The Crisis of Comedy in Western Civilization
“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, or else they’ll kill you.” – Oscar Wilde
Introduction: Comedy as the Antidote to Life’s suffering
Comedy holds an indispensable place in our ability to endure life’s hard realities with a lighter heart and a clearer frame of mind. Due to the inevitability of pain, suffering, loss, and ultimately, death, this mechanism is crucial for the well-being of organisms capable of perceiving these tragic aspects of existence. Because of this fact, there is little doubt why many people who must face down the darkest and most difficult ordeals, i.e. military members, possess the most outrageous, irreverent, and indisputably hilarious dispositions of any population.
In matters of guarding humankind against the harrowingly stark nature of reality, humor is the unlikely counterpart to the creation of illusions, particularly those inherent in religions, and more recently, secular ideologies. However, these two forces play at opposite ends of the spectrum of human thought and imagination, and often clash openly with each other. Of course, both forces have historically demonstrated the potential to work together, and the result of these symbiotic relationships is a sure sign of health in a culture. Today, unfortunately, they enjoy only a tenuously amicable relationship at best.
Religion vs Comedy
To fully understand the interplay between religious (illusory) belief and comedy, we must first explain these concepts. All religious beliefs are predicated upon the veneration of values and convictions backed by dogma and buoyed by faith. Its fabricated, and often arbitrary, tenets comfort people with delusions that deliver false cause for hope and meaning, while its dogmas offer a pre-packaged catalog of answers for any of life’s most difficult and distressing problems. For all of the trouble religion has caused humanity throughout its history, it does stand as a potent, albeit crude, analgesic.
Since it is essentially a work of fiction, the validity of religious belief cannot be corroborated by an impartial analysis of concrete evidence. Instead, it relies on faith. In fact, faith itself is so commonly revered in religious circles that it is treated as the trump card over reason. Thus, the devotees of any religion are well-insulated against whatever onslaught of contrary evidence may come their way. Against such challenges, religious and religiously minded people either casually dismiss the evidence, or double down and cling to their beliefs even more strongly. The latter is referred to as the Backfire Effect. This is a phenomenon whereby evidence presented against a certain set of beliefs not only fails to erode convictions but actually serves to strengthen them. In this sense, faith is not simply irrational, it is anti-rational. According to the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “When faith is thus exalted above anything else, it necessarily follows that reason, knowledge, and patient inquiry have to be discredited: The road to the truth becomes a forbidden road.”[1]
The fabrication of illusion as a defense against reality holds strong to this day. Even as the Western world slowly secularizes after two millennia of Christian dominance, a motley patchwork of secular, political, and “spiritual” religions and ideologies is taking firm root in its place. Many of their adherents maintain the same inveterate dogmatism as their monotheistic predecessor. Upon observation, it would certainly seem that a raw human experience devoid of illusory beliefs is ultimately untenable for the majority of humankind.
Even belief structures that were never meant to be taken dogmatically by their founders have been modified to include an array of palliative illusions and hallowed delusions. One prominent example is Marxism. Despite Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels' authoritative tone in most of their writing, they did, in fact, reject a dogmatic posture in their philosophy. Specifically, Engels referred to those who adopted such a rigidly orthodox standpoint as “dangerous friends” of socialism, who used the materialist conception of history as an “excuse for not studying history.” Marx himself denounced this blind-faith stance adopted by masses of emerging communists, stating, “All I know is that I am not a Marxist.”[2]
Marx himself was open to remaining critical in thought and practice. This, however, did not stop his acolytes from the communist pioneer’s word as veritable gospel. Even leading figures of communist revolutions, namely the famous leader of the Russian Bolsheviks, Vladimir Lenin, was an inveterate orthodox Marxist. This came much to the disappointment of the British intellectual Bertrand Russell, who, upon meeting the revolutionary, expected a far more dynamic and free-thinking individual.[3]
This cognitive trend holds up today. Modern American liberalism, for example, is well on its way toward shedding its rational qualities. It is devolving into a sort of religion in its own right. This is demonstrated on the front yards of many a liberal household, upon which signs are staked, proclaiming,
“In This House, We Believe
Black Lives Matter
Women’s Rights are Human Rights
No Human is Illegal
Science is Real
Love is Love
Kindness is Everything”
These apparently well-intentioned folks may see their values as a gold standard of morality. However, in terms of critical thought, they are no different than their Christian neighbors, who adorn their homes with crosses and post “Thank You, Jesus” signs on their own lawns. In short, all religions thrive on dogma, which is propped up by faith, an intolerance of criticism, and enforced by punishments ranging from individual guilt and social ridicule to eternal damnation.
