Gallows Humor: A Very Dark Form of Word Play

Abstract

One of the things that makes us satisfied in life is that our lives
are filled with routines. We know when to get up in the morning.
Every morning our routine tends to be the same as every other
morning. We distinguish between week-day routines, and weekend
routines, but whether is a week day, a Saturday, or a Sunday,
we know what to do and when to do it. Even though our routines
vary on Saturdays, that variation is the exception that proves
the rule. Because our days are so filled with routines, we need
a diversion. At night time, that diversion comes in the form
of dreams. During the day, that diversion is often experienced
through gallows humor. Gallows humor, whether it is in stories
about real life, or stories in fiction allows us to have very strange
and dangerous experiences without actually being in danger.