From the jokes on easy-to-make recipes to DIY masks, the lockdown is making us do a lot of things which includes learning the art of laughing the blues away. With social media full of humour around COVID-19, some memes will leave you in splits while others are of a bitter taste. MUSBA HASHMI tells you more

Your phone beeps and there’s a message on the family WhatsApp group.   Nose and Mouth are declared as private parts till further orders. Keep them covered in public. A moment later, another message pops in with a video tutorial of how to make ice soup during lockdown.  Take a glass of water in a pan, stir it, now add five-six ice cubes and mix them together. Your ice soup is ready to serve.

Laughing on COVID-19 jokes all day is our guilty pleasure. But from where does this humour comes from? Does it appear out of thin air? The fact of the matter is that humans have learnt the art of laughing all the worries away. Be it a deadly virus that is affecting people all over the globe or a nationwide lockdown or even the falling economy, we can just laugh it away.

Kartik Verma, a 22-year-old sound production student, who is actively coming up with jokes and videos tells you that it is a matter of creativity and a way to help those in distress. “There is so much of negativity around us these days. Switch on the TV and what one see is headlines flashing of so many deaths related to COVID-19 and the rising cases. This is disturbing. We, young adults can infact find a way to relax and chat with our friends but our parents and grandparents, they are exposed to the negativity all day. It affects them. These videos are just a way of helping them having a good laugh and erasing all the distressing news for atleast sometime,” he tells you.

Such has been the frenzy for these jokes, that people of all age are taking to social media to share their kind of jokes. It is the only thing after cooking that is keeping them busy and giving good dose of laughter. One such joke that is doing rounds is: “Tera nash jaye China, teri wajah se bar ki jagah vim bar aur scotch ki jagah scotch brite haathon mein aa gayi hai.”

It only shows how distressed people have become with having to do ghar ka kaam aur office ka kaam all day.

Dr Sneha Karamani, consultant psychiatrist, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Pune says that humour is nothing but a way discovered to deal with anxiety and stress.

“Humour helps us deal with tragic times and stress in a lighter, healthier way. It helps overcome psychological anxiety and is a mature ego defence mechanism. We have seen a lot of humorous WhatsApp and social media memes being forwarded in this pandemic and there is a lot of creativity around it. These are times of existential crises, and one definitely needs a dash of humour,” she says.

Sadly, there are a lot of negative,  unauthentic pieces of information streaming around. One needs to be cautious not to spread fake news and negativity. “While sharing information available to us is a way of staying connected with our significant others and the world around us, it serves our need for validation to a certain extent. We must also be mindful of what information we consume and whether it comes from a valid source, before levitating it  through various channels,” she advises.

YouTuber Harsh Beniwal, who recently posted a video pertaining to the current lockdown scenarios — Bhai, Behen And Lockdown says that he just followed the trend.

The 18-minute long video begins with a light-hearted narration on how the earth is rejuvenating itself after years of suffering manmade chaos and goes on to talk about the brother-sister banters during the lockdown. The hilarious video strikes the right chord in the hearts of the audience who is more or less going through the same situation, with siblings not in a habit of staying 24/7 together without fighting.

“Memes and jokes are all fine until they are not hurting the sentiments of others. I am enjoying all these funny forwards in the frazzled scenario. It helps in reducing tension and have a good laugh. So is the case with my video that talks about what happens when a brother and sister are left homebound during the lockdown. In one of the scenes, I ask my sister for her choli because I want to make TikTok videos, while she is on call with her boss wearing my blazer. I tell her: Mera blazer kisse puch kar pehna, tere baap ka hai kya, utar isey,” Beniwal tells you, whose favourite meme is: Time Traveller: Which year is this? Me: 2020. Time Traveller: Oh! First year of quarantine. Me: Eeee, what!

Pulkit Sharma, clinical pyshologist and author of When The Soul Heals tells you   that he himself has come across certain videos and jokes that deals such a heavy subject with an extremely light approach and it is a healthy trend unless it is spreading rumours. “Humour is a healthy defence mechanism psychology. When you laugh, you are able to turn your eyes away from the grim reality for sometime. Biologically speaking, when you laugh certain neurotransmitters are secreted that can uplift your mood instantly. In fact it also boost your immunity. At the end of the day, we have to look for something that can make us laugh. It is a natural way for people to cope with reality,” he says.

It is out of constant frustration and anxiety that people have started to joke about the issue. “First trigger was definitely coronavirus. Second trigger to these memes was lockdown, which was a result of the pandemic. Now people are left with no option but to deal with it on a lighter note. It is the constant frustration that is coming out in the form of this humour. It is not only relieving but it also gives a sense of satisfaction that all is not lost. We still have to something to laugh about and that way we can just laugh all our worries away,”  Sharma tells you.

It is the teens who are taking the lockdown seriously and taking a dig on their parents. “In an unsettling reversal of my teenage years, I am now yelling at my parents for going out,” says one frustrated teen.

Amit Pandey, senior scriptwriter at Cosmos Maya, who writes scripts for cartoon shows likes Selfie with Bajrangi, Tik Tak Tail and Eena Meena Deeka  which airs on major channels including Disney and Cartoon Network, who is actively posting jokes around coronavirus lately tells you that it is just a matter of spending and utilising time during the ongoing lockdown.

“As we all are stuck inside our house following the COVID-19 lockdown protocols, everyone is finding their own way to utilise or pass their time during this crisis. While many of us are busy cooking, painting, writing and doing other stuffs; social media has turned out to be a good supporting platform for everyone during this tough time. People are enjoying various social media challenges like #Saree_Challenge, #Quarantine_Look, No_Makeup challenge, #Me_at_20 challenge, memes have emerged as the winner during this time brining a smile to everyone’s face. I am also enjoying posting memes unlike never before and friends are loving them,” he says.

