Humor has always been a natural coping mechanism for humans. Being able to make light of a situation is a mark of resiliency. While everyone’s sense of humor is different, we can usually find common ground and share a few laughs.
Dark humor is a style that uses taboo or sensitive topics as subjects of jokes. Interestingly, a study showed that people who use or appreciate dark humor might have higher IQs. In addition, they show lower aggression and are more resistant to negative emotions than those with more typical humor.
Laughing in the Face of Disability?
A disabled young man thrives alongside a family that doesn’t hold back their dark humor in the beautiful The New Yorker’s documentary by Daniel Poler. The short film captures the naked, graceful simplicity at the root of something we all share: the body, its limits, and desires, alone and with others.
Underpinning the beauty of the film is the fact that family is a space in which we come to know ourselves. Particularly for people with bodies considered non-normative—disabled or otherwise—community is of paramount importance.
“Tuesco” is a portrait of the Benaim, a Venezuelan family in exile, and their dynamic—dark humor, frank talk, and Teflon love. The title, which translates as “all fucked up,” is a nickname for Jonathan Benaim, the film’s protagonist. They all protect each other. And one way they do so is through banter. “This dark humor, the way his family deals with Jonathan, is very Venezuelan.”
I hope you enjoy the beauty of this short film, and maybe it can help you to understand how Venezuelans have always been quick to turn catastrophes into jokes. It’s a long tradition for us. We’re loud, irreverent, informal to a fault, and wildly funny. (At least, we think so.)
Laughing at what stresses or embarrasses us is an inborn ability for some but can be a learned skill for others. You can also enhance your ability to do this so it becomes a habit that comes much more easily and automatically.
A good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
Are you afraid that you have an underdeveloped — or nonexistent — sense of humor? No problem. Humor can be learned. In fact, developing or refining your sense of humor may be easier than you think. To learn more about it, I suggest reading Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke – Mayo Clinic
Go ahead and give it a try. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you’ve had your chuckle, take stock of your feelings. Are your muscles a little less tense? Do you feel more relaxed Or buoyant? That’s the natural wonder of laughing at work.
