I wasn't raised by Television, but spent a great deal of time crouched in front of the flashing screen during my childhood. While crouched there, anxiously awaiting my favorite shows and relishing in their creative blend of humor and wit amidst a colorful landscape, I couldn't imagine how my life would've gone without times like that. Seriously, this is no exaggeration. Whether it be Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, or any other of the various channels offering up comedic mischief and mayhem galore, a majority of my laughs erupted forth due to the aforementioned channels' content.

Of course, like all good things, endings come and I(mostly) moved on from those "childish" antics into an adult world of responsibility, workloads, and the college rush between assignments and oh-so-sweet free time. Where I get my laughs now: Late nights with Conan O'Brien or Jimmy Fallon, living life with "Jimmy Kimmel Live, and enjoying a Saturday night with Saturday Night Live. The material I watch has changed, matured in many ways, but has kept several key elements:

1.) The humorous aspects remain relatable.

2.) The comedy is funny "because it's true."

3.) The material "pushes the envelope."

All three characteristics form comedy into the invaluable teaching tool that has been used for centuries over. Whether we'd like to admit to it or not, mankind is not apt to take kindly to change, often liking what they have, and fearing what they could not have. This ranges from the archaic cave-man afraid of fire and the world around him to the stereotypical Gen X(the generation before Millennials) member: afraid of the Kindle Fire and the world around them. Of course, not every older gentleman/lady is prone to tangents of "Things were better back in my day," speeches, but there is a genuine fear of the unknown, or what is to come. There's an old saying: "If you don't laugh, you'll cry", and I find it especially compelling.

Change is coming, fears are apparent, and we can choose whether to laugh or cry about our predicaments. Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine. It's best if the humor is relatable, because rarely has anyone laughed at a joke they don't understand.

Secondly, the idiom "It's funny because it's true!" is very factual in that we like to laugh at ourselves. When we joke about the stubbornness of people who REFUSE to leave some groceries behind and instead struggle with armfuls of shopping bags back to their car, most of us can relate.

Last, and by far most importantly, comedy is meant to "push the envelope". Thinking back to my childhood, some jokes flew right over my head, only for me to realize their true meaning later. Childhood TV shows and movies secretly place innuendos in dialogue that no child would understand, but later on is a cheeky "Easter Egg" for a then-adult viewer.

Ultimately, comedy is a learning tool. When people laugh, they listen more; it's why comedians have so much to say about the political world around us, but expertly know their audience to sprinkle the intent, not unlike a subliminal message, between gutbusters for the crowd. Comedians are my favorite kind of educator, showing us the world around us in a funny yet realistic fashion, and I can only hope to abosrb their knowledge and capitalize on their information.