Seriously Funny

I think I've noticed a pattern. It appears that the web separates people from seriousness and turns them into amateur comedians.

A person posts a serious question void of humor -- perhaps a painful question -- and one of several things happens. In descending order of frequency they are

1. No response.
2. A brief response with a lame attempt at humor.
3. A quick, short, shallow, somewhat serious reponse
4. A serious and sincere response to the question

I like humor. It's serious business. Humor can make us healthier. It can be a means of dealing with a stressful situation. It can make good times with friends even better.

But, why do some people feel the need to respond with humor to a serious, perhaps painful, message posted on a board?

I wonder if this is an indication of the anonymity of the web and it's dehumanizing dimension?

I think I'll end this now and go talk to someone face to face. I like my humanity and don't want to risk it by spending too much time online. In fact, I heard a good joke yesterday and I think I'll tell it to a friend.