Humor has long been known to help people cope with life. Dark humor is how some people cope, and dark humor memes are just funny. Maybe it’s the cringe why-did-I-laugh-at-that humor. Or, sometimes it’s the oh-God-now-I’m-going-to-hell kind of humor, but humor nonetheless. Dark humor memes are how some people, who may have seen some dark things, cope.

dark humor memes
Keep That Shit Up! (Me.me)

Everyone knows what humor is. Most sitcoms on TV are humorous. It’s comedy; there to make you laugh. Comedians provide humor in the form of standup routines, and some of them can get pretty dark. Ever seen Bill Burr, or even Dave Chappelle? They can get VERY dark, and they’re not even military. Military humor is often pretty dark because of the subject matter.

When you’re surrounded by the machines and ethos of war 24/7, the mind tends to look for the light in all that darkness. Sometimes that light is some dumbass’s flashlight waving around as he tries to find the tent flap. Sometimes, though… sometimes it’s the fires of hell, waiting to warm you up for laughing at the sick shit that just came out of your buddy’s mouth. One of the first sick jokes I remember hearing was in 1986, right after the Challenger disaster: “What does NASA stand for? Need Another Seven Astronauts.”

military dark gallows humor
Gallows Humor (WE ARE THE MIGHTY)

Another term for dark humor is gallows humor. What doesn’t kill you gives you unhealthy coping mechanisms and a dark sense of humor. You’ve got to laugh… or else you’ll cry. Stop me if you’ve heard it: What do dark humor and food have in common? Not everyone gets it.