Some people can think of no worse fate than having their most private thoughts laid bare for public consumption.

“Why don’t you want to talk about sex?” inquires Cecily in an innocuous tone, addressing the crowd of characteristically guarded Washingtonians. The silence speaks volumes.

There is a Yiddish proverb that goes, “Better to laugh about your problems than to cry about them.”  The real trick lies in getting other people to laugh about your problems, particularly if the people belong to a group that gave them to you.