What’s so funny?

This might seem an odd thing to observe just at this particular moment, when even a cursory glance at the headlines would suggest that levity is not quite the order of the day, but I sometimes fear we are in danger of becoming a nation of humorless scolds.

I’m not thinking here of the tedious case of Jimmy Kimmel, which has much more to do with politics than humor. Nor am I thinking, at least not directly, of the malicious mockery which polluted social media following the murder of Charlie Kirk.

I am thinking, rather, of the generalized willingness to be offended which seems to infect an increasing swath of Americans – of that performative outrage which, like all other forms of sanctimony, ought to be the butt of our jokes, not a replacement for them.

This is particularly important at just such a moment as ours. The inability to take a joke, and the unwillingness to self-deprecate, makes friendship difficult. This is certainly true on a personal level, but it applies also to society more generally.

Our present lack of civic friendship is both a cause and effect of a withered sense of humor.

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