I think he was finding the humor in the absurdity of the situation —one in which there were multiple red flags that were not heeded. Humor is a tool that can expose the truth & can lead to reflection. It is also invaluable, as he mentioned, in getting through tough situations that don’t make sense. I had to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction for breast cancer when I was 34 (years ago now & I am fine, thank God). I ended up with breast implants that took a while to get used to. I remember being at a Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” 5K & seeing a woman wearing a T-shirt with a slogan across her chest that read: “Yes, they’re FAKE, the real ones tried to KILL me!” I thought it was hysterical, I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time, and it felt really good. To laugh at that does not minimize my or any cancer survivor’s struggle…it makes the journey more tolerable & lightens your spirit.
I've pondered that problem too, and concluded that his use of that horrific event actually emphasizes the urgency of Seinfeld's call to, "Pay attention!" The consequences of failing to pay attention can be tragic. Of course, failure to pay attention can also result in grand comedy. We all sometimes laugh at others, and ourselves, when they, or we, walk into a glass door, for example. Which brings us back to his point about not losing our sense of humor. In all this, I think Seinfeld is striving to help mankind cope with the challenges of life.
Recognition is a start. Jewish people have survived pogroms and centuries of antisemitism by turning tragedies into humor of the type Jerry used. It may be harder for you to see the humor amidst tragedy if you’ve never experienced that culture. It’s nothing against you but he’s right. We need to get back to funny again.
Comedic mockery of evil is a powerful tool. "Springtime for Hitler and Germany" by Mel Brooks comes to mind. Over dinner this evening a friend recommended Charlie Chaplin's, "The Dictator."
You are exactly the person he’s talking about
I guess. Couldn’t get past it, though.
I think he was finding the humor in the absurdity of the situation —one in which there were multiple red flags that were not heeded. Humor is a tool that can expose the truth & can lead to reflection. It is also invaluable, as he mentioned, in getting through tough situations that don’t make sense. I had to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction for breast cancer when I was 34 (years ago now & I am fine, thank God). I ended up with breast implants that took a while to get used to. I remember being at a Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” 5K & seeing a woman wearing a T-shirt with a slogan across her chest that read: “Yes, they’re FAKE, the real ones tried to KILL me!” I thought it was hysterical, I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time, and it felt really good. To laugh at that does not minimize my or any cancer survivor’s struggle…it makes the journey more tolerable & lightens your spirit.
I've pondered that problem too, and concluded that his use of that horrific event actually emphasizes the urgency of Seinfeld's call to, "Pay attention!" The consequences of failing to pay attention can be tragic. Of course, failure to pay attention can also result in grand comedy. We all sometimes laugh at others, and ourselves, when they, or we, walk into a glass door, for example. Which brings us back to his point about not losing our sense of humor. In all this, I think Seinfeld is striving to help mankind cope with the challenges of life.
Recognition is a start. Jewish people have survived pogroms and centuries of antisemitism by turning tragedies into humor of the type Jerry used. It may be harder for you to see the humor amidst tragedy if you’ve never experienced that culture. It’s nothing against you but he’s right. We need to get back to funny again.
Comedic mockery of evil is a powerful tool. "Springtime for Hitler and Germany" by Mel Brooks comes to mind. Over dinner this evening a friend recommended Charlie Chaplin's, "The Dictator."
“Awkward humor is okay.”