While channel hopping to find something to watch on television, I came across a rerun of an episode of Frasier, one of my favourite sitcoms. I allowed myself to watch, just for a few minutes. I felt guilty for watching a series I’d seen more than twice before, but I wanted to see which episode was airing. After five minutes, I was hooked and laughing, not smiling, not chuckling, but laughing, an out-of-my-belly laugh with tears streaming down my cheeks. “They don’t make shows like this anymore”, I tell my husband as he runs into the living room to see what is going on. “Nowadays, there are just psychological thrillers and dramas on television. People aren’t funny anymore”, I say. I try to think when I last had such a good laugh. Reflecting, I realise that I can blame the entertainment on television or the emotional year we had, filled with drama and death in the family, but I can’t help but think that it is something else. Society isn’t laughing anymore, or maybe it’s only the people I’m surrounded with. Sure, we chuckle at a joke or something amusing that happened, but very seldom do we laugh to the point of almost hysteria anymore.
There is a definite shift in society’s humour sensibilities and political correctness. What we once considered funny is now often viewed as offensive by some. It created a climate where people are more cautious about making jokes or laughing, for fear of causing offence or being seen as glib. I find that there are two types of people: those without any sense of humour and are offended by anything and everything, and those who have a sense of humour but are now so afraid to crack a joke because they don’t know who they will offend next. An offence-paranoia has gotten hold of society. Even when the intention is innocent fun or quick wit, one can never predict whether a situation might be twisted to be perceived as offensive. A person with a well-developed sense of humour must be able to laugh at themselves. To see the world as it is and not think that others are out to make fun of them with derogatory intent. Some things we do are just funny, or they remind someone else of a similar situation they found themselves in. My Mom taught us to have a sense of humour. When my Mom would laugh at something I had done as a little girl, and I asked, “Why are you laughing at me?”, she always replied, “I’m not laughing at you, I am laughing with you”. And so my brother and I learned to see the humour in situations and to laugh at ourselves and those around us.
A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused – Shirley MacLaine
I find that society is more focused on individualism and narcissism than ever before, which results in little situational awareness. People struggle to place themselves in another’s shoes, which is the crux of understanding a humorous scenario. I am a personal fan of observational humour that is drawn from the absurdities of everyday life and shared experiences. Comedians like Jerry Seinfeld excel at finding and exaggerating the “small details” that are universally relatable. However, people don’t relate to other people anymore. To understand this type of humour, one must be aware of one’s surroundings and those in it to make a joke. The self-obsessed culture of today is preventing people from recognising the humour in everyday life. Because they cannot recognise their own ridiculous behaviour and are no longer able to laugh at themselves, this type of humour is often perceived as someone making fun of another. Of course, there is a fine line between having an innocent laugh and belittling, but I can’t help but feel that we should take ourselves less seriously at times. My neighbour quotes her mother often by saying, “Life can be such fun”. We should be more open to seeing the fun and the funny side of life.
Maybe it is just the ageing-me, but people tend take things very literally nowadays. Much of comedy relies on figurative language, sarcasm, hyperbole, and social context, which can be easily misinterpreted when focusing only on the plain meaning of the words. Working with younger generations, it seems they have never developed the skill to grasp beyond the literal meaning of what is said. The famous quote by Oscar Wilde, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit”, is so often used as a rebuttal by someone who didn’t understand a sarcastic joke. Oscar Wilde actually said, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence”. Sarcasm can indeed be hurtful, but in the proper context, it can effectively lighten the mood or provide a shared laugh, particularly among friends who understand each other’s intentions. In fear of teaching our children to be nasty, we are neglecting to develop them to think fast, be witty, understand innuendos and puns, all of which are part of having a good sense of humour. Sometimes the best comeback to a sarcastic remark is a witty retort.
A day without laughter is a day wasted – Charlie Chaplin
Humour is often culture-specific, and in the cosmopolitan world we live in today, it becomes more challenging to find the right audience for a joke or someone to laugh with. However, laughter is an essential social signal. We use it in a nuanced way to indicate that we are ok, you are ok, no one is getting upset, and there is nothing to stress about. Jaak Panskepp, who researched cross-species laughter, argues that at its heart, laughter is an invitation to play. By giving people our laughter, we indicate playfulness in what they have done, even if it was not their intention. Laughter is an outstanding way to make and maintain social bonds. Maybe it’s the lack of humour in my life that makes me feel so disconnected and alone at times.
The human race has only one really effective weapon, and that is laughter – Mark Twain
“Laughter is the best medicine” is an ancient wisdom coming from the Bible’s book of Proverbs (17:22), which states that a cheerful heart does good like medicine. This concept is supported by scientific evidence showing that laughter increases one’s intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates the heart, lungs, and muscles, increases endorphin release, and reduces stress hormones. Having a sense of humour helps people cope with stressful and depressing situations and can sometimes add a different perspective. Norman Cousins used laughter to treat illnesses in the 1960’s. It was formalised by Dr Madan Kataria, an Indian physician, as a structured method called Laughter Yoga. This therapy uses intentional laughter to improve physical, emotional and mental well-being. During laughter therapy, no jokes are needed, and the laughter is often forced. The technique uses purposeful laughter, along with breathwork and mindfulness, because the body cannot tell the difference between fake and real laughter, so all the benefits still occur. A bit alternative for my liking, but I can see the merit in it. Who does not feel better after a good laugh?
Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors – Norman Cousins
We must not be so focused on keeping ourselves happy that we forget what the foundation of happiness is: the laugh. 2025 was a challenging year, and halfway through, I completely lost my sense of humour. I want to rekindle my sense of humour during this festive season by focusing on the lighter side of life. My resolution for 2026 is to laugh more, not chuckle, but laugh, unapologetically, even if it is just at myself.
