system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is tickling essentially torture? You would think something that doesn't "hurt" and makes us laugh would be a good thing.
gpt
The laughter from being tickled is not because of happiness or amusement. It is a reflex response to a sensory overload and if it expressed itself as crying or shrieking in pain we wouldn't think it was harmless fun. We associate laughter with fun and happiness so we think tickling is "nice" even though experience tells us it is unpleasant.

The main thought going through your head when being tickled is that you really want this sensation to STOP. It does hurt. We just react to that particular type of hurt by laughing which sends really mixed messages.