How do you become witty?

[kyrax12]

I want to become more witty.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Pay a visit to the itty bitty witty committee

 

[Capt Caveman]

Not going to happen.

 

[wirednuts]

fiddy is widdy maybe you need to pay a visie

 

[TridenT]

Have a super depressing life full of tragedy and failed trials. And then get angry. Real angry.

 

[Brigandier]

Tree fiddy is what you need to pay pal me to become more witty.

 

[n7]

Have a super depressing life full of tragedy and failed trials. And then get angry. Real angry.

That'd result in being more sardonic, not witty

 

[Markbnj]

Read Winston Churchill's biography and ponder his awesomeness.

Obnoxious woman: "Sir Winston, if you were my husband I would poison your tea!"
Churchill: " Madam, if I were your husband I would drink it!"

That's wit. The ability to process conversations rapidly and find entertaining things to inject into them.

 

[kyrax12]

Read Winston Churchill's biography and ponder his awesomeness.

Obnoxious woman: "Sir Winston, if you were my husband I would poison your tea!"
Churchill: " Madam, if I were your husband I would drink it!"

That's wit. The ability to process conversations rapidly and find entertaining things to inject into them.

So reading a lot would make a person more witty?

What novels/books do you recommend?

 

[Brigandier]

So reading a lot would make a person more witty?

What novels/books do you recommend?

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Catch-22

Anything by Kurt Vonnegut

The Princess Bride

 

[phucheneh]

'Witty' is a result of inborn personality traits. Namely, quick thinking and the predilection for reflexively saying often-inappropriate things.

 

[Howard]

A lot of wit is just self-confidence.

 

[yhelothar]

I concur with the last two above. You have to feel comfortable speaking your mind.

 

[SampSon]

Get involved with improv comedy and take some classes.

 

[Drako]

Read moar books, and contemplate the meening.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Self-confidence +1. I remember in a silly general biology lab thing, 24 samples of fake bodily fluids were given to students, one or two of which were infected with the AIDS. This, of course, resulted in many sexual innuendos. Then at some point, the lab TA said the lights might need to go off to see the results of our fluorescent ELISA assays. I immediately thought "Shouldn't the lights have gone off while we swapped samples?" and then two seconds later, the funny guy in the lab said the exact same thing and everybody laughed and two other people even repeated the joke. I cried.

 

[OCNewbie]

'Witty' is a result of inborn personality traits. Namely, quick thinking and the predilection for reflexively saying often-inappropriate things.

Like improv comics, they say the first thing that comes to mind. It's about having as small of a filter on your thoughts as possible, or none at all.

 

[Baked]

I'm actually very sarcastic and mean, but people think I'm joking.

 

[KlokWyze]

Have more(or some) sex with random strangers and give less of a fuck. Ironic I know.

 

[kyrax12]

Like improve comics, they say the first thing that comes to mind. It's about having as small of a filter on your thoughts as possible, or none at all.

But wouldn't that be a bad thing in the long run?

 

[OCNewbie]

But wouldn't that be a bad thing in the long run?

Bad how? I guess it depends on how flawed your thoughts are

 

[kyrax12]

Bad how? I guess it depends on how flawed your thoughts are

I mean a filter is there for a good reason.

Wouldn't it be good to think before speaking?

 

[BoomerD]

If you aren't already witty, you may never get there.

IMO, it's not so much about not having a filter at all, but rather about having a selective filter...knowing what to say and when.

It's not something that can really be taught...but to a point, it IS something that can be learned...by being with/around other witty people and by life experience.

You won't get witty by reading books, although they may expand your knowledge of witty quips and come-backs...but you still have to learn when and why to use them...and when to NOT use them.

 

[OCNewbie]

I mean a filter is there for a good reason.

Wouldn't it be good to think before speaking?

I'm referring to a filter specifically in regards to being witty.

"Funny" is not clearly defined. Sometimes I say things that I didn't find all that funny (but somewhat funny at least) but then others found hilarious. Maybe I debated a moment whether I should say it at all, since I didn't find it that funny. That's the kinda filter I'm talking about: debating whether you should say something because you're unsure if it's worthy of sharing, or something along those lines. To be as close to an honest representation of yourself as possible (flaws and all), it's best to have a very small filter, because then people's admiration or disdain for you will at least be close to authentic (based on who you actually are, not on your potentially flawed assessment of what society will allow you to be).

 

[brigden]

Witty is as much timing as it is funny.