Inappropriate humor; Dyson virus launchers

[mtbc]

All manner of nasty things happen in the televison show Banshee yet I find it to be one of the funnier current dramas. I was rather amused by what happened to Quentin though it's often subtler too as with the more recent Sarah Palin 2012 shirt which, while incidental, gave many of us a chuckle during a violent confrontation. (I am being vague so as to avoid spoilers.)

The too soon? embargo for humor is something I have to consciously apply: I am naturally quite ready to see the funny side of all manner of awful things. I try to nod seriously and listen sympathetically when people discuss their shock and horror at grave news but, while I am often strongly in favor of doing something about bad things, for me that's based far more on principles rather than affect. Perhaps my attitude may arise from,

• bad things are going to sometimes happen


• life is strange and confusing so I expect the unexpected


• I do want to enjoy life because it's probably the only one I get

so I should go ahead and derive what pleasure I can from even the bad surprises.

So, this morning in reading Ars Technica's story, Using a Dyson hand dryer is like setting off a viral bomb in a bathroom, I wondered if I was alone in heartily laughing at,

Of the viruses launched by the jet dryer, 70 percent were at the height of a small child’s face.

It's not schadenfreude as I generally wish people well if they are not annoying me with their driving. I suppose that I am often amused by absurdity and the idea of so many devices around the world acting as the article describes is so surreal: James Dyson could scarcely have done a better job if he were actually a child-hating criminal mastermind.

What news does make me angry? Anything from the Tiananmen Square Massacre to the Republicans' Redistricting Majority Project. Generally: malicious rights violations. In contrast, if you lose your hand in a comical way, sure I'll call 112 for you and find a tourniquet, but I may also grin a bit.

Comments

[damerell]

I suspect I rarely feel anything is "too soon" given that I've read Private Eye for over half my life and never once cancelled a subscription in outrage.

[mtbc]

Ah, true. I should look back to their archives and see what their front cover did for some past tragedies. (I am still annoyed that Bill Maher was fired for, Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it’s not cowardly.)

[damerell]

Indeed. That's not even a poor-taste joke, it's just a statement of fact.