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Ahh America...
Home of the free*

*Laced with irony.

This concept of freedom gets tossed around here like confetti(the microplastics😭)

You hear it in slogans.
You see it on bumper stickers.

America = freedom…

On paper.

We all know there’s a gap here.
Between the image and the infrastructure.
Between the values we say we hold, and what’s actually playing out.

And in that gap? Powerful Stories.

I’m sure you’ve noticed the moment truth enters the chat, people start reaching for the mute button.

But if we stop there, just calling it out, confronting, and pointing at the hypocrisy, it rarely changes anything.
(We’ll get to the science on that in a second.)

So this issue?
It’s not just about the contradictions.
It’s about what you do with them.

When things get funny, that’s a great time to pay attention.

But not all funny is the same funny...

There are three core flavors of “that’s funny,” and when you know how to clock them, you’ll start seeing storytelling fuel everywhere.

“C’mon Now, That’s Just Funny.”

This one’s light. It’s not deep. But it’s useful.

It’s those belly laughs. Those chortles.

Take when I posted a carousel on LinkedIn… I was dead serious, well-researched, full of gems, but there was a very obvious typo.

Like, on slide one.

I snorted when I realized it. I didn’t take it down. I wasn’t about to re-edit, re-upload, re-post.
What made you laugh during a project?

Use it when:
You want to break the ice, tell on yourself a little, and offer a teachable moment that feels human

“Now Why You Acting Funny?”

This is misalignment.
Behavior that contradicts the branding.

It’s not always malicious, but it is revealing.
Think where somebody (or something) is outta pocket.

Like a nonprofit that says they care about equity, but tells interns, “Your payment is the experience.”
Or an organization that posts about mental health, while burning out its staff.

What makes this powerful?
You’re asking what this reveals

“I Just Find It Funny That…”

This one is the deepest cut.
The irony. The contradiction. The quiet unraveling.

Funny how we say hard work leads to success… but wealth seems to concentrate where it always has, even when low-wage employees work their asses off.

Seems “hard work” and meritocracy is a good ol’ legitimating rationale, huh?

This is the kind of funny that’s not haha.
It’s hmm🤔.

It’s the math ain’t mathin’

I truly believe those slow “head tilt” moments…

When someone is guided to their own realization. Those are those moments of shifted perspectives, and so the rally may build.

Here’s the challenge…
As shared, direct confrontation rarely shifts deeply held beliefs.

But stories that expose dissonance, without judgment, can create space for reflection.

So if you want this tension to land, you’ve gotta resist the temptation to go out swinging(you saw my “ain’t it funny response…” that’s staying backstage.)

It’s about helping others see the contradiction for themselves.

You don’t need to shame the hypocrisy.
Just surface the crack in the logic, and guide folks into noticing what’s slipping through.

🛠️ The PHacilitator’s Corner:

Reflect on a moment last week…

• Was it funny haha? (Light, ironic, surface-level contradiction.)

• Was someone(or something) acting funny? (Misaligned actions and values.)

• Was it funny peculiar? (Deeper contradiction, hypocrisy, or systemic tension.)

Now write it down.
Even just one sentence.
Even if you don’t share it.

That’s raw material.

And remember:
No need to argue
Try just holding up the mirror, and letting the cracks do their work.

There’s a special deal on registration for the State of Black Health Conference this week—now through Friday, July 18. Get the $250 registration rate while it lasts!

How’d I do?