Jokers Are Also Serious People!


The other night, someone told me, twice in the same conversation - 'Now I know you are a serious person'. It struck a raw nerve in me as I've heard variations of this lame and presumptiouspresumptuous remark over the years.

Jokers or people who like to joke are also serious people. As a self-professed joker, I would like to add that jokers are complicated people.

Why do people become jokers? By nature, I was born a serious and pessimistic person. I started thinking about the meaning of life way before I entered school. I don't know about others but as I reflect upon my personal journey, I can think of the following reasons and influences that caused me to adopt humour as a facet of my character:
  • Initially jokes were a source of much needed cheer. I devoured joke books and comedies voraciously in school.
  • There was also much teasing back then. I was rather quiet and passive in school. But after one too many teasing, suddenly the 'bullied' became the 'bully'. Jokes became a source of power. (mua ha ha, evil laugh)
  • Of course, there was this annoying part. Everyone was telling me I looked very serious and fierce. It was so tiresome. So I unleashed the 'Joker' personality. Then everyone started telling me, 'Why are you such a joker?'. Oh gosh, you just can't win everything..
Guess that almost about sums it up. Reading into other sources, I discovered that most comedians have had a tragic or unpleasant history. However, they chose to deal with it positively using humour. Robin Williams, if i recall correctly, was one of them.

Joking all the time is no fun. It can get tiring. It can backfire. And like what I said in the beginning, some less-enlightened people assume that because you joke a lot, you don't have a serious side or you don't think about profound things.

Well, don't be so misled. Just as a diamond has many facets, so does a person. Call it a mask, call it hypocrisy, call it anything. It is part and parcel of a human being's complex psychological makeup.

I think it takes a joker to understand or relate to a joker. Or just someone with an open mind and has learned to see outside the box.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I agree. Most people I know who are jokers are actually quite melancholic and deep in fact. I know what you mean.

From your posts and all, I have no problems identify you are in that category leh. Good or bad ah?

Oh...maybe you can teach me how to retort teasings. LOL
Las montaƱas said…
joker? you mean that batman and robin joker? man.. he has a sad past.
me said…
oh but definitely. i will be horrified if a joker goes to a funeral and keeps making people laugh there....come to think of it, we were laughing ourselves silly at my grandma's funeral. eek! (we were not happy that she passed away, ok? au contraire)
Annie said…
I find humor to be a natural reaction to "feeling" too much of this world. There must be a release, so it's either laughter or tears. I prefer laughing.

I also think making other people laugh distracts them from seeing the "REAL" you. Keeps them occupied and away from asking serious questions about yourself.

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