Religious Apologists: Turning Reason Against Itself
In his book, Beyond Belief, neuroscientist and New Atheist thinker Sam Harris states, states that,
“Tell a devout Christian that his wife is cheating on him, or that frozen yogurt can make a man invisible, and he is likely to require as much evidence as anyone else, and to be persuaded only to the extent that you give it. Tell him that the book he keeps by his bed was written by an invisible deity that will punish him for all of eternity if he fails to accept its every incredible claim about the universe, and he seems to require no evidence whatsoever.”[4]
This quote aptly sums up the relationship between faith and reason in religious believers. According to Harris, religion doesn’t lead people to total irrationality; nor is it an enticing lure for those who are already hopelessly irrational. Instead, he argues that religious belief is an inherently irrational cognitive mental model ingrained in an otherwise rational human being. Since the inculcation of religious belief generally begins early in childhood, this mental model tends to constitute a foundational place in a human being’s mature schema. Sometimes, it even makes up the cornerstone. As Richard Dawkins suggests, it is likely thanks to children’s evolutionarily backed tendency to believe adults without question that allows for the adoption of these objectively ludicrous beliefs.[5]
One may think that the perseverance of humanity’s generally rational nature may eventually lead to its rejection of irrational superstitions, and sometimes, it does. However, the durability of religious and ideological faith and the long list of religious apologists –those who appeal to reason to defend faith –suggest otherwise. It is crucial to remember here, that religious belief serves the psychological function of shielding humans from excessive and harmful levels of anxiety. It follows that losing faith or even acknowledging flaws in key concepts in any religious tradition threatens to expose a believer to the terrifying reality of an intrinsically meaningless universe, a stark reality that they are unprepared to accept. The result is that rational thought is actually recruited to defend superstition, rather than to critique it. This can explain why generally sensible, logical people, suddenly sound crazy when the topic of their religion is broached. It is because, no matter how rational an argument is, if any of the premises or conclusions are founded upon irrational presuppositions, then the whole thing is irrational.
To illustrate the point, there is a clear positive correlation between intelligent and well-educated people and Islamic terrorism. Mohammed Atta, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, was an architectural engineer. Khalid Sheik Mohamed earned a degree in mechanical engineering. Two of the three founders of Lashkar-Taibi, the organization of the Mumbai attacks, were professors at the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore. Studies on the demographics have shown that terrorists are, in fact, more likely to come from wealthier and more educated backgrounds than their fellow countrymen. [6] This clashes with the impression that religious belief presupposes stupidity. In fact, it is the most intelligent of us who can defend their most far-fetched beliefs the most, because they are the ones that can best perform the intellectual acrobatics required to satisfactorily defend them. Yet does this vindicate them from being fools? Absolutely not. Indeed, there are plenty of intelligent fools in our world, and no amount of savvy lawyering can make an irrational assertion rational.
Comedy as the Antidote to Theological Madness
Comedy, on the other hand, functions on the basis of the deconstruction of sacred values and assumed beliefs. Unlike religions and ideologies, which function to provide and uphold bundles of sacred illusions, comedy is based on its opposite, profane reality. Likewise, while religions and ideologies are based on somber faith, humor manifests as frivolous reason. The very core of humor, what makes us laugh, is the acknowledgment of logical inconsistencies. In accordance with the predominant law of incongruity, supported by today’s researchers, we are primed to laugh at absurdities.[7] This includes when the jokes point out the irrationality of our own beliefs. Comedy is rationality with an edge.
This is what oftentimes gets comedy into a bind, and why comedy finds itself in conflict with religions, ideologies, and anything else that presumes to some sanctified authority. The comedic impulse acts a pesticide designed to root out the overgrowth of logical absurdities which tend to flourish in dark, neglected corners of the human mind. Of course, there is perhaps no stronger weed than religious faith and other venerated convictions. Thus, when comic irreverence confronts the “sacred” values that have hitherto protected us from the anxieties of an unadulterated perception of our harsh reality, it is met with an expected hostility. Thus, the mocking jester is perennially at odds with the solemn priest, and the comedian is the nemesis of the preachers and acolytes of all things hallowed. Comedy lightens the heart, yet keeps us tethered to reality, protecting us all from being carried away by the reverently serious piety of religious and ideological currents to the void of superstition.
