Good morning, it's Saturday, and in my preparations for work I've been pondering the interesting question you posed. We do seem to be drawn towards sadness and tragedy. Are we all just so cynical that we can't stop to notice the positive (albeit small) things in life? Do the positive things even exist anymore?
We don't live in a world where we step out the door and proceed to only run across negativity. The trouble is, we live in a world where it's okay, encouraged even, to see things in a negative light. I can't remember the last time I heard someone tell me to "stop and smell the roses" in a non-sarcastic way. The hardships in life resonate with us way more than the things we take for granted. Take last night for instance. I went to a Christmas party with my father and we ran into a woman who had watched me and her daughter frolic about in an indoor playground and have a fantastic time. I barely remember this afternoon (granted, I was five years old). Yet I could give you a shot by shot analysis of the uncomfortable moments of my life. I don't know how many times I've recited the skiing story, but it seems to be a favorite at dinner parties. If I was, y'know, invited to dinner parties.
So not only do we dwell on tragedy, but we connect through it. Through something tragic, we take the time to put our daily lives aside and tell our family and friends how much we love them--and to hope and pray for those affected by the tragedy. 9/11 was one of the most horrific tragedies we've witnessed in our generation; at the time, I didn't really understand what was happening, but I remember sitting in meeting for worship that Friday morning in school, and I felt one of the strongest connections with those around me. I felt a vibe of understanding with people I'd never met before. As a second grader, I couldn't truly grasp why people were sad--all I really got is that they were sad, and that having fellow humans around you can be one of the most comforting things in the world.
Even as there are raging political debates in the face of tragedy--most recently, the shootings in Connecticut, people come together to mourn the lives lost and the families suffering. Through this suffering, we find common ground.
But what I wonder is, at what point is it acceptable to turn tragedy into comedy? There are a few "tragic moments" that are a common theme amongst comedians--adolescence, mainly. The teenage years certainly didn't seem like something to laugh at at the time, but since everyone's gone through it and eventually pulls out of it with only a few battle scars, it's nice to share the memories of hell-ish experiences. Crushes, test taking, and acne battle stories don't cause any resentment. We're all just relieved that it's finally over.
But if I hopped up onto a stage next to Ellen D and Tosh.0 (I love this imaginary me) and started joking about eating disorders, there would be many more mixed reactions. Is this because not everyone goes through it? Or perhaps the adolescence thing works so well in comedy because the jokes are geared towards an adult audience--not people who are in the throes of adolescence. With eating disorders, there is no specific age where you're unable to experience that illness. You're more likely to hurt one part of the audience while only making another small section laugh.
So do tragic moments only require a grace period and target audience to create comedy? Where is the line drawn? We are drawn to laughter--but at what point to we stop laughing?
Peace and Ponies,
Kira
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