Making Sense of It All
UPDATE: The initial response to this post has been that people enjoyed dissecting a specific LOL, so I think I’m going to turn this into a regular sort of feature. Look here soon for more!
An unwritten part of my job description is being required to explain to people why LOLs are so popular. Or, I should say, attempting to explain because I don’t think there is really one right answer. But, after looking at dozens of LOLs every day for a long time now, I’ve developed some theories that are worth sharing.
“Why do people like them so much?”
The question I am asked most about LOLs is “Why do people like them so much?” and “Why are they funny?” The answer has a few parts.
First, I believe it has to do with absurdity. If LOLcats were completely absurd they wouldn’t be funny. But, they’re not completely absurd—they’re just a little absurd. They’re just absurd enough to make you suspend your disbelief and laugh at an oddball situation. But, they make just enough sense that we can understand what’s going on.
Another aspect is that complete absurdity is confusing, and as humans we’re programmed to avoid confusing situations. But, since they’re just a little absurd, we enjoy looking at LOLs because they allow us to revel in an emotion that our DNA typically avoids.
This relates to another bit of our mental wiring: humans like stuff that is new. So, being able to safely take a stroll in the garden of absurdity allows us to use our minds in ways that we don’t normally do. This, I believe, we find new, refreshing and enjoyable.
An interesting thing to note about most LOLs is that they involve either humans, animals, or objects that have been anthropomorphized. I believe that this is essential. By framing a living object LOLs allow us to relate to what’s going on in the picture. In our mind, we get to play along with the actors in the frame.
And, finally, and perhaps most importantly, I think LOLs are so popular because they allow us to use our imagination. A LOL is a just a picture…a snapshot, if you will…of a larger story. The LOL to the right is absoutely one of my favorites [1]. This isn’t actually a LOLcat, it’s a LOLdog. But, in my view, this is a perfect LOL and I personally LOL everytime I see it.
“And, of course, it’s cute.”
Why is it perfect? Well, first there’s a little girl and a doggie and the little girl is very cute. Cute is often part of the story. But, there’s the backstory too: a little girl wanted a pony, so her parents told her the dog was a pony.
If you have children of your own, then you know why this is funny. For those of you who aren’t part of the secret parents club like I am, let me explain: children want everything, but most of the time they don’t really even know what it is that they want. This girl wanted the experience of pulling something around the corral; pony or dog, it doesn’t really make a difference to her…she’s getting to enjoy the experience of pulling an animal around and her imagination is filling in the details.
But, there’s more to it than that: we see the caption spoken by the dog, “Have you told her I’m not a pony yet?” I love that part because it makes me wonder is the dog saying this because he feels bad for the little girl who’s going to be heartbroken when she learns he’s really not a pony. Or, is he saying it because he’s sick of being yanked around the yard all day? I don’t know, nobody knows, and we’ll never know…and that’s what makes it special.
And, of course, the picture is cute.
Thanks to Martin Cron and Jay Chrisman for reviewing this essay.
[1] You can see all of my favorites at http://mine.icanhascheezburger.com/pictures-by-ichc.scott/favorites. If you want to create your own personally curated collection of exquisite LOLs just register on “Mine” and use the “Add to Favorites” feature.
Hiya Scott!
I get the ICHC on twitter and it does make me lol and for that I thank you and all those working behind the scenes.You must have a great sense of humour and a major passion for animals. Bloody well done! A
Andrea
6 Apr 09 at 10:00 pm
Thanks for explaining why I can’t resist LOLs. I think the idea of absurdity I can enjoy (as opposed to absurdity in the workplace that frustrates me) is a great explanation. It’s a place for my child-mind to remember the anthropomorphic world it used to live in. (It also may explain why I follow animals on twitter.)
Emily
6 Apr 09 at 10:01 pm
Hey Scott -
I’ll tell you why they’re so popular – We all need (read: NEED) lol – especially when our world is collapsing around us. I’ve told people, “Put down the newspaper. Shut off the evening news. Click through these lol’s and laugh your arse off!” And they are following my advice, thankfully. If we don’t laugh, it’ll all get worse. If we do laugh, it will all get better. So you can interpret that as the fact that you are making one helluva contribution to mankind in keeping us all from spinning out of control!!!!
And I have a question for you regarding the ‘pony’ picture: If he’s not a pony *yet*, what is he now, and when will he be a pony?
Thank you, Scott, unbeknownst to you, I have claimed you as my new best friend. Anyone that can provide content to make me laugh at this rate has to be a best friend. Thanks!
Karen Lawrence
7 Apr 09 at 12:06 am
Hello Scott,
Thank-you for this incredible humor! I Love your LOLs. Laughter is after all the best medicine! I make it a point to check my twitter account first to review all of the latest Icanhascheezburger posts before I make my own post. It puts me in a great frame of mind to post. I am afraid to expand to your other LOL sources since I could easily spend hours clicking away!
Michele
7 Apr 09 at 2:10 am
Awesome blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your theme. Thank you
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