Laughter versus Humor

Last Updated (Saturday, 08 November 2008 14:54) Written by Mary Laskin Friday, 20 August 2004 02:11

When I tell a person that I am a Certified Laughter Leader, their first comment is usually, “you must know a lot of jokes!”  That is when they get my “Laughter versus humor” lecture.  Laughter is a physical act.  It is universal, across all cultures as described above.  What one person finds funny is not necessarily funny to another person.  Just show your “average” American a BBC comedy sketch and you will see what I mean!  Humor is a psychological phenomenon.  It is personal and subjective.  It not only varies by culture, but also language, intelligence, tastes, preferences, values and the mood of the moment.  Using jokes runs the risk of offending others or being hurtful.  Often people who hear jokes don’t “get” the joke, or see what is funny about it.  Plus, in order to get your 15 minute quota of laughter per day by hearing jokes- you would need to hear 300 new jokes per day!  One does not need a sense of humor, or to be happy in order to laugh, but participating in a Laughter Club does seem to improve one’s sense of humor.

(The previous paragraph was adopted from a handout from the World Laughter Tour, 2004)