The Role of Comedy in History
While comedy and values can be seen to be natural enemies, history can provide us with an example of how these two opposing sentiments work to balance each other out and emerge as complementary forces in human life. For example, during the Middle Ages in Europe, the use of humor played an important role in checking hubris and the deliverance of bad tidings through court jesters. Jesters were a regular mainstay in medieval courts. Contrary to popular belief, their station was an esteemed and respected position in any royal or aristocratic court. The picture of the historical jester bore little resemblance to the motley fool commonly portrayed in today’s popular culture. Far from being a crude buffoon clad in patchwork and bells slated for humiliation by the royal court, professional jesters wore regular clothing and were tasked with roles that might cost any other subject their heads. Namely, jesters were immune from penalties incurred by mocking the lord or king. For the sake of criticism and humor, jesters teased, mocked, and joked about anyone and everyone with almost complete legal impunity. This practice was essential in a social order where the criticism of lords and royalty was unthinkable. The ability of the jester to poke fun at the proudest and most esteemed members of society prevented their egos from swelling to the point of flight.[8]
Another important job was to deliver bad news to the head of the realm, using their talents to soften the blows that come with tragic or calamitous news. In circumstances like the onset of plague, an incoming invasion, or famine, falling back on religion or delusions could, and often did, result in disaster. One example of this is when plague began to sweep through Paris in 1384. Believing that the pestilence was the result of God’s wrath, policies for mitigating the crisis included abstaining from blasphemy, avoiding excessive bathing, and bans on gambling and swearing. Needless to say, the Plague swept through the city unmitigated, killing 25,000 people.[9] By contrast, the jester could sweeten up the bitter truth just enough to make it palatable and encourage more reasonable measures in defense against crisis.
Even in the supposedly benighted Middle Ages, people understood the value of humor in cutting egos down to size and lightening an overwhelming load of stress to make hard news sustainable and smooth the path toward of development of plans of action. Even the lower classes of peasants had their share of amateur fools, who were, in fact, patchwork-clad goofs, to provide much-needed entertainment to distract the people from their hard and rigorous lives. Thus, even under the backdrop of an almost completely rigid and authoritarian social order, comic relief was recognized as a necessity. Through the jesters of the Middle Ages, we see the potential for a symbiotic balance between reverence and humor.
Comedy in Our Present Day
The social function of comics today continues and expands upon this tradition. Today, the role of the jester is no longer relegated to an exclusive position in the closed audiences of lords, ladies, and courtesans. Thanks to our foundation as a society that values free speech, ideological plurality, and criticism, Western culture has developed a thriving number of stand-up comedians and satirical arts and entertainment that not only provide us the stress relief that can only be brought about by laughter, but also well-seasoned critiques of everything from daily human activity to political activity. Comics like George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Doug Stanhope, and Robin Williams are only a few of the leading comics that raised questions, critiques, and challenges to things that we may take too seriously, mistake as sacred, or haven’t even considered at all. The comic is a cross between a philosopher and an artist. They are professionals who both identify the contradictions, absurdities, ironies, and paradoxes of even the most sensitive and dearly held topics and present them in a creative and entertaining way, inviting critical thought, and perhaps softening the sting of otherwise hard truths.
It is a real threat to our culture, then, that our palates for humor have become so sweet that they cannot taste a hint of truth without flinching. We Westerners have become a touchy lot. We have long been lovers of euphemism and political correctness, but our decreasing ability to “take a joke”, is reaching a critical point in cultural evolution. It is indicative of our inability to untether ourselves from our hallowed idols, be they religious deities, political convictions, or even our own egos.
This is perhaps due to the semi-chaotic state of value systems in America. In recent years, traditional American faith-and-flag belief systems have ceded their hegemony in our ideological framework, resulting in an anarchy of competing belief systems, which, unfortunately eventually settled into two opposing coalitions of hallowed faith. The first is the “old morality”, based on religion, nationalism, and tradition. The second “new morality” is a mainly secular ideological system that draws heavily from socialist and humanist tenets. These two lumbering titans of the “culture war” grapple with no coherent agenda, no clear frontlines, and no sign of either gaining a decisive victory over the other. Yet neither tolerate criticism or ridicule. Because of this, the mass of Americans has adopted such an aura of vulnerability that they can hardly discern the difference between roasting and ridicule, or satire and bitter mockery. No doubt, factions of true believers, Christian Nationalist foot soldiers, Social Justice Warriors, and the like, enthusiastically pitch battles on behalf of the faith to which they subscribe. These ranks are bolstered by the fair-weather types, who only casually endorse a belief for the sake of status and other advantages. The crystallization of the two American moralities means light treading for the nation’s freer thinkers, and for them, patient reserve seems to be the most popular course of action. Thus, today, when a comic takes an honest stand, he may not only be met with boos from the crowd, but the resounding cries of millions screaming, “Off with their heads!” Whether faced with canceling or being boycotted –which is how conservatives like to say cancel— comics, and comedy itself, is faced with losing their soul and being degraded to the very cheap, bias -confirming self-indulgence that fanatical neurotics love most. And no doubt, scornful mockery is by far the lowest form of comedy, if it can even be considered that at all.
