--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humor is a developed sense, stemming…" description: "\"“Humor is a developed sense, stemming basically from cruelty. The more primitive a mind, the less selectivity exists. … A man slips on a banana peel an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e1/lewis-padgett-106881_comedy_humor-is-a-developed-sense-stemming-basi_2842903.jpg" --- # Humor is a developed sense, stemming basically from… ![“Humor is a developed sense, stemming basically from cruelty. The more primitive a mind, the less selectivity exists. … A man slips on a banana peel and breaks his back. The adult stops laughing at that point, the child does not. And a civilized ego finds embarrassment as acutely distressing as…” quote by Lewis Padgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e1/lewis-padgett-106881_comedy_humor-is-a-developed-sense-stemming-basi_2842903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e1/lewis-padgett-106881_comedy_humor-is-a-developed-sense-stemming-basi_2842903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e1/lewis-padgett-106881_comedy_humor-is-a-developed-sense-stemming-basi_2842903.jpg) > ““Humor is a developed sense, stemming basically from cruelty. The more primitive a mind, the less selectivity exists. … A man slips on a banana peel and breaks his back. The adult stops laughing at that point, the child does not. And a civilized ego finds embarrassment as acutely distressing as physical pain. A baby, a child, a moron is incapable of practicing empathy. He cannot identify himself with another individual. He is regrettably autistic; his own rules are arbitrary”” Lewis Padgett ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor evolves from cruelty; primitive minds lack empathy and feel less pain from jokes. **In simple terms:** Humor can be cruel and reveal empathy gaps. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy beyond humor. Themes humor cruelty empathy development psychology Mood critical analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - education - media analysis - parenting - mental health - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy social theory cognitive development Questions to Reflect On - How does cruelty shape humor? - Can humor foster empathy? A Different Perspective Humor can also heal, not just harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Physical pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-pain/) ## Related quotes > [“When you see a lion tearing apart a zebra, what sort of divine order you see there? 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