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Humor me?

Defense mechanisms!

What does the term "Defense mechanism" exactly mean?

A defense mechanism is an unconscious process that tries to reduce/displace the anxiety that erupts in association with instinctive desires (id) or situations that are perceived as harmful to the "self". This understanding of a defense mechanism found me looking at "Humor" as a result of one's defenses. Humor today is often used to attack or subtly criticize others and is occasionally seen as offending rather than as sheer humor. This confusion is honestly justified. The problem we have is identifying the intent of the person sharing his "bit", and that of the audience. Let me call on stage- Sarcasm & exaggerations to help us understand this better. Today's humor is built on sarcasm, which makes a considerable part of sublimation. 'Sublimation' in layman terms is a defense mechanism one uses to express negative thoughts held in a much more socially acceptable way. Sarcasm, allows one to take out personal grudges against a person, gender, or community, etc., without being caught doing so in an outright manner. Humor today is like the understated seed to diplomacy, where you manage to subtly put a point across, given the permit to deny any direct accusation, by calling it a "joke". Humor based on a sarcastic thought or a taunt often tends to blur the lines between the playfulness and seriousness of a joke. Hence making it tough to judge the lightheartedness of the jokes cracked, which makes things a lot more tricky when shared with an insecure or defensive audience.

Have you ever wondered and introspected over your style of humor, and assessed if it is simple humor or a defense mechanism to which you succumb.

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