One must have a sense of humor
and a sense of seriousness
to distinguish what is supposed
to be taken literally or not.
An even more keen sense is needed
when humor is used to make a serious point.
Psychologists have studied how humor
is intended to be taken as having seriousness,
as when court jesters used humor
to convey serious information.
Conversely, when humor is not intended
to be taken seriously, bad taste
in humor may cross a line
after which it is taken seriously,
though not intended
