It is fair to say that I sometimes have a rather dark sense of humour. Many of us do. It is hardly surprising, as we shall see, in such a troubled world. Having a dark sense of humour benefits greatly from having the social intelligence to match it, however. It must also be kept within its context, for every individual’s sense of humour is different.
Nonetheless, as we shall see, the true point of humour should be to make the world a more livable place, and should not be used to tyrannise.
When is dark humour permissible? Social intelligence determines what humour is appropriate and what jokes are permissible in certain company.
Of course, we find that inappropriate jokes can quickly bring down the mood – the result of a miscalculation.
For a public figure in particular, one has a duty to set an example, and there are risks involved in joking around.
One must not be seen to be flippant, heartless or indeed be seen to be setting a bad example. Being in the public eye carries enormous responsibility.
When used right, however, humour can do wonders to bring one’s message across.
Comedians have been elected in positions of power, as recently as the President of Ukraine and even the United States of America. Ah, that last part was cheeky, but I shall not shy away from criticising the US given its position on climate change.
Indeed, humour can and should also be used as a weapon to oppose repressive beliefs or regimes. While people disagree on what counts as good or bad in politics, that is also why free speech is crucial in the political arena in particular.
On the other hand, I believe that modern technology has allowed people to misunderstand one another on an unprecedented scale. A private chat between friends, for example, has context invisible to an outside observer, and indeed such private conversations are private for a reason. There is no desire to offend by definition.
Yet, humour must serve a constructive and not a destructive role in our lives. Therefore the question becomes: can dark humour make us better people?
While I rarely give a second thought to eye-catching headlines which might flatter one’s own ego, the first one I found while researching dark humour stated that studies linked dark humour to higher cognitive ability and less aggression. I reflected on what function dark humour serves in my conversations with certain friends. The world is cruel and unjust, and full of prejudice.
By confronting the very worst aspects of life head on and making it digestible, dark humour serves as a coping mechanism. It is, as the study said, a problem-solving function.
I delight in making fun of English-speaking Maltese such as myself in particular, and the way people think we see the world
Life is difficult, and we must therefore strive for ever better communication between ourselves.
Humour is a fantastic tool which can facilitate such communication; but only when it is taken within its context and most importantly, does not harm anybody.
Indeed, perhaps the two types of humour are not dark or light.
Perhaps the line should be drawn across humour which is used to offend to boost one’s own sense of power, and humour which is used in the manner suggested by the study; as a problem-solving exercise to make life less difficult for everybody.
So when is dark humour acceptable? I often imitate public figures in Maltese politics with my friends as if I were at the pantomime or Comedy Knights. Thrown into the mix is a vast amount of self-ridicule, and the stereotyping of the very worst of our society both local and international.
Ultimately, in a sense, the stereotypes themselves are comical because they are such blatant and false exaggerations of reality. I delight in making fun of English-speaking Maltese such as myself in particular, and the way people think we see the world. I find it to be therapeutic. Again, this may also be used to affect positive change in society.
I have no doubt that without context, much of it might come across as offensive. Context is key, and that is why a theatre stage offers some degree of invulnerability; there are unwritten rules and an understanding that what is said on stage is not serious. While there will always be a debate about what is in good taste or not, ultimately we understand that no harm is intended.
We are the best judges of our own intentions. However, we also have a duty to respect the context of those around us as well.
Having said that, just as I want to keep the government out of my bedroom, so too do I intend to keep it out of my head. It will not, however, be kept out of my comedy routine.
In conclusion, let us pay closer attention to context, and perhaps not be as quick to offend. For some people, dark humour is a problem-solving ability, rather than a tool of oppression. Indeed, it can be used to thwart tyrannical authority. Let us be careful to distinguish between the two.
Timothy Alden is deputy leader of the Democratic Party.