Fatalistic Humor: Takes Down TCS

Through high school you can hear many students casually talking about wanting to die. When TCS students say things like “kill myself” or “I want to die,” they mostly try to be ironic meaning that they are embarrassed, stressed or annoyed. Yet what students fail to realize is how their fatalistic language has a huge negative impact on society.

We as students have created this culture in which joking about mental health issues, is not a big deal. “I’m not afraid to say that on average 70 to 80 percent of TCS students, have used or heard an ironic jokes about suicide,” said Ana Isabel Garcia, High School counselor in TCS. When using phrases like “kill me” we feel nothing at all and see no harm, not realizing how unhealthy and negative this words can be to yourself and for those who are around you. Language has a huge impact culture; by normalizing the daily fatalistic humor in TCS, we create a society in which mental health problems are a regular state of being.

This type of language is minimizing how truly significant mental disorders actually are. “New studies from Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory demonstrate that, positive, optimistic humor is more effective than cynicism,” according to Stanford News. Changing our mindset to a positive direction, can help maintain all of our classmates and our society in healthier mental being. Joking about suicide isn’t always the best way to show struggle or other feelings, meanwhile laughter and communicating actual feelings can increase our wellbeing. As students we need to make TCS a more beneficial and positive place for our mental health.

If anyone finds themselves in struggles, find an adult that you trust to talk to. Receiving help and talking it out, is better than continuing to joke in circles about dying. Sometimes high school can be overwhelming for many students, and seeking help and finding those who can actually help you is very important. In order to change our society, start by having a positive language that can enable you to find help for yourself and those around you.