The Role of Play- Elections

By: Corrina Benavides
Ted Cruz- The Zodiac Killer

"The Role of Play and Humor in Creative Conflict Management" by Marianella Sclavi, stated that humor must contain not only the play frame but a story and a punchline. This play frame establishes what is real and not real. In order for a child to play war, he must pretend that it is real war while knowing that it is certainly not. There must be a story and during that story, there must be an unexpected shift- the punchline. The story of presidential hopeful, Ted Cruz, being the zodiac killer fits these requirements. The story, the history and background of the candidate, was taken by the internet and refitted with an unexpected shift- the absurd claim that he is the Zodiac Killer. The basis of play is taken into effect with this running internet joke because the audience must take into account what is real and what is not real. The audience must believe that he is the famed killer while knowing that it is certainly not true (the murders were committed in 1968 and 1969, while Cruz was born in 1970). They in turn use this joke to solve any conflicts they may feel with his policies, like the belief that sex toys should be banned, and make light of the situation.

Sclavi also argues that playfulness is not necessarily less productive than seriousness. This leads to the idea that humor is just as effective in workplace environments. Ashley, a friend of mine who is in charge of the Aggie Feminism Club, described that humor was needed in a meeting in which an argument erupted about the presentation of gender quality. In order to ease the tension between the other executives, and maintain a productive environment, she had to intricately place certain jokes throughout the meeting.