What’s the Deal with Dark Humor?
A Look into Comedy from a Psychological Perspective
Dark humor. That special brand of comedy that teeters perilously on the razor’s edge of the taboo and the repulsive, that sparks controversy wherever it goes. Critics call it coarse, while defenders call it cathartic. But why are some of us able to find laughter in the most macabre of circumstances? Let’s take a closer look at the strange psychology behind what makes dark humor so funny.
Laughter in the Face of Darkness
One reason, the defense mechanism theory of dark humor, might be that humor, by covering often serious or tragic topics in our world with a light-hearted veneer, is a good way of lessening these emotions’ impacts.
It’s as if the humor is saying: we acknowledge the gravity of this dark situation, but we’re going to use humor as a coping mechanism that distances us from the perceived threat, thereby giving us the permission to laugh in the face of danger. Imagine a firefighter crew after a house fire: the dark humor appropriately acknowledges the peril that the firefighters just faced, then humorously allows the situation to be mentally ‘put aside’ as they make their way to the next call.
A Mark of Wit?
One suggestion is that dark humor appreciation is a way of signaling intelligence: we are being rewarded for this ability to process complex and often uncomfortable material. It’s a bit of a circus act, juggling humor together with a nuanced awareness of the darkness being alluded to.
Carried along on this line of reasoning, the person who finds dark humor funny might seem sharper and more adept at grappling with more complex realities.
The Power of Shared Laughter
Dark humor can also serve as a useful social device. Telling a dark joke can be a way of cementing social bonds with those who ‘get it’: sharing a grim joke becomes a secret language, a kind of shibboleth, a signal that you are part of a group that can handle the discomfort.
One example here might be a group of friends dealing with a difficult situation, a dark joke can be a way to bond around the situation, to recognize the severity of the situation and the need to laugh at it together.
Breaking the Tension
Just as black humor pokes fun at taboo topics, a dark joke is one that’s told at a serious time. It can be a means of breaking tension in a tough situation.
For example, a doctor might confront a difficult case and say something dark to a colleague that contains the idea of ‘we’re all gonna die’ or ‘this situation is not good’. This can be a way of facing a shared bad situation without succumbing to it.
A Delicate Dance
To be clear, dark humor isn’t a global language, what one person might find funny, another could take offense to. Context is everything; a dark joke told at a funeral is likely to fall flat, but one shared with your mates might get a raucous response.
Ultimately, you’re reading the room and the situation to avoid offending anyone.
More Than Just a Chuckle
In the end, dark humor is a sort of tango between humor and darkness. It’s a way of engaging with uncomfortable realities, building together, and even of coping with painful feelings. The next time you find yourself laughing at an inappropriate joke, remember: it’s not just a joke. It’s a testament to the strange capacity of the human mind to seek laughter in the darkness.
