Americans have a penchant for dark humor and sarcasm during times of stress. Blame it on Mark Twain! If you read those posts literally, you will be upset. If you look at the underlying message; it is a serious point wrapped up in an apparent bon bon; an effective means of conveying a point in a discussion. Twain used humor to discuss slavery in the U.S.; a very unfunny topic, indeed.
This story presents the fact of the explosions as if they are some sort of natural phenomenon, like a tornado touching down in a trailer park. The story does not even note 'responsible parties are unknown, at this time'. Posters are noting the reporter's total lack of interest in who planted these bombs.
Just an update to the thread that two lives have been lost and a third is very critical. Public celebrations at such locations as Siam Paragon, Central World and the ever sleasy Patpong have been cancelled. BTS and Subway are open to get people home. No Pi Mai - New Years in Bangkok.
> Americans have a penchant for dark humor and sarcasm during times of stress. Blame it on Mark Twain! <
May we all pay tribute to the legacy of Samuel Clements, a truly great literary figure.
But if truth be told, the mixing of humor with bad news is a lot older than Mark Twain. Perhaps the most skilled proponent of this literary device was Shakespeare. He employs it time and again, especially when Sir John Falstaff appears in a Shakespearean tradgedy.
[And it's not for nothing that Rush Limbaugh has oft been called a latter day Falstaff.]
So I join in urging our valued friend Killjoy to lighten up a bit and continue his much-appreciated postings.