I have shared some of my favorite stand up comedians with my New Zealand husband. I have also tried to share some of my favorite Swedish tv-shows with him. But after a while it became clear to me that what I found funny, he found quite shocking.
Swedish humor is exceptionally dark, and nothing is off limits when it comes to comedy. I have grown up with this type of humor, and I have always loved it, and I think my love for it might give you some insight into this seemingly unsettling affinity.
I love dark humor because it allows us Swedes to address things that otherwise might be too difficult to talk about. Joking about hardships, or politics, or taboo topics brings us together, because when we laugh together, we are less alone. We share these dark and unsettling thoughts and experiences together, and this can be very comforting.
Another reason I love dark comedy is that I find it quite useful. Swedish dark humor is very rarely dark just for the purpose of being morbid or uncomfortable. It is dark to address common issues in society, and this way it serves as a tool to bring up important discussions that might otherwise be too hard to address. Overall, I think dark humor in Sweden serves as a cultural tool for dealing with the complexities of life, promoting social cohesion, and navigating the nuances of Swedish social norms.
