At its core, serious humor is a tool for examining reality without softening it. It exposes contradictions in human behavior, social systems, and moral values by exaggerating them just enough to make them visible. When people laugh at serious humor, they are often laughing at themselves, even if they do not immediately realize it. This form of humor respects the intelligence of its audience, assuming they are capable of reading between the lines and grasping implications that are not explicitly stated.
