To cope. To cope, sometimes, with awful things.

Like the photo of the WW1 trench with the skeleton holding a cigarette and sign to the dugout. Like the humor of Emergency Rooms and cops and firefighters and combat and poverty and powerlessness.

Humor has helped to bring down governments and raise them up. It might be the single most powerful thing, after Love, there is. Tyranny cannot stand the light or being laughed at.