Hehe, i think i know what you mean.

I found american humour to be very direct, playing on the exclamation of absurdity, rashness or naivety. This probably comes down to american stereotype, ie, a very loud and blunt individual.

British humour by comparison is indirect. The british stereotype polite and nonintrusive, so a more subdued method is employed, namely mischief and suggestion.

yea, I think that's what I was aiming at. There are obviously exceptions, but it would make sense that our humor mirrors our culture. I don't know how people in your neck of the woods are raised, but us Americans are certainly inundated with how it's important to confront and attack and conquer (not just physically/militarily, but everywhere). Are you guys taught to be circumspect and indirect? Like the French are taught to run away in case of aggression?

Haha, I would think so. The whole "Yes, what is it Sebastian? I'm arranging matches." is a fair indicator of British mentality. (Ox will know what i'm referring to).

Italian humour I find is very much based on the chemistry between characters and a general overtone of suffering or misfortune. The origins of this I think originate from the fact that Italy is a very social and communal county, with so many different backgrounds. The play-on-suffering must come from the relative historical vulnerability of the Italian nation as a whole (wars, politics, etc).

Yeah, I agree on the British humour. It's tongue-in-cheeck, often sarcastic, and dry. Often relatively 'soft' too. The joke usually isn't very obvious.

American humour is very different and is either completely straightforward (sitcoms) or outrageously blunt (South Park, Family Guy, etc).

I tend to appreciate a mix of the subtleness of British humour and the boldness of the American style.

Belgium humour is also a reflection of out cultural identity to some extent. It's been influenced by the UK and France, but in general humour here is grounded in absurdity. Of everyday life, politics,.... It's no surprise that Magritte (the painter) was Belgian either.

Considering how absurd your politics are, it's not strange to see it reflected in your humour.

Haha, yeah. Fucking politicians just messed up another negotiation round. Renewed elections probably coming up AGAIN. I guess it's still better than having to deal with Wilders though.

I don't think he's much worse then Dewinter, Le Pen, Haider or whoever leads Lega Nord. The Danish government has been run in a similar fashion as we have now for years. It's just that we were a little later than the others, so all spotlights are in our direction this time. But just like Le Pen or Dewinter, after a couple of years things will cool down and the movement will loose prominence.

But in belgium the extreme right party gets blocked out of the negotiations, there's no way they would be able to participate in a governement.

True, but that did allow them to grow for a long time, claiming not only they were ignored, but their voters too. And Wilders is not in government.

I have this creeping feeling that it's only a matter of time before Wilders is assassinated or at least an attempt is made. I work together with a few Dutch people and I have the impression that there's a sort of repressed hysteria after the events of the past years (with the attack on the royal family as the last landmark). Wilders and the people who want him dead both feed on that fear, and I'm afraid it may not end well for him.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping Belgium doesn't fall apart or terrorists bomb Brussels Central station when I pass there on my way to work.