The Power of Humor

The word ‘power’ is most often related to physical strength. We perceive a person with power as a person who can influence other people (said to be “weak” people) for his/her benefit. In the last few months, the world has witnessed several accounts where people have shown their power over certain things. From Vladimir Putin showing the finger to UN and successfully capturing Crimea to Narendra Modi’s demolition of Congress in Indian General Elections, 2014 are all such occasions. But, there is one kind of power that we experience on a daily basis but we fail to recognize it. And that power is the power of Humor. 

Humor and laughter are very basic emotions of a human being. We express them to clarify our intentions in social interaction and to provide an emotional context to our conversations. This is the emotion that accompanies us from our very first minute on Earth to our last, yet somehow we neglect its significance in our lives. Doctors, psychologists and naturopathy experts all over the world have seen and experienced several cases where humor has helped patients to drastically improve their health (both physical and mental). There are two approaches to this: One is the medical/scientific approach while the second is a social approach. According to the medical approach, when a person laughs, it boosts his immune system and a chemical called endorphin is released by the central nervous system that relaxes the brain and body. Also, the blood flow is increased in the body which helps in preventing heart diseases. On the other hand, the social approach dictates that laughter can strengthen relationships, improve teamwork and reduce conflicts within a family, an office or another form of a social group. In a recent survey, it was found that the comedy shows (standup or otherwise) are watched more than the shows with fights and melodrama in them and hence the increase in the number of such shows. Some people have issues showing off their emotions, for example, some people don’t like to cry in front of other people, and some try to control their anger but only laughter is one emotion that everyone is comfortable emoting at any given time. 

I personally feel that the best thing about laughter is that it’s contagious. Even something as simple as a smile can instill positivity and motivation in someone. Sitting together, eating and laughing over something might seem a very simple thing to do but it builds a deep comfort and connect in all the parties involved. That is why a sense of humor is one of the crucial qualities that company executives look for in a candidate because one with a good sense of humor will always know his way around tough situations and tough people. Considering, arguably, a more competitive scenario such as impressing females in school, college or even corporate offices, a good sense of humor is always a plus. So, someone who has a good sense of humor and capitalizes on any opportunity where he can flaunt this talent will always find himself happy, content and successful than the rest of the lot. Never forget, “He who laughs, lasts” (if you know what I mean.)