This week: The Comedy of Innocence Edited by: THANKFUL SONALI Library Class!  
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| It would exasperate us if an adult did it, but we can't top laughing when it's a child. Why? |
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Dear Reader,
A friend and I were talking about childhood escapades, and mostly, we were giggling through the conversation.
One of the episodes was about my cousin (now aged 63) as a child. He lives in a joint family, which meant that every activity involved several children. Take swimming class, for example. This is how it worked. One of the adults would drop the five kids who had swimming class off at the club. The adult would then drive back home, having given instructions about the snacks to be served to the cousins after their swim. The cousins had their swimming lesson, showered, changed, snacked and walked back home themselves.
Now, the snack typically consisted of two items - one individual and one shared. Say, a sandwich each and two plates of chips to be shared. Hungry from their exertions in the pool, the kids occupied a table and the waiter served them as instructed by the adult. The kids then ate.
What every kid did was to start on her / his sandwich.
Every kid except 'N', who started on the chips.
You see, the sandwich was earmarked for him. Nobody else could touch it. If he got at the chips first, he could eat more of them while the others were busy with their sandwiches. Which he did. Out of the two plates ordered, he managed to finish almost a whole one by himself. What's more, nobody cottoned on till he boasted about it himself.
Incidentally, 'N' is now a Chartered Accountant!
I wonder if the incident raised a chuckle, or at least a grin from you.
Now – imagine if the same thing were to be told about an adult.
I guess there would be no chuckle or grin.
So why is it funny when a kid does it, and not funny when an adult does the same thing?
Is it because of our basic instinct of protection?
We're meant to protect the child, not be angry with him. (Similarly, the puppy, the kitty).
Also - we forgive because the kid / puppy / kitty hasn't yet learned that it's wrong to do that. (Hence, my cousin boasting and getting himself caught!  )
Or is it really because we would have loved to do it ourselves, only, being adult and knowing better, we can't get away with it? We're living vicariously through that child / puppy / kitty and all the mischief ... ? We can enjoy it without chiding ourselves because hey, it's all innocent. If it were an adult doing it - uh uh - not innocent, not funny, can't put ourselves in those shoes without guilt.
So - protection, forgiveness, empathy and a bit of jealousy perhaps ...
What else?
Does the innocence of it show a basic need?
Peel off the layers of health and acceptable social behavior and so on, and you get - 'a kid needs a whole plate of chips to himself'. He's hungry. He likes chips. He could eat every plate of chips the kitchen produced. It's just basic. It's the fundamental need - and it echoes in all of us. By the time an individual is an adult, the needs are less basic (and therefore, relatable to fewer people). Along with the need for chips is the need to lose weight; along with the need to paint your little brother's face (see the Facebook video linked below) is the need to keep your own clothes clean, and so on ... it's not basic any more and it's not fun any more.
So, dear writer, think kid, think puppy, think kitten. Raise a laugh!
Thanks for listening!
Here!
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=189519981888843&external_log_id=cd7... |
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So - any innocently funny anecdotes to share?
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Comedy: December 15, 2021 Issue [#11121]
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