Pandey was always good with passing witty comments and this was just the right time to showcase his skills. “I was always good with passing witty comments and one-liners since childhood (as my friends used to say) and now being a scriptwriter of comedy cartoon shows, it is easier for me to create these funny posts. I am just keeping up with the trends of social media. I am getting more responses on my such posts as compared to others. For example, I saw everyone making Dalgona Coffee at home and posting the photos on Facebook. One day, while I was peeling potatoes, the idea strike my mind and I posted the photo of a half-peeled potato with the caption “Dalgona Aaloo”. The post garnered a lot of attention from people. Few days later, I posted a photo of burnt rice with a caption “Choco Lava Rice — the experimental dish”. It too received some hilarious reactions from family and friends. I’m glad that my posts are bringing a smile on people’s face during this stressful time. My job is to make kids laugh with the kind of scripts I write but I am fortunate that I can utilise this creativity to make people of all age have a good laugh,” Pandey says.

All this is fine but then some memes go overboard and end up insulting a person or country. Making fun is alright but then it should not cross the line where it ends up spreading a falsehood about someone. There have been some good memes also but gradually it is ending up going extreme with targeting communities or countries. Problem lies in the fact that some people with vested interests are using such memes to spread the misconception.

The need is to understand that not everybody with access to social media is educated enough to take it lightly. Some memes though are really targeted to educate people and this is being used by authorities to bring home the importance of steps that the Government is taking. One such instance is when helpline department of Uttar Pradesh Police, Call 112, posted a meme “Dur se dekha toh...phir main paas gaya hi nahi. Aakhir physical distancing chal rahi hai bhai. Unlike the ‘in your face’ memes, such responsible ones also leave the readers in splits and are a glaring example of how making someone laugh can be informative and be used to spread positive messages.

A case in point is the memes related to DIY masks. People are going to such lengths and have made the process so bizarre — masks made of bra cups and sanitary napkins — that at times it becomes difficult to differentiate who is serious and who is not.

Another one that can sit well for some while stands out as offensive for others:  “Coronavirus won’t last long because it was made in China.”

To add to the list: “When someone sneezes at a Chinese airport...Warp to the graveyard?OK...No.”

The not so common query now is whether it is right to poke fun at a pandemic that is claiming lives worldwide and sees no stopping. However, turning to comedy is what humans have been doing since the historical era.

Humour can relieve anxiety; it can also stoke racial tensions or spread misinformation. So, the answer isn’t simple. But until and unless, these memes stick to the purpose — that of entertaining people without hurting the sentiments of anyone — and is all in good spirits, we can enjoy a few without letting them get on our heads.

Now, one for everyone that sits well in the current scenario. “Dear Tummy, kya tumhein alag se samjhana padega, lockdown mein bahar nahin nikalna hai.”

FOR A LIGHTER MOOD

Songs to be strictly avoided in the current circumstances

• Lag ja gale ki phir ye hasin raat (strictly forbidden)
• Bahon mein chale aao  (no question at all)
• Tum pass aye yun muchkuraye (are you nuts)
• Musafir hoon yaaron, ... mujhe chalte jana hay (aren’t you reading Government’s instructions? Just lock down)
• Hold me now touch me now (suicidal)
• However, some WHO complied songs can be freely sung
• Teri duniya se hoke mazboor chala (absolutely safe)
• Teri galion me na rakkenge kadam ...March ke baad (that should be the spirit)
• Chahunga mai tujhe sanjh savere, lekin awaz main na dunga (within model code of conduct)
• Chup gaya koi re dur se pukarke (your real well wisher)

Queen Elizabeth has survived...

The plague, Smallpox, Malaria, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Making of Land Rover and Range Rover, The Concord, The retirement of the Concord, Nazi rule in Germany, Destruction of Berlin, Partition of Berlin, Unifications of Berlin, Creation of Israel, Sending poor Palestinians into diaspora, Tripartite invasion of Egypt in 1956, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, October 1973 War, West-East Cold War, Iran-Iraq War, First Gulf War, Fall of Saddam Hussein, Fall and disintegration of Soviet Union Britain joining the EU, Britain leaving the EU, Apollo 1-17, Independence of countries in Asia and Africa, 14 British Prime Ministers, Charles and Diana, Charles and Camilla, Andrew and Fergie, Harry and Megan, 14 American Presidents, 7 Saudi Kings, 48 Italian Prime Ministers, 9 UN Secretary-Generals, 3rd, 4th, and 5th French Republics, Mad Cow Disease, The Internet, Apple TV, Netflix, Wi-Fi, Covid,

Only because she rarely leaves her palace. So, stay at home.

For the Pun lovers

This lock-down is getting old and frankly I've had enough. I've discussed the matter over a cup of coffee with the kitchen sink, and we both agree that the experience is draining. I didn't mention anything to the washing machine as she puts the wrong spin on everything. Same with the fridge. He only gives cold comfort. I asked the lamp but she couldn't shed any new light on the situation. The vacuum cleaner was rather rude and told me to suck it up. The threshold was no better it suggested I get over it. The carpet advised me to sweep my feelings under the rug. But the fan was more upbeat and thought that the crisis would soon blow over. The toilet looked a bit flushed and didn’t offer an opinion. The wall didn't say a word either, just gave me a blank stare.  The door knob was more forthcoming — told me to get a firm grip on the situation and move on. The front door declared I was unhinged and so the curtains told me to.... you guessed it — pull myself together. Then the chair told me to table it, and the table remarked I didn't have a leg to stand on. When I told the table to break a leg, the mirror said that my comment reflected poorly on my thinking. However, in the end, the iron straightened things out. She said everything will be fine, no situation is too pressing for long anyway!