  Funny thing is, Weems, author of Ha!: The Science of When We
Laugh and Why, kept right on laughing at seemingly the most
inappropriate times. So much so that he started to get a little
self-conscious about it. Ultimately, all the angst spurred Weems
to delve deep into the nature of humor in a big way.  "I wanted
to know what was wrong with me and why I laughed at so many
things that other people didn't necessarily think were funny,"
Weems says. What Weems soon discovered is that what appeared to
family and friends gathered at his beloved grandfather's send-
off as some very inappropriate laughter was actually totally
understandable considering that humor is the product of
unresolved conflict in the brain.  "I don't think that kind of
thing is uncommon," Weems says. "You're sad, of course. But
you've really got mixed emotions about it. You also want to feel
happy for the person who, hopefully, had such a great life.
Laughing (even at your grandfather's funeral) is a very human
reaction."  Continue reading >