This growing trend of the soft censorship of comedy reflects a bad trend in the larger picture of our collective character. Westerners, long afforded the unique and grand latitude for free expression without fear of impunity by either others or institutions of power, are themselves now, applying pressure against social, political, cultural, and religious dissidents in our society. The American Zeitgeist has developed into a collage of mutually hostile ideological systems, each their own intersecting social, cultural, religious and political dimensions. They are all reinforced by echo chambers, and politically favored ones are further fueled media influence. Our beliefs, more than ever, are tied to our egos, immunized from reason, and substantiated with dogma and interpretations of recent and historical events shaped within the restricting parameters of closed reasoning. Once the exclusive territory of religion, all categories of ideology are now guarded by armies of acolytes armed with faith and zealotry. Evidence and independent thought have fallen out of vogue. Moderation has fallen out of fashion. Fanaticism is in.
The self-indulgent sacralization of personal beliefs leaves little room for the comic relief. But then again, that’s the point. Strong convictions rooted in fact and accepted conditionally by strong people, stand up to criticism well, and even invite it. This is because hardy, healthy, people value truth, no matter how painful, over comfortable illusions. They take the scientific path, laugh heartily when proven wrong by clever jokesters, and discard the assertion. These happy, mentally tough, people cherish the work of comedians, even when they challenge their most deeply held beliefs.
Conversely, the weak and deluded multitudes with stunted hearts and zombie minds cannot stand criticism, and applaud the comic only when others are in the hot seat. It is only when jokes are a scornful expression of their own superiority that they cheer. These tragic failed beings fuel the blaze of inter-factional conflict in our world, taking offense and responding to criticism by digging in their heels or receding into their echo chambers to renew their validation. They would die on their hills or allow themselves to be entombed in their trenches before venturing into no man’s land to brave the volleys of reason and reality. It is strange to free thinkers, for one to cling so desperately to false idols, declare them sacred, and suffer for them. After all, laughter is a cure for suffering, and those who cannot laugh except out of malice suffer profoundly.
But be careful! Misery loves company! Do not let these miserable shadows of humans drag you to their pits! Instead find peace in your calm objectivity and capacity for detachment. Exemplify reason. When these nasty vipers snap and the rats nip at your heels, do not meet them with wrath, but pity, for they are lost in woebegone doldrums. Avoid sycophants and codependents who will only stifle you. Instead, appreciate honest and true friends. As Nietzsche once asserted, even a true enemy is better than a false friend. It is for these strong individuals that comedy thrives today and becomes a conduit for human advancement. Clever criticism and gallows humor are piquant pastimes for anyone who appreciates it. Forget about the superfluous and atrophied people who shriek and wail at the sting of insults. They just fail to perceive those pangs as impulses toward thought, because they see them only as barbs to their egos. It is a true abuse of the mind to expend its energy on preserving lies and distortions when it could be cultivating strength, smashing idols, and pursuing truth. For them, clever criticism is an attack, and the sugar added adds insult to injury. To the strong, it is an invitation, where comic delivery is like a drop of water in whiskey, diluting its punch, so that the flavor can better be appreciated. Comedy is, thus, an essential art that enhances critical thought, clear vision, and tethers us to reality. It is a synthesis of art and philosophy that brightens and clarifies our mind’s vision and lightens our hearts in the face of harsh realities. It strips the power of the dreadful and sacred alike and frees us from their wrath. It is a slave for suffering, a little guide that bounces jovially as it guides us out of the cave, and into the blinding light of truth at the surface.
[1] Nietzsche, Friedrich, The Antichrist, pg. 28
[2] “Engels to C. Schmidt in Berlin”, https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1890/letters/90_08_05.htm
[3] https://www.openculture.com/2020/04/bertrand-russell-remembers-his-face-to-face-encounter-with-vladimir-ilyich-lenin.html
[4] Sam Harris, The End of Faith
[6] https://slate.com/technology/2009/12/why-do-so-many-terrorists-have-engineering-degrees.html
[7] https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/humor/
[8] https://www.gutenberg.org/files/59618/59618-h/59618-h.htm