A reader writes:

There is something both utterly stupid and yet very comforting about rick-rolling. As long as people will choose to be this dumb, irrational, and do it with such gusto, there's hope for humanity. We will never totally bow to totalitarian impulses as long as people continue to want to do such useless but uncontrollable things. OK, I'd better stop. I'm full of sh*t.... :-)

I recall Orwell's remark that England would never become a fascist state because the English would instinctively respond to the sight of goose-stepping ... by giggling. I think the relationship between humor and decency - and democracy - is under-rated.

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