In the discussion about the distinctions among wit, humor, satire, comedy, etc., I would bring up what Freud had to say about wit in _Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious_. Jokes, and especially what Freud called "witz," are an important road to the unconscious, in his formulation. And he refers to Mark Twain several times in his seminal book. Freud had a very high opinion of the value of Mark Twain's humor. And it's no exaggeration to say he found it very profound, important, and valuable. If we can believe what Freud tells us, jokes and dreams and slips of the tongue are extremely valuable for what they tell us about the unconscious, a most important part of our being. As a master of wit, Mark Twain proves to me his profundity. (Forgive me--this is the kind of reading I'm doing now in preparation for writing about it!) ############## John Bird mailto:[log in to unmask] "I got a rude! I bet you ain't never got no rude!" --Ernest T. Bass