Metahumor

Metahumor.

Although metahumor is sometimes defined as "jokes about jokes", so a kind of self reflecting humor, the word itself can suggest more. Since "meta" comes from Greek, and means something like after, later in time, further than, transformed, above, more than... Look at the meaning of meta in other words: metabolism, metaphase, metaphysics, metagenesis, metalogic, metamathematics, metamorphosis, metastability, metaphase, metachromatism, metazoan, metatheory... This would suggest that "metahumor" means something above or after humor, a higher or more philosophical form of humor, transcendent humor, humor that is not just humor but has an additional meaning or purpose. For example: in ancient Zen Buddhism stories or in the Tao writings of Chuang Tzu and the like, you can find a lot of humor. But this humor has more of a philosophical meaning and function. So you could call this "metahumor". Where as a joke about a joke is still simply a joke.