I need to respond to NunyaBidness episode where he mentioned the father who's daughter has been shoot in mass shooting, laughing.
Let me explain this—it’s clear what’s happening here.
Some people laugh or smile during extreme trauma, like losing a child, as a defense mechanism. This is known as incongruous affect—the brain’s way of coping with overwhelming emotions by masking them with unexpected reactions. It’s not insensitivity; it’s survival.
I’ve experienced this myself when I broke my foot. Despite the pain and my foot being all wriggly, I couldn’t stop laughing like a clown.