# Surrounded by Fools or Comedians By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-03-23 There are two types of humor, just as there are two types of existence. One type of humor disguises one's lack of purpose and resulting pain. This humor is instinctual, and the person making the jokes reflects little on why they do what they do. At one point in time, they did something that made people laugh and got attention, so now they just continue being the fool. Essentially, they make themselves the joke. The other type of humor highlights the absurdity of human existence. The person making these jokes has spent time contemplating and living an examined life. This person is not a fool but a comedian whose jokes convey a fundamental message about the nature of human existence. As a result, the comedian is never a joke. On the surface, both types of humor and jokes create laughter, but only one type possesses anything worth contemplating. A guy getting kicked in the balls may elicit laughter, but a person highlighting the absurdity of office work creates a moment of shared suffering and solidarity. The first type of humor is cheap; any animal can achieve this without knowing it, as highlighted by the endless YouTube videos on the topic. The second type is uniquely human. Thus, one can tell a lot about the state of one's company by their jokes. #### Related Items [[Humor]] [[Jokes]] [[Existential]] [[The Human Condition]] [[Laughter]] [[Reflection]] [[Solidarity]] [[Suffering]]