Hey party people! If you are at all like me you count down the days you get to go home and sleep in your not-twin bed and play a little game called philosophy-is-too-a-major! And maybe, if you are like me a little bit, you get to be a little defensive when your family goes, “God, you are such a pill. Lighten up,” to which I respond a little like grumpy cat, “No.”
I don’t really care to see rainbows and sunshine all the time. Seriously, I get migraines, and that bright stuff gets annoying. It’s cool—there are things I like, but I don’t see the point in drowning in optimism.
I go home and the first thing noticed is my sour attitude, or the fact that I am not five years old telling my family that sunflowers are full of tiny people and that’s why they move. I come in and hang out and am realistic and laugh at the videos where people get hurt for doing something stupid.
Honestly, I don’t understand why everyone calls me bitter or unnecessarily rude. Have you heard of George Carlin, Louis C.K. or Bo Burnham? These guys make their money being cynics to the nth degree. We have Lisa Lampanelli and Eddie Izzard. Shows like United States of Tara capitalize on the dark humor that is her life.
Which bring me to another point, is dark humor the same as cynicism? Personally, I think I am hilarious when I deadpan and tell someone something dark like Aubrey Plaza. I think when we can laugh at the things that make life harder, we win. I love to watch “House,” I love watching that intelligent man be snappy at everyone, hate people and push them to their limits.
Also, to be a little technical and a little passive-aggressive, my family seems to think that me correcting them is cynical. I’m sorry, but yes President Barack Obama is an American. No, he won because he was voted in. No, not all brown people are Mexican. Correcting them isn’t being a jerk, it’s me not wanting my family to sound absolutely stupid. I get it—no one likes to be corrected. Get over it. The fact that you are so angry about being corrected makes you look like you hate education.
I also think a lot of it has to do with what we think is funny. Inter-generational conversations about humor are interesting to say the least. My family cannot get enough of The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, which has its merits (Ron White, that whiskey-sucking man with a cigar), but the rest is poop jokes and blue humor; but throw some Bo Burnham their way, and they don’t understand. The quickness with which he speaks and makes puns is lost on them and it doesn’t surprise me that what would have most of my friends rolling on the floor laughing has my parents rolling their eyes and a little miffed.
I guess it has to do with what you’re comfortable with, and for me I am comfortable with what is sadly funny. I’m like a British person.
Katelyn Henagin graduated from Pierz-Healy High School in 2010, and grew up in both Pierz and Worthington, Minnesota. She is graduating in 2014 with a Philosophy Major and a minor in Psychology. If you feel like talking to Katelyn, striking up a conversation about Harry Potter is always a good choice.
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