It was said that the German Philosopher and writer, Goethe, had three rules to follow in throwing a dinner party, something he loved to do often in his intellectual salons that he would put on.

The first was the necessity of joining together based on the events that had happened to the individuals invited that day.

The second is the need to unite his guests over topics from current events, or the larger, philosophical issues which affect us all.

Since these salon discussions were often serious and weighty, Goethe insisted on events ending only with humor, so that one would wish to come again, and often.

Overt expression of ideas and feelings (especially those that are unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about directly) that gives pleasure to others. The thoughts retain a portion of their innate distress, but they are "skirted around" by witticism, for example self-deprecation.

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