How effective is dark humor, really?

Sept. 10 marked one year since conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death. Despite the tragedy, people took away very different things from the commemorative date. 

Since the 18th century, society has used political humor to fuel discourse, but that looks very different now. While some mourned Charlie Kirk’s passing, others celebrated with “Kirkaversary” parties, created memes and even incorporated the word “Kirk” as a verb in their daily vocabulary. I began to wonder if these posts are a political outcry from our generation or downright insensitive. 

Social media has been, and always will be, a space for freedom of expression. However, “dark humor” is a subject students should tread lightly on.

Social media provides a platform where you can choose to influence or be influenced. According to a 2025 Georgetown University article, social media’s prioritization of creating divisive communities can worsen polarization and increase the spread of misinformation. 

In politics, divisive truth can be problematic. Sociology Ph.D. student Quinlan Huntzinger said that while political humor can make people angry and defensive regardless of intent, it can also highlight hypocrisy and bring people together.

“I think (dark humor) can be funny, and I think there’s definitely an audience for it,” Huntzinger said. “It can also be insightful. … Humor in politics definitely has its place, (but) I think it’s not always taken the right way. … Everyone loves things that are funny, for good reason. It can also be a way for people to bond, but it varies and depends a lot.”

Arshia Papari, a government senior and a candidate for Texas State Representative in House District 49, said memes are a useful medium for citizens to express their discontent with politicians and the status quo.

“If you’re making evil choices on behalf of our society, it’s really hard to maintain your image if you’re being made fun (of),” Papari said. “That’s something where we see a lot of success in knocking politicians down a bit in terms of their ego and letting them know that society doesn’t support them to a large extent.”

However, some have argued that political memes are a low-stakes, high-reward way of expressing grievances with power. While critiquing politicians online is an easy way for citizens to make their voices heard, it’s not the most effective way. Improvement comes from action and without it, society perpetuates an all-bark, no-bite narrative that leaves users hopeless.

History junior Santana Ayala said the unserious shift in politics has made political memes a coping mechanism for those who feel powerless. He said people can post anything on social media, but beyond that, nothing comes of it.

“My point (is): what are you doing for your community to better it?” Ayala said. “What are you doing beyond posting a meme and then saying (you’re) critiquing the state of society if you’re not going to contribute to society? … I think it’s frustrating to hear people talk about something in such a way. ”

When times look divisive, students should remember that our options aren’t limited to engaging with negative content or doing nothing. Whenever we feel like what we do has no meaning, I encourage students to get involved, volunteer, talk to government representatives about your concerns or even join an organization that ensures student voices are heard. The moment we, as a generation, stop underestimating how much positivity we can create, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

Piñon is a journalism freshman from El Paso, Texas.

​