\u2018Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel.\u2019 \u2014 Jean Racine<\/p>\n
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The use of humour has been relatively unexplored in research. Some write off humour as it doesn’t belong in scientific studies, and others see humour as something trivial. However, philosophers from the past and new research has outlined the benefits of using humour, especially when it comes to an individual’s mental health.<\/p>\n
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To paraphrase, Thomas Nagel a philosopher wrote an existential paper titled, ‘The Absurd<\/em>‘. To simplify, he outlined that there are three ways to view the absurdity of life. The absurdity of life, according to Nagel was how human’s are aware and conscious of their existence, and coming death, but act as if their lives have meaning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are three different ways Nagel proposed on how humans will cope with this paradoxical absurdity:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n death, they engage in ‘heroic’ activities in order to give themselves meaning. In their view, by impacting the world they feel as if their life will have meaning, even though the impact will eventually be lost and forgotten throughout the span of human history.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thomas Nagel hypothesized that those who adopt the humour approach to life will be the most well off emotionally. Since they are not paralyzed by existential angst like the despair group, and they do not have an inflated ego based on subjective meaning like the heroic group.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In terms of psychology, the psychology of ‘grit’ and ‘resilience’ is being studied in more detail, since researchers are finding that one of the factors that separates those who are severely affected by stressful life events vs. those who aren’t \u2013 one of the factors is ‘grit’. Being able to cope with whatever life gives you, and believing that you can handle and are in control of your life. People who are high in grit tend to use humour more often as a coping mechanism in response to stressful life events as opposed to other types of defence mechanisms such as projection, denial or acting out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Therefore, maybe the incorporation of humour should be taken more seriously in individual’s everyday life, never underestimate the power of a good conversation and laughing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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