Gallows humor is a coping mechanism used during times of crisis, such as the Challenger explosion. It can be self-deprecating or universal, and is used by those in stressful occupations. It originated from condemned prisoners making jokes during public hangings and has been used by soldiers and disaster survivors. While it may seem insensitive, it serves to fill a void during uncertain times.
During times of national crisis, such as the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986, some people use a dark form of humor as a coping mechanism. These offensive or sick jokes used to defuse a gloomy situation are examples of gallows humor. This type of humor can be very self-deprecating in nature, such as when a terminally ill patient jokingly asks her doctor for a second opinion or an extension on her bill. While gallows humor may seem too dark or offensive to outsiders, those who participate in the joke may find it somewhat comforting.
Other forms of gallows humor are intended to find a more universal audience. When tragic events such as the assassination of a world leader, a celebrity murder trial, or a natural disaster occur, it’s not uncommon for a spate of objectionable or tasteless jokes to hit the morning radio programs or discussion groups about Internet. By sharing these jokes among close friends or co-workers, some people find it easier to cope with the overwhelming emotions related to the actual event.
Many people who work in stressful occupations find that a little gallows humor can help put their dreary or unpleasant tasks in a more manageable light. Police officers and medical professionals often use dark humor when discussing their work with other professionals. This may seem offensive or unprofessional to outsiders, but it can be a way to put some distance between them and the grim reality of their job.
As the name suggests, gallows humor actually started with the execution device used for public hangings. It was not uncommon for condemned prisoners to use their last words as a sounding board for grim self-deprecating jokes, often directed at distraught friends and family. This practice of cracking jokes during a time of grief or tragedy soon became a coping mechanism for soldiers fighting in the trenches or survivors of a natural disaster.
Most of us can recall at least one joke that arose from a tragic set of circumstances, although many of those jokes had very short lives. Taken out of context, many forms of gallows humor would sound exceptionally cruel or insensitive, but they once served to fill a void during the uncertain days that followed a national tragedy.
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