Why are we tickled by another’s misfortune?
Why the compulsion to laugh when we see someone getting hurt, embarrassed or in total agony? Think about it. The simplest things, back when we were toddlers, Tom & Jerry made us giggle with the physical injuries inflicted on Tom. And then there was Mr Bean. We laugh because he is put into ridiculous situations that cast a kind of light over him to make him seem foolish, or intellectually less than average.
Clowns, stand-up comedians, Blonde jokes, practically the entire basis of laughter is built on another’s pain. Clowns hit each other over the heads with a bat, comedians poke fun at their own flaws, the most popular jokes are the ones offensive to a select group of people be it a certain race, blondes, the obese, or a famous political icon.
So, why is it that another’s misfortune can bring such great joy to us?
Is it because knowing someone’s having it worst makes everything feel better for us?
Has self-centredness became so cemented in our beings that the very root of our happiness derives from this integral need to please our individual ( and we don’t even notice it )?
What are we, when even the one thing that seems the most pure, most innocent, most sinless – laughter-, actually propagates a vile concept of selfishness and building on one’s grief?
Sometimes the world scares me.
Q 