Silliness keeps us sane

An ode to moderate doses of idiocy

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By Ben Lingren

The world is awash with silly moments. This observation doesn’t stem from a place of judgement or pretentiousness. It is an honest and heartfelt acceptance that in life, we would at some point or another be faced with dealing with the unexpected and unexplained where turmoil and messiness take centre stage. This is when the safety belt of predictability is unhitched and anarchy and instability become genuine possibilities. Our grandiose illusions of manageable existence dissolve into thin air.

I see silliness as the universe’s way of introducing moments of much needed levity in an otherwise mundane stream of everyday existence. There are various examples of silly moments, some with greater life implications than others, but in essence they have a degree of chaos and confusion about them. Overindulging in Christmas treats (guilty!). Engaging in painfully elaborate traditions that go against the grain of common sense. Or one that I’m particularly well-versed with; navigating the undulating waters of bureaucratic red-tape.

In all the above instances, there is an aching sense of pointlessness.