Situation arises. The situation seems familiar… so familiar that it could have been anticipated. How could it have not? The person was led to it – almost as if Vishy Anand has seen 20 moves earlier in the game. Bread crumbs were laid, with immense care and timing – all of them. But it wasn’t just timing or care, it was also experience. Experience of how this person would react, what he/she likes, and where it all will go south. So, if this journey is made although with occasional swerving, straying, and coming back on track, a final ingredient is added – timing. Timing must be as perfect as being born on the 29th of February so people don’t celebrate your birthday every year. And when you have got everything in place – every detailed step followed, you have a JOKE. A joke is born.
Now it may look like a tedious process and it is one. But it is instilled in the muscle memory so much so that one does not have to think about it. It just happens. You think we learn to walk in a day? No. We crawl, gain strength, take a stand, fall and fall again, and gain more strength, grabbing tables and people so that we could stand, and after falling, failing, and getting up, we eventually stand and walk. The joke was attempted, often without a shred of confidence at the start by a novice, but it was met with cold and awkward silence or a genuine follow-up question, both of which for a joke is like King Cross Station for Voldemort in the final film. The journey from a novice to a master is of gaining confidence by failing and trying. Patience you must have, my young padawan.
A joke is like a well-sharpened axe that could cut through the tension, it could also be a candle that could burn rapport like what Cersei Lannister did to The Great Sept of Baelor. So one must tread carefully. Whether it is self-depreciation, a practical joke, being silly, wordplay, observational, or my favorite: sarcasm – the point is: humor is subjective. There is always the case that if you open your mouth or write a piece that most will find not interesting or even take offense to it. Humor varies with culture, the time that you are living in, and probably 100 other things. So really take yourself seriously and never bring humor to your life – this is probably the most serious thing I said here :P.