Humor-Les

Yesterday, I saw the term, "sense of humor" written into the job requirements for three different open positions at three entirely unrelated universities. My first thought was, " I got your sense of humor right here..." Seriously, the more I thought about it the more it became something else. I do this all too often I'm told. I then thought that perhaps sense of humor meant far more than being that affable guy who heard the one about...

Maybe sense of humor simply means not a pain in the arse? Perhaps in this PC all inclusive litigious world we have replaced humor with guarded stoicism? Perhaps we are so guarded from being "bad" that we are now humorless? We can not joke or even be jovial for fear of offending.

Worker1: Must you guys laugh out loud? Have some respect. Helen's 14 year old
kitty died of boredom last night.
Worker2: -Sorry, I didn't know

Then I started thinking that in various respects the lack of a sense of humor has in many situations even spun towards the legal. What was an innocent slight (such as the lack of vegetarian choices at the free brunch) becomes a formal complaint/grievance. This is of course compounded because the "victim"was also told to eat the garnishes. Only a monetary settlement could make amends. And if any one laughs at any step along the way, the settlement needs to be larger.

I could babble on but, I won't. My final analysis here is that perhaps organizations are tired of walking on egg shells and long for the days when a bit of humor diverted conflict, fostered camaraderie, diffused fatigue and frustration and all around created a happier far more pleasant work environment. Now if I could only figure out how to work all of this into a cover letter without offending the reader.