Why I like Dark Humor
If we are completely honest with ourselves, everyone has a dark side to their personality.
— Isabella Rossellini
Not alluding to a shady avatar who wears all black and speaks the tongue of Satan, everyone has a certain aspect of themselves which they are not very confident in revealing to others.
It could be something as simple as an unexpected innocuous lie or a major deception to whitewash one’s image. Every human psyche operates on the same principles at the fundamental level. Everyone is just the same, yet different based on their experiences.
Society has a way of brushing under the carpet what is not conventionally acceptable. Anything and everything that is considered unacceptable by the general public is termed a ‘Taboo’.
Consanguineous marriage is a taboo among the North Indian Hindus but it’s a norm among the Muslims. The latter wants to keep the gene pool within their family members by marrying off the cousins to each other. Although science recommends against consanguinity because it leads to the expression of recessive, harmful genes, the community has its own beliefs.
Similarly, prostitution is a taboo. Though many Indian states have legalised it considering the economic condition of its populace, it is largely looked down upon by the society. The customers who would take joy in undressing the helpless victims, would themselves be the first ones to give it a bad name using it in verbal slurs.
Gay marriages are a taboo. Society has its own preconceived notions; the wall of orthodoxy which they find hard to break. The established order of things, the hierarchy, the go to comments like “This is how it has happened always”.
But all this is the reason why I love dark humor. The very essence of it lies in resurfacing to the public’s eye what they have conveniently swept under the carpet. Making them aware that just because you turn a blind eye to something which is not aesthetically and conventionally appealing, it does not cease to exist. It keeps on living among the very people, keeps on propagating; like dominoes. And that, it may not necessarily be classified as a taboo. That it may be the new future, because it is the truth, no matter how much people deny.
This reminds me of a very beautiful poem by Erin Hanson
Welcome to society,
We hope you enjoy your stay,
And please feel free to be yourself,
As long as it’s in the right way,
Make sure you love your body,
Not too much or we’ll tear you down,
We’ll bully you for smiling,
And then wonder why you frown,
We’ll tell you that you’re worthless,
That you shouldn’t make a sound,
And then cry with all the others,
As you’re buried in the ground,
You can fall in love with anyone,
As long as it’s who we choose,
And we’ll let you have your opinions,
But please shape them to our views,
Welcome to society,
We promise that we won’t deceive,
And one more rule now that you’re here,
There’s no way you can leave.
Dark humor is not just violence, sex and all the A rated stuff. It is the reality shown right on the face of societal orthodox standards. It is the truth resurfaced. It is an instrument of introspection. Like a truth which keeps on existing.
There are just two things which never get old, dark humor and unvaccinated children.
The Unknown Doctor
