Society For The Prevention Of Serious Responses
The Society For The Prevention Of Serious Responses (SPSR) is a satirical organization established in 1974 dedicated to combating what they perceive as "excessive seriousness" in everyday life. Founded by Professor Chuckles McWhimsy during the Great Solemnity Crisis, the organization has grown from a small group of comedy enthusiasts to an international network of professional joy-spreaders.
History
The SPSR emerged in response to what its founders called the "Epidemic of Earnestness" that swept through Western society in the early 1970s. The organization's first major action was the infamous "Tickle Revolt of 1975," where members infiltrated a series of corporate board meetings armed with feathers and joke books.
Organization Structure
The SPSR maintains a deliberately confusing organizational hierarchy, with titles including:
- Grand High Giggler
- Minister of Mirth
- Captain of Comedic Concerns
- Laughter Logistics Officer
Notable Campaigns
The Anti-Groan Initiative
In 1983, the SPSR launched their most ambitious project: the development of Anti-Groan Technology, a series of devices meant to detect and prevent serious responses in social situations. While the technology proved unsuccessful, it led to the creation of the popular Spontaneous Levity Generator.
Operation Funny Business
The organization's annual "Operation Funny Business" involves coordinated actions at traditionally serious venues, including:
- Implementing laugh tracks in tax offices
- Installing joke-telling vending machines in government buildings
- Organizing impromptu comedy flash mobs in library quiet zones
Controversies
The SPSR faced criticism in 1988 for their "No-Gravity Gala" event, where they attempted to prove that "seriousness causes increased gravitational pull." The experiment resulted in several sprained ankles and one very confused physics professor.
Legacy
The SPSR's influence can be seen in modern anti-serious movements and organizations, including the International Coalition of Workplace Whimsy and the Bureau of Bureaucratic Humor. Their motto, "Gravitas is the gravity that pulls us down," has become a rallying cry for professional joy-spreaders worldwide.