Disclaimer: This is mostly an objective analysis on the comedic appeal of crudely drawn penises. This article is not meant to be an opinion piece on whether the author finds them to be funny or not, nor is it a statement on whether you the reader should find them to be funny or not.

People have been drawing penises forever. There’s been documentation of it since the 6th century BC. Even in times of great civilizations like the Roman empire, there have been crude penis drawings for us to find. There is a simplistic nature to them, so easy to draw. But we’re not here to talk about why people draw them, but to talk about why people find them funny.

One core component in humor is the separation of reality from the joke itself. This is the foundation of how dark humor works. Terrible topics are presented in a tone that trivializes the initial topic. Take for example a picture of catgirl Hitler with the captions “Can I haz Poland?” It is an absurd concept but it trivializes Hitler into nothing but a joke, making a mockery of him by applying a tone so far divorced from the actual historical monster that he actually was. While penis drawings are not dark humor, the same principle applies. They represent a trivialization of the male phallus. Any actual significant representation is completely lost in the very simplistic shaft and circles.

For a moment, consider the internet meme revolving the number 69. Its association with the sexual position and imagery it invokes was the original fad. But these days, it has lost a lot of the actual sexual nature. When was the last time your mind actually drifted to thinking about sex when you see or hear 69? You’re more likely to internally recognize “haha funny number, nice” than you are to think of the actual sexual act. It has been so far divorced from its origin, the joke is now self sufficient. Most people don’t think of an actual penis when they see a penis drawing. They see the immaturity or silliness that it conveys. The drawer of the penis most likely interprets it the same way. It is unlikely that people draw penises as an act of self expression or depiction.

Humor works in a lot of ways. But one of the cornerstones of humor is the subversion of expectations. Crudely drawn penises can be an extension of that. Since things sexual in nature are typically seen as taboo to be discussed or represented in modern society, its appearance out of context can be disorienting. It looks out of place. It does not belong. Just like a fart. Both penises and farts are biologically normal things. But there’s associated embarrassment or crudeness that depending on the mood or setting, adds levity to the situation.

There is also the element of spite. There’s a sort of audacity associated with inserting something crude into an otherwise normal environment. False confidence or adamant insistence goes along with creating a running gag. In the culture of internet trolling, drawing something like a penis knowing it might offend someone else is the essence of it all. This is the part where the humor element is subjective. Some people may be legitimately offended or made uncomfortable by a drawing of a penis. But the assumption is that most people simply dismiss it as a stupid thing. And that’s really the penis drawing at its roots. It’s a dumb thing that some people will get mad about. Therefore the spite associated with drawing them makes it more funny to those who engage in the act. I want to clarify I am not implying this is right or wrong, but simply remind you that this is how the minds of some people work. After all, we are discussing why people find penis drawings funny, not if people should find penis drawings funny.

These are all reasons for why penis drawings are funny…

But are they really?

Read the counterargument