Should we take anything seriously? The ability to laugh at ourselves

WHY SO SERIOUS?     THE JOKER

Among Dylan's unique traits apart from being one of about ten people in the last fifty years to be able to write half-decent lyrics was the contempt he showed for journalists. Whenever he was asked about the deeper meaning of his songs he would laugh, smoke a cigarette and reply "I don't know man, you tell me what they mean".

 When one of the lefty-intellectual types mentioned something he had come up with as a suggestion or interpretation for what an album might symbolise,  Dylan just looked mildly amused and condescendingly congratulated him for his insight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guOaI6_cF10

 Whether this makes him the nicest person in the world is besides the point; he couldn't stand how seriously they were taking everything he said. He could laugh at himself. It was a bit ridiculous after all, for every self proclaimed intellectual to use this 'song and dance man' as their icon and hero.

Fast forward fifty years and I find that the only people I find myself wanting to talk to about 'serious' issues are those who don't mind laughing at themselves, as if to say 'yes, who really cares, I could be completely wrong and am a slightly ridiculous person just like the rest of the world'. 

Then I can respect them. Because I can see that they have the humility to realise that they are just one person and that there are many views on a particular subject. This shouldn't mean that they should not be passionate, but that it should not escalate to the point where everyone else can be presumed wrong. No this isn't a punt for pluralism. Pluralists are amongst the internet's biggest zealots. It is about a mindset that should precede the expressing of an opinion. 

For me, it would be the equivalent of 'I am self-indulgently writing another blog quoting quite pretentious sources left, right and centre under the pretence of some sort of authority' - a sort of leshem yichud before each blogpost ( in-joke, sorry).

 I admired a Chabad rabbi who I spoke to recently when he replied to a question of mine by stating that 'Yes, you could see it from another angle, but I am presenting the chabad position on the matter' - I respect that. He could see that his way wasn't the only way but it was the one he believed was true. 

Because most conversations about religion and politics are had by those who really think they have a personal right to be listened to. Particularly with these areas, the atmosphere can become bigoted or hostile, or alternatively lots of like-minded people find a strawman to bash e.g. the chareidim or the open orthodox and inevitable schisms in Orthodoxy.

Well, you could turn around and say, of course you have to take these things seriously - sometimes these are matters of life and death or the welfare of individuals and society, these are serious issues. Agreed. They are serious issues. But you getting all serious about them is not going to resolve them any better and will probably mean that they are less likely to get addressed because once you take the 'I'm the serious one' position you have essentially blocked off one side of the argument. 

It's like the whole political correctness nonsense that now pervades every University campus. The issues that are debated are all about the feelings and rights of every possible group and minority who might be offended and whilst this is admirable if it prevents persecution it can also become completely intellectually stultifying. You are so busy worried about how many things might offend people that no-one's knowledge is broadened or expanded on any topic whatsoever. It's also no fun. 

Parroted words about 'discourse' and 'spaces' and 'conversations' replace challenge and debate. I would know. When I went to a school that wasn't Jewish, I had many conversations about religion which were not always comfortable, and which I didn't always know how to respond. But who cares? chill out! Learn a bit more, explore a bit more, maybe leave your comfort zone. Rome wasn't build in a day, ho ho.  Either way, I often wonder if the world would be a better place if world leaders looked in the mirror and said to themselves "Which idiot put me in charge of a whole country?"