the wet-floor sign at the entrance to the public restroom and to possibly seek out an alternative - but it would not entail the obvious humor needed in seeing that you've just waltzed out of a public restroom with a string of toilet paper flagging along behind you, hanging desparately onto your shoe. Yep, 'smarts' (and again, keen observation) .. very well may could've had something to do with avoiding it - but then, wee lil mistakes happen to the best of folks. And it doesn't have a gall-darn thing to do with our intelligience, or lack there-of. Neither does the amount of the balance in our checking account of the check book that just fell from your purse/pocket and into the toilet of the same public restroom.

And if it were myself, or my most intelligent mate .. tis more than probable, that we'd each be forced to laugh at such antics and expect any others around us, to do the very same. But *moi* would probably continue to laugh most uncontrollably, and far far longer ... at myself. (ohh, the memories)

Welllll, looks like I've either contributed to the humor-of-the-day column, or possibly have delivered some lil black rain clouds for others. .. LOL ..

((huggs))

- Magpye

I made the comparison of smart & money, because I would rather be smart than funny. Smart to me translates to a sustainable life, where funny doesn't promise much of a future. I never meant to mean that by being smart I am automatically promised a happy future, either.

I'm uncomfortable with the generalization that a smart person must not have common sense, and/or that by being smart, one is automatically stuffy, uptight, and "hard to get along with".

Since the question was "Would you rather be the person people come to for a laugh, or the one they come to for an answer?", I choose the latter.

There really is no "right" answer to this question, and that's what's fun about it! You are giving an opinion based on your personality and your life experiences, which are unique to all of us.

I guess it's a good thing we don't have to choose: I am very smart about some things, very NOT smart about others, and I VERY much enjoy being an occasional cut-up at home, work and elsewhere.

Well, I am an educated person....I am also a farmer. I can tell you that if I didn't have my sense of humor, which translates over into a pretty good people person, if you ask me.......I wouldn't have sales. I've seen it more times than not. A sense of humor and a personality will win in my book, hands down.

I'd also like to think that since I've owned my own business for 17 years now, and my bills ARE getting paid, that I am a smart person :)

Live and Laugh,
Kathy

It is true in my experience that very intelligent prople sometimes have a sense of humor which seems to be well above me. We don't laugh at the same jokes. But they do laugh.

And some folks I know who are the life of the party, to me are not funny at all.

I'm afraid I am destined to go through life with a reputation of being not very funny and not very smart. But if I had chosen 20 years ago, it might have been "funny". Now I think I would choose "smart".

Indeed. (raising tea glass to toast)

Good thing we don't really have to choose, we can have both and then some!

:-)

Whoops, not that I disagree, nap, I was just toasting Misty. LOL

Here's me, toasting Misty too!

And a toast to you, too, nap. This time we'll add cookies! :-)

Yum. :)

I know there's truly not any answer, per say. Nothing but opinions, and that is what was
requested. The previous points and/or opinions prior to that of my own .. were well understood, folks.

In 'my' particular example, above .. I've simply used a couple of hypothetical neighbors.
As an attempt to relay another perspective ..

Angelsong, I've not argued your opinion, but I appreciate the clarification.
Truly, so sorry if you feel that I've attacked you personally in some way ...

Yep, nuthin' like it. Loving life and laughing at the most of it ...

- Magpye

I would invite the paper plate people any day.

*grin*

I use paper plates everyday, even for company, ha, ha......(too busy to wash all those dishes....)

And thanks for the cheers. :)

I have had many jobs where if I didn't have a sense of humor, I would cry my eyes out......

I think of the Reader's Digest and Laughter, The Best Medicine.

Be happy,
Kathy

I'm rolling here after reading this, esp nap I'm afraid I am destined to go through life with a reputation of being not very funny and not very smart. Me too!

But as a popular comedian says "You can't fix stupid!"


Does that make him smart or funny? ROFL

I've been thinking about this one.

With smart and/or funny comes expectation which leads to responsibility. I'd much rather be smart or funny if it was when I wanted to be rather than having it expected of me.

I take great consolation in the fact that people like Noel Coward, Issac Newton, Oscar Wilde and Archimedes must have had their off days too.

If by chance I happen to have a few moments of sparkling repartee or stumble upon some useful facts to pass on, then I could probably count myself as fortunate in not having to live up to a reputation and yet be able to (very) occasionally surprise, delight or enlighten someone, including myself.

hmmmmm hmm well now oh i forgot which one now..lol....

Well humor is kind of like beauty..in the eye of the beholder. My DH is intelligent to the point of MENSA level and around a group of his peers (Chilean Geeks *LOL*) They think he's a barrel of fun...He tells me a joke and I just blink and say "Alllrighty then" but then I'm the same I can send my friends into fits of laughter with my caustic wit

Saint

HA! I think a lot of us can fit into that category, eh? Eye of the beholder: well said!

being the gemini that i yam, i choose funny and smart

Being the manic depressive that I yam, me too!

LOL!!!!

Hey, you two! I turn my back for a second and you're breaking the rules. (and encouraging them, T N N!)

Read the question again. You can't have it both ways.

um, well, obviously not smart. But T N N thought it was funny...so that's my answer!

"Laugh and the world laughs with you, Cry and you cry alone"

You know, laughter IS contagious!

hey...i played by the rules....me too!!!

I always thought a "quick wit" like Groucho or Dorothy Parker meant they were smart and funny too.

And wouldn't Lucille Ball be as smart and funny as you can get. =) I LOVE LUCY!

I got lots of laughs from this thread early this morning! How nice to wake up and quickly get good laughs! ;) That starts the day on an excellent note.

I'd rather be funny! Funny people aren't necessarily 'dumb'. *g*

I'm a people person and everyon says I'm sooo funny. Life's hard enough at times and laughter and finding humor when you feel like crying is the way to get thropugh i8t. Least it works for me

Sory 'bout the spelling! My nails are in the way today.