"Hey you two, im going to need to see your id."
Okay, here’s my attempt at a “Joke Poo” version of the Ego and Superego joke:
Joke Poo: The Spreadsheet and the Algorithm
The Spreadsheet and the Algorithm walk into a coffee shop. The barista sighs and says, “Okay, I know how this goes. Just tell me once what you want. I don’t need 500 iterations to figure out it’s a decaf latte with almond milk!”
Alright, let’s break down this psychoanalytic joke!
Joke Dissection:
- Core Elements: The joke relies on the comedic juxtaposition of abstract Freudian concepts (Ego and Superego) with a very mundane, concrete situation (entering a bar).
- Humor Source: The humor arises from the incongruity. We don’t expect concepts to walk into bars and be ID’d. It’s absurd. Further, the bartender is treating the Ego and Superego as independent, identifiable entities.
- Target: The joke targets those familiar with Freudian psychology, specifically the concepts of Ego and Superego. If you don’t know what they are, the joke falls flat. The joke works because they can’t actually have physical forms.
- Punchline Mechanism: The punchline plays on the necessity of identification (showing ID) to enter a bar. Because the Ego and Superego are abstract psychological concepts they cannot have valid ID.
Comedic Enrichment & New Humor Generation:
Let’s focus on the identification aspect of the original joke. I can play with the idea of abstract concepts needing to prove their existence or validity.
Option 1: A “Did You Know?” style observation:
Did you know that Sigmund Freud originally wanted to name the Ego “The Reality Principle Guy” and the Superego “Your Mother’s Voice?” He later dropped the idea after realizing it was difficult to get them valid driver’s licenses.
Why it works: This observation takes the premise of the original joke – concepts needing ID – and pushes it to an even sillier, hypothetical extreme. It also incorporates the historical figure responsible for the concepts, Freud.
Option 2: A New Joke:
A Freudian Slip, an Oedipal Complex, and a Defense Mechanism walk into a therapist’s office. The therapist sighs and says, “Okay, I’m going to need to see your insurance cards…and maybe a good explanation for why you’re all in the same claim.”
Why it works: This joke follows a similar setup as the original (abstract concepts entering a commonplace location), but shifts the location to a therapist’s office, a more logical place for Freudian concepts to be found. The humor now arises from the implication that these concepts are seeking therapy and are somehow bundled in a single insurance claim, which adds an extra layer of absurdity.
Option 3: A Witty Observation:
“The ultimate irony? The Id, that chaotic force of primal desire, is probably the only one among Freud’s trio that wouldn’t need an ID. It just takes.”
Why it works: This plays on the nature of the Id, being impulsive and uncaring of rules or social norms. The Id wouldn’t bother with ID; it would simply do as it pleases. This contrasts nicely with the Ego and Superego’s (implied) struggle to get through the door.
Hopefully, these enhance your psychoanalytic humor needs!