European Tribune - Comments

Quality of Life | 125 comments (125 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

My belief is that everyone is born with the response of laughter to a feeling of love in all its many forms. It is the disability NOT to laugh that is taught.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Mar 11th, 2008 at 01:31:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not to go off topic... (4.00 / 2)

...but where does sense of humour come from ("Why, the stork brought it, of course!")? I mean, clearly we are creatures of our environment (for example, topics that may be considered taboo in some instances, like sexuality, might become a source of humour), but I can't help but think that there's an innate component to it.

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm on Tue Mar 11th, 2008 at 02:29:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not to go off topic... (4.00 / 3)

Of course there is a genetic component, though I think it is not well understood. Laughter can be seen in a baby at about the time the indiscrimate noise of sensateness starts to come into focus. More chuckles of contentment than laughter - but that is what laughter builds upon. After 24 months you can hide things and bring laughter with their reappearance. And so it goes on, in an ever more complex set of games within a relationship.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Mar 11th, 2008 at 05:05:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Quality of Life (4.00 / 6)

I agree with you - it is wonderful to watch small children laugh, just out of joy and fun. I remember how as I kid I was told in many situations that it was not approriate to laugh, thus I also agree that we un-learn laughter. I think laughter and humour are not necessarily identical. Though humour often can make us laugh it is not a prerequisit for laughter.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Mar 11th, 2008 at 05:08:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Quality of Life | 125 comments (125 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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