Thankfully we live in a world surrounded with it - if we are keen to see it. In the same way the Christian feels the presence of God throughout life (manifest in objects, people, occurrences) the comic beholds the world through the lens of humor. A bit of a quirky perspective is all it takes. The ability to realize a discrepancy in something. An overwhelming desire to see the world in a new way all the time while shouldering the burden of picturing the world as it should be.
But with all the tragedies in our world - the bombings, the countless murders, kidnappings, rapes, suicides (you get the idea) at what expense do we lead our lives with humor? Is humor in its essence irresponsible? Is it an individual failing to shoulder the tremendous weight of life (whether purposefully or not)? Is it a person who has given up on real things and embarked on a quest to create and observe the subtle nuances of the imagined in order to escape their real problems?
No. No it is not.
It has taken me several years to realize this but I now feel confident in my response. Well, as confident as a philosopher can feel holding onto a fleeting thought nugget.
Humor is not irresponsible or negligent, humor is a choice. Humor is the desire to explore. Humor is the juicy alternate perspective. Humor is mankind's ability to see the world beyond a giant system and break down and dissect simple components of the universe. And what do we get when we do this? Well, we can realize how absurd it all is. And no doubt many comics have taken this route (Carlin??). But we also realize that this life is a gift and to choose the humorous perspective is not only difficult and courageous - it is vital. For those who gaze upon the world as a giant system, standing naked and powerless before it, will be hopelessly climbing the ladder laid before them for the rest of their days.
But the comic, the humor buff, the improviser - they play. They are the tireless explorers who find hope not in seeing the world as it is but as it could be. They put their stock in understanding not what things are but why they are that way and the justifications behind that construction. It is the comedian's job to uplift the spirit. To invite others in to wrap their minds, albeit temporarily, around the world as they see it.
The comedian dares the comatosed masses to dream. The comedian is the kid at the slumber party who stays awake after all the other kids, his mind reeling with boundless thoughts that keep him awake, energetic and alive. The comedian is the most alive of all of us, because not only has he placed the burdens of this world squarely upon his shoulders but he has realized his purpose in reshaping that world in a digestible way so that it may breathe life and hope into others. He has embarked on a quest to reshape this world and share his work with others in hopes that they will also see the world as he does: a place of possibility.
Humor is not an escape. Humor is an opportunity.
