Because it listens to its motherboard.
Joke Explained
This joke is a play on words that relies on a double entendre. Let’s break it down:
- Wordplay with “smart”: The term “smart” can have two meanings in this context. In general, when we refer to a computer as “smart,” we mean it’s intelligent or capable of processing information. However, in the joke, “smart” is also used in the sense of behaving cleverly or wisely.
- Personification of the computer: The joke anthropomorphizes the computer by suggesting that it is smart because it “listens to its motherboard.” This personification is a humorous way to attribute human-like qualities to an inanimate object.
- Play on “listens to”: The phrase “listens to” is used with a double meaning. On one hand, it can be interpreted literally, suggesting that the computer is intelligent because it follows the instructions given by its motherboard. On the other hand, it plays on the idea of a person being “smart” by listening to someone or something wise.
- Pun with “motherboard”: The term “motherboard” is a key component of a computer that houses the central processing unit (CPU), memory, and other essential hardware. In the joke, it’s implied that the computer is smart because it “listens to its motherboard,” creating a pun on the idea that the computer is wise because it follows the instructions from its central control unit, or “mother” figure.
Overall, the humor in this joke comes from the clever wordplay, the personification of the computer, and the pun involving the motherboard. It’s a light-hearted play on the dual meanings of words related to intelligence and obedience in the context of computer components.