Disha Murugupandiyan - Week 11: Laughing Together
People say that laughter is the best medicine. And they are absolutely right.
Laughter can serve multiple purposes, and most of the time, they’re positive ones. Having a good laugh, the one that makes you feel like you’ve just gone to the gym and gained a six-pack, makes you feel like a kid again, cheerful and playful. You forget about everything else and instead focus on the piercing pain in your stomach that you want to go away so badly, but don’t at the same time. Sometimes, you don’t even know why you and your friend are laughing, but one look at each other, one whisper of an inside joke, and it starts all over again. Laughter has the power to wipe our minds of all sense and reason, and instead enjoy the moment. It unconsciously reminds us there’s no point in dwelling on the past and future constantly; you need to take the time to enjoy the present before it’s gone.
Then, there’s the kinds of laughs that make you cry. In my opinion, those are the most fun ones. Usually, you start out laughing, and only a little bit later do you realize that this particular laugh is different from the rest. Before you know it, your vision starts to blur and tears are leaking out of your eyes. I’ve never really known what really makes a normal laugh so different from a crying laugh; I’m really just laughing at something stupid.
On a more personal level, it can bond people together, even if they are strangers. I’m sure you’ve seen that scene in a movie, where something goes terribly wrong, and there’s a moment of silence. Then the characters all start laughing uncontrollably, mostly at how ridiculous the situation is. The laughter is contagious, and once one character starts to laugh, it’s over for all of them. They’re gonna get some six-packs. Maybe even some eight-packs.
People sometimes laugh over shared experiences or maybe even shared trauma. In a way, it helps them feel seen, acknowledged, and accepted. It’s more natural for people to relax around those that they laugh around, which displays a sign of comfort and the fact that it is a calm space. In turn, they fall into the conversation quite smoothly and continue talking with ease.
I think in times when there isn’t much to laugh or even smile about, it’s up to us to find something that does, or let’s be honest, we’ll all end up going crazy. Personally, I believe that we should strive to be as happy as we can in our life, even as hard as it is. As juniors, when you’re swamped with school, extracurriculars and other obligations, it’s important to step away for a little bit and find time to make sure that you laugh. I will admit that I have been a victim to doing the exact opposite, and it’s not healthy.
That’s okay though. Laughter is the best medicine after all.
Hi Disha! Your analysis of laughter and the role it plays in our societies is a refreshing take on power, and I think your continuation of your somewhat philosophical and yet relatable reflections is really amazing. I think the power of laughter also lies in the way we perceive emotions behind that laughter, and the lens through which our brain is looking at said emotions: laughter is the best medicine, but it’s hard for us to give that medicine to someone who either refuses to take it out of anger or someone who’s not in a good enough of a place to take it out of sadness. On a lighter note, I think laughter is so subjective that it’s almost funny (see what I did there): some people have told me my laughter sounds genuine and some have said it sounds fake; a friend came up to me the other day and told me I had a “devillish, mischievous laugh,” while a friend from somewhere else teases me for laughing “like a duck.” What do you think? Honestly, everyone interprets laughter in a different way, but (in my humblest of opinions) the point isn’t to make your laughter conform to expectations, because the wilder it is, the better since the medicine is more personalized to the individual. On your writing, as I mentioned before, your relatable yet philosophical tone makes your blogs really interesting to read: this includes your anecdotes of “going to the gym” and “getting a six-pack” (wait so THAT’S the secret?!) and “laughing at something stupid.” I also like your allusions to “characters all…laughing uncontrollably” in movies, as that really solidifies my understanding of the claim you make on the ability of laughter to “bond people together.” Thank you for an amazing piece!
ReplyDeleteHello Disha, I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that “laughter is the best medicine.” For me in particular, laughter helps connect a person with another. It enables us to empathize with each other with a common purpose. Personally, I really enjoy how simple it is to laugh and gain medicine. There are literally no prerequisites to set up in order to obtain the joy and happiness of laughter. When I laugh with others, it does make me feel “seen, acknowledged, and accepted.” Since laughter is so useful to us, we should go out of our way to laugh at least once a day because laughter brightens our day. This would let us “strive to be happy” in our lives. I have even convinced myself about this idea and decided that I will do my best to uphold it. Reiterating “laughter is the best medicine” in the conclusion is a really interesting way to end the blog, going literally full circle. Haha, that was definitely not funny but as you said we must “enjoy the moment.” The repetitive use of this phrase continues to emphasize to the audience about the relationship between laughter and health. Thank you for this detailed blog about a seemingly simple reaction: laughter!
ReplyDeleteHi Disha! It’s crazy how much laughter can change someone’s day and connect people! I personally have only hit crying laughter a few times in my life but I agree that they are the most fun ones. I also love the phrase about how laughing gives you a six pack, or even an eight pack, as it creates a really vivid picture of the feeling laughing creates within someone. Carrying this analogy through to the paragraph about how laughter can connect people together was also really interesting as it added some humor into an already light and fun post in a really clever way. It is a truly beautiful thing to see how a shared laughter can open up complete strangers and quickly turn them into friends. I loved reading this post and I can’t wait to read the next one!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, laughing is the best thing humans can do. Whenever someone makes a good joke, it always lingers in my mind—I’ll continue to smile to myself about it even if everyone else has already moved on. Genuinely, I won’t be able to get the joke out of my mind, and I'll end up replaying the scene throughout the day: the person’s face when they said it, the reactions of everyone else, how hilarious each word was. I probably have hundreds of these small moments throughout my life stored in my brain, and I recall them whenever I feel bored so that I can chuckle a little.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen the “Debbie Downer: Disney World” SNL skit? The entire cast breaks character multiple times in the episode. which ironically made the whole thing way funnier. I personally think that it’s tear-inducing, so I highly recommend it!