Humour | youaskedwhat?

26 questions

Humour5 May 2026

Why is it almost impossible to ignore a "wet paint" sign?

The sign is there to warn you. It is doing the opposite. This is not a coincidence.

Humour5 May 2026

Why is it funnier when things go wrong for someone important?

Humour5 May 2026

What if sarcasm were suddenly banned?

Humour5 May 2026

Why does a hotel bed always feel better than your own?

Humour5 May 2026

Why do gym memberships peak in January and vanish by February?

Every year, the same thing happens. The gyms fill up, then empty. The people who were there in December are back. The people who joined in January are not.

Humour5 May 2026

Is it socially acceptable to pretend you've seen a film you haven't?

You have not seen it. You said you had. Nobody got hurt. But was it wrong?

Humour5 May 2026

Why does queuing feel like a moral act?

We wait in line for coffee with the same righteous energy other people reserve for jury duty.

Humour5 May 2026

Why does almost everyone think they're a better-than-average driver?

Statistically, most people who believe they are above-average drivers are wrong. They still believe it.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we laugh at funerals, and should we feel bad about it?

Inappropriate laughter at the worst possible moment is more common than anyone admits. There are good reasons for it.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we talk to our pets as if they understand every word?

You are a grown adult narrating your plans to a cat. This is not a sign of madness. It might actually be a sign of intelligence.

Humour5 May 2026

Why does rain sound so much better when you don't have to go out in it?

The same rain. Completely different experience. The difference is a wall and a hot drink.

Humour5 May 2026

What if cricket tried to crack America?

Cricket is the world's second most popular sport. America has not noticed. This is the story of what would happen if it tried to fix that.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we save nice things for a special occasion that never quite arrives?

The good wine is in the rack. The good china is in the cupboard. You are using the second-best version of your own life.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we commentate on our own lives as if someone is watching?

You are alone in the kitchen. You drop something. You say "and there it goes." There is no one there. This is worth examining.

Humour5 May 2026

Why does food always taste better on holiday?

You are eating the same things. The ingredients are not superior. The bread is different, but not that different.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we break into an awkward trot when a stranger holds a door open for us?

You were walking at a perfectly reasonable pace. Someone held a door. You sped up. Nobody asked you to. Here is what is actually happening.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we buy books we know we'll never read?

The Japanese call it tsundoku. The rest of us call it a bookshelf. The real question is whether it matters.

Humour5 May 2026

Why does someone else's food always look better than yours?

You ordered what you wanted. Two minutes later, you want what they ordered. This is not random.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we always skip the step in the instructions that causes all the problems?

The step is right there. It is not ambiguous. You skipped it. It went badly. This will happen again.

Humour5 May 2026

Why does the last biscuit in the tin feel like it belongs to everyone but you?

There is a biscuit in the tin. It is there for the taking. Nobody takes it. Somebody should explain this.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we wave back at strangers who weren't actually waving at us?

They were waving at someone else. You waved back. The moment lasted two seconds and will stay with you forever.

Humour5 May 2026

Why is it so hard to throw things away even when we know we should?

The box has been in the spare room for three years. You have not opened it. You know what is in it. You are not throwing it away.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we say sorry to chairs we bump into?

The chair did not hear you. The chair does not care. You apologised anyway. Here is why.

Humour5 May 2026

Why do we only think of the perfect comeback three hours after the argument?

The French have a phrase for it. The English just fume in silence. The psychology is the same.

Humour23 Apr 2026

Are we still allowed to find things funny, and if so — who decides?

Yes. But the argument about who decides is more interesting than it looks.

Humour23 Apr 2026

Is British politeness just passive aggression with better manners?

"That's quite interesting" means something specific. So does "I'll bear that in mind." A field guide.