Monty Python remains a British national treasure regardless of the fact that their humour really hasn't aged well, as was proven during their 2014 comeback. It received a resurgence during the rise of the internet and it's 'random' humour that took influence from the Python's non-sequitur, stream-of-conscience style. But it's well known that 40% of Monty Python's Flying Circus dies on it's face, whilst the rest has been sadly tainted by endless quoting.
Which is why 'The Funniest Joke In The World' is probably my favourite Python sketch. Before we go on, I want you to stop and watch it if you haven't already.
There's not really much to quote, it has a solid 'beginning-middle-end' structure, and keeps a razor-sharp focus throughout. Whilst even 'The Parrot Sketch' sort of trailed off at the end, this is a perfectly made sketch that I really wish inspired YouTube creators more. But it doesn't compromise the Python's trademark humour. The sketch escalates from a simple yet bizarre premise (man writes a joke so funny it kills you) and goes all the way with it. This is peppered with ridiculous yet straight-faced set-pieces in addition to a balance of visual and verbal humour.
It has everything that made the Python's great, with all the fat trimmed. Whenever people dismiss the Python's, citing their inability to write punchlines, their use of outdated stereotypes, and their shameless selling out - I always direct them to this. Whilst their criticisms are legitimate, even dedicated anti-Python's are forced to admit the troupe still has merits.
But you probably know how great Monty Python is already, and a post about this would be pointless. The real point I'm trying to make is that 'The Funniest Joke In The World' is a metaphor of weaponization.
Humanity has progressed beyond all other lifeforms on this planet due to our uselessness as a species. We can't fly, we don't have gills or claws or sharp teeth. We can't jump very high and we can't run very fast. We can't even close our ears. We should be extinct by now. The jellyfish only survived for millions of years without a brain because it lives underwater, which aside from sharks was a perfectly safe place until we invented oil. Meanwhile, on the shore we have lions, tigers, venomous insects, rain, snow - why aren't we extinct?
I like to think it's because we were the first and to date only species to realise we can hit things with rocks. The opening sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey draws a direct parallel with the first time we learnt to hit things with things to space. We're able to launch ourselves into the stars because we discovered weapons. All because of hitting things with other things.
We soon learnt how to make fire, and by extension became the world's first chemists. The first equation was created: WOOD + SPARK = HOT OW. Whilst this provided warmth, it also became the basis of weaponry for years to come. Fire not only powers electricity, it also powers cars and guns. When you drive you're riding on a chemical reaction, and a bullet is projected through the air by a small explosion.
Our society may be leaning towards a more non-violent route, yet we still have this cycle of warfare that continues to grow everyday. Every single world power has a larger military arsenal than ever. Even Japan, who preaches non-violence worldwide, has a vast military on standby. The entire world seems constantly ready for total war regardless of what the political climate may be. The UK army has an elite squadron of paratroopers that can deploy and invade at any moment. Why? Why do we need to be able to seize a country at a moments notice?
Not to mention that, if you think about it, a huge amount of our current society is built upon violence. Some argue that without Hitler, Europe wouldn't be almost entirely democratic today. But, going further back, The First World War resulted in the decline of colonisation before it founded such empires that bought 'civilisation' to undeveloped countries. And by 'civilisation' I mean murder. Lots of murder.
Recently this trend is going in the opposite direction, the direction Monty Python was satirising. WW1 was the first modern war in that it took the technology that fired up the Industrial Revolution and used it to slaughter millions. The military are starting to use drone warfare, where they can just throw missiles at third world countries without any need to get their hands dirty. It's the equivalent of clearing dog poo with a pressure-washer from the other side of the garden.
Before long, anything we invent will soon be turned against us. The number of scientific developments that have been stopped due to fear of weaponisation is ridiculous. We're not going to try controlling the weather, because whilst it would prevent natural disasters, famine, and extinction - everyone just knows that someone will use it as a weapon. You could move/create a hurricane in a large city, flush the enemy out by flooding the area, or just make everyone freeze to death (which is how Russia wins their wars).
The whole joke behind Monty Python's sketch is that we look at such mundane affairs and think: "Wow! How can we murder people with it?" It's so typical of humanity, a species that has built itself upon murder to compensate for it's weakness, to use any development or anomaly as an accessory to murder. The only difference between us and our ancestors is how big the rocks have gotten.
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