biologically,thereisonlyonequalitywhichdistinguishesusfromanimals:theabilitytolaugh.inauniversewhichappearstobeutterlydevoidofhumor,weenjoythissupremeluxury.anditisaluxury,forunlikeanyotherbodilyprocess,laughterdoesseemtoserveabiologicallyusefulpurpose.inadividedworld,laughterisaunifyingforce.humanbeingsopposeeachotheronagreatmanyissues.nationsmaydisagreeaboutsystemsofgovernmentandhumanrelationsmaybeplaguedbyideologicalfactionsandpoliticalcamps,butweallsharetheabilitytolaugh.andlaughter,inturn,dependsonthatmostcomplexandsubtleofallhumanqualities:asenseofhumour.certaincomicstereotypeshaveauniversalappeal.thiscanbestbeseenfromtheworld-widepopularityofcharliechaplin’searlyfilms.thelittlemanatoddswithsocietyneverfailstoamusenomatterwhichcountrywecomefrom.asthatgreatcommentatoronhumanaffairs,dr.samueljohnson,onceremarked,‘menhavebeenwiseinverydifferentmodes;buttheyhavealwayslaughedinthesameway.’
asenseofhumormaytakevariousformsandlaughtermaybeanythingfromarefinedtinkletoanearthquakingroar,buttheeffectisalwaysthesame.humourhelpsustomaintainacorrectsenseofvalues.itistheonequalitywhichpoliticalfanaticsappeartolack.ifwecanseethefunnyside,wenevermakethemistakeoftakingourselvestooseriously.wearealwaysremindedthattragedyisnotreallyfarremovedfromcomedy,sowenevergetalop-sidedviewofthings.
thisisoneofthechieffunctionsofsatireandirony.humanpainandsufferingaresogrim;wehoversooftenonthebrinkofwar;politicalrealitiesareusuallyenoughtoplugeusintototaldespair.insuchcircumstances,cartoonsandsatiricalaccountsofsomberpoliticaleventsredressthebalance.theytakethewindoutofpompousandarrogantpoliticianswhohavelosttheirsenseofproportion.theyenableustoseethatmanyofourmostprofoundactionsaremerelycomicorabsurd.welaughwhenagreatsatiristlikeswiftwritesaboutwaringulliver’stravels.thelilliputiansandtheirneighboursattackeachotherbecausetheycan’tagreeatwhichendtobreakanegg.welaughbecausewearemeanttolaugh;butwearemeanttoweeptoo.itisnowonderthatintotalitarianregimesanysatireagainsttheestablishmentiswhollybanned.itistoopowerfulaweapontobeallowedtoflourish.
thesenseofhumourmustbesingledoutasman’smostimportantqualitybecauseitisassociatedwithlaughter.andlaughter,inturn,isassociatedwithhappiness.courage,determination,initiative-thesearequalitieswesharewithotherformsoflife.butthesenseofhumourisuniquelyhuman.ifhappinessisoneofthegreatgoalsoflife,thenitisthesenseofhumourthatprovidesthekey.