Reflective Essay about Laughter
We hear it over and over again: “laughter is the best medicine!” But what does it actually mean? Whether you like people falling, dark humor, or cat videos, everyone on this planet finds something funny. I have always loved laughter and I have always been curious about what makes people laugh. We have comedies, stand-up, and more memes than educational information on the internet. We have social media platforms like Vines and TikTok formed solely for entertainment and enjoyment. This introduces my biggest question, what makes people laugh? To answer that I needed to look deeper into the science of laughter, identify what people find funny, and understand how the industry of making people laugh has grown. I have always been fascinated by the fact that people have different types of things they find funny yet they all react in the same way: by laughing. So what makes us laugh and what happens to the brain when we are laughing?
That famous expression, “laughter is the best medicine'' is actually scientifically true to a degree. Even though medicine is the best medicine, laughter is actually incredibly healthy for people both physically and mentally. For starters, studies have shown that “laughter enhances your intake of oxygen rich air”(Mayo Clinic 1). By getting more air into a person's lungs it also means that more oxygen gets into a person's brain making them more awake and productive. Laughter also releases endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are chemicals produced in the brain that when released provide benefits of making a person happier and relieving stress. Increased endorphins can even make a person feel less pain whether physically or menatally. I can remember a time during my sophomore year of highschool when tension was high as my class was about to start our chemistry final. I was incredibly nervous but right before the final exam started my friend Patrick got-up from his chair and intercepted my other friend Keegan as he was walking towards the front of the class and pants him. In an instant, the class erupted in laughter and my worries about the final disappeared.
Whether it’s a chuckle, belly laugh, a quiet giggle at the worst time, we all find different things funny but for everyone, laughter can be helpful. Personally, I struggle with nervous laughter. Heavy, deep from the belly laughter that happens when I am anxious or in an uncomfortable situation. In recent memory, I was with my grandmother and we were at the cemetery visiting my grandfather who had passed away in 2018. It was the first time I had been in a mausoleum and as we approached I put my hand on his headstone and blurted out “ How are you doing? I hope you're not too cold there.” I could not believe I said that. Even more unbelievable, was that my grandma laughed as well. It was an emotional moment for both of us and oddly enough a fun way to share a laugh. It turned a hard moment into a light hearted moment and in a way it felt like making those jokes was honoring the funniest man I ever knew.
With the spread of new information there has been an increase in avenues to deliver content through social media and entertainment. Because of these booms people have found all sorts of new types of entertainment such as a clip on TikTok, a comedy special on Netflix, a video on YouTube and my personal favorite a movie on HBO Max. These developments in the industry have enhanced the variety of things that people find funny. When I was a kid being able to laugh was important to me because whenever I had a hard day at school I would go on my computer and look at funny videos and it was a lot of trial and error. The videos that people watched and showed me I didn't find funny but I thought the people falling videos were hysterical. Being able to get content and having the entertainment industry boom helps get content to people easier so that they could make people laugh and it is also crazy to think people laugh at some many different things.
One of the ongoing questions is what are the reasons people laugh at so many different things and the simple answer is that just because we are all different and that's ok. People have different senses of humor because people have had different life experiences and therefore that influences what people find funny and the crazy thing is people can go in opposite directions based on experiences. For example I had a nasty spill that almost sent me to the hospital on a skateboard so I find skateboard fails funny because I can relate to them when it happens. While my other friend had a nasty spill on a skateboard and because of that moment he doesn't find skateboarding fails funny because of that injury that he had on the skateboard. That is what helps people figure out what kind of humor people find funny.
People are so different and unique and so that is why people have different types of humor. People laugh because something is relatable to their own experiences and the things they have gone through which shape them. Then when we figure out what we find funny they will laugh whether we are happy, sad, stressed, laughter always makes us feel better not just physically but mentally too which is awesome. Laughter has been great for people's mental health. Whenever I have struggled in my life it is always nice to be able to turn on my computer or tv and find something funny.
I’ve learned along the way that it’s fun to share a laugh and that the use of humor can help move me through a bad day, uncomfortable situations or simply lift my spirits by releasing chemical endorphins in my brain. So, find something funny on TV, the internet, social media or in your own silly mistakes and run with it because it will help you embrace your emotions and laugh.
