You remember how kids think fart jokes are really funny, but then around age ten its like 75 percent of them mature and stop laughing at that stuff? I think this whole toilet paper issue is evidence - it was a front. They didn't mature.
Want to know what it really is? Are you ready for this?
It's nervous laughter. People are hiding their true feelings, with humor, but they suck at humor.
That sounds right. Although as of today the vast majority of my city seemed to have no care for social distancing, as though they didn't have a care in the world. Downtown was slammed. Maybe its a combo - nervous chatter for all the folks nervously socially distancing themselves, and humor for the not very smart people that think going to a bar packed full of 100 other tourists is a good idea right now :)