Stand Up Comedy and Inner Conflict

I love stand up comedy, both watching and performing it. It's a way for people to express and receive truths both harsh and inconsequential in a way that's not only non-threatening, but enjoyable. Simply put, it's good for our society and our souls.

Performing stand up has been an amazing experience for me. Standing up in front of a group of people with your pride on the line and your skill being judged every second you're on stage has taught me the value of preparation, practice, and confidence in yourself. Constantly tweaking and editing jokes makes you realize how much of life is a series of small gains to mold your world how you'd like it. It's been fun and valuable.

At the same time, I can't help but notice that the thing which drives me to do stand up comedy seems to be a lack of feeling content with my life. People who are comfortable with their lives aren't likely to see the world in a comedic way. Comedy is meant as a way to transcend the absurdities of life, often painful ones. And anytime I find myself particularly content with my life, I find that my passion for comedy suffers for it. It's hard to make scathing observations of the world when you're at peace with it. Unfortunately for me and fortunately for my life, I'm very happy with where I am right now.

So I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Do I continue to highlight the negative aspects of my world to draw inspiration and make better comedy? Or do I enjoy my life and more or less drop a part of my identity that I've had for years? I guess there's always time for things to go bad to get inspired again.