Can you think evil thoughts and not be evil? This is the philosophical question that pops into my mind - usually when I'm being paid to be thinking about something else.

I think I ponder this question so frequently is because I've had a number of roommates in my life who have accused me of being evil. Not because I did anything evil, but I would say things that evidently dammed me to the company of evil. To me, hat I said were things that are funny. For example, I would come up with a prank that would be very funny but I would never actually execute such a prank.

I guess what I'm really thinking about is the nature of humour. Is humour only tragedy plus time (or distance)? Is all humour at the expense of someone else's misfortune?

Or is it something all-together different? I remember hearing on the radio a researcher who speculated that laughter was the equivalent of an "its ok" signal. For example, if your friend slips on a banana peel, falls to the floor and then gets up again, you can all laugh. But if your friend slips on a banana peel, falls to the floor and then doesn't move again.. well, that's tragedy.