It is often said that laughter is the best medicine. Do you agree? Why or why not?
When has humor lightened an uncomfortable moment or made you feel better?
In “When Everything Is Heavy, a Touch of Humor Can Help,” Carolyn Todd writes that, beyond making tough moments a little easier, cultivating levity is good for your health:
Wendi Aarons was writing at her local library when the sound of an angry voice made everyone look up. A patron, outraged over a book policy, vowed to take her child to another library and stormed off after berating the staff. The entire room was “so upset,” recalled Ms. Aarons, a humorist in Austin, Texas. “It was just this awful, uncomfortable silence.”
But Ms. Aarons, a pro at balancing humor and discomfort, saw an opening: She stood up and said, “Hey, does anybody have the number for this other library? Because I want to call and give them a heads up.”
Laughter erupted; the mood lifted. Things returned to normal. This is the subtle power of “lightening up.”
“Levity is a mind-set,” said Naomi Bagdonas, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business who advises executives on leading with humor and humanity. “It’s looking for reasons to be delighted rather than disappointed in the world around you.”
Ms. Bagdonas joins a chorus of experts who say cultivating levity is essential to well-being. Trying to lighten up might seem challenging given the state of the world; a more somber practice — like mindfulness, which certainly comes with perks — can feel more appropriate for “these unprecedented times.” But taking things less seriously allows us to “travel more lightly,” said Willibald Ruch, a professor and positive psychology researcher at the University of Zurich, and “saves the organism and the soul from too much of a bumpy road.”
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
What role does humor play in your life? Do you feel like you laugh enough?
In what ways does humor provide benefits in your life, whether physical, social, mental or emotional? Have you ever noticed any health benefits from laughing? Tell us about a time when laughter has made you feel better.
Naomi Bagdonas, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, said: “Levity is a mind-set. It’s looking for reasons to be delighted rather than disappointed in the world around you.” Do you agree? In what ways do you have a levity mind-set?
What do you think of the suggested ways to incorporate a little more levity into your life, such as trying to take things lightly when something goes wrong, or creating a levity diary? What recommendations of your own would you give to others?
The article advises readers to get to know their own sense of humor. How would you describe yours? Is it irreverent? Sarcastic? Self-deprecating? Do you think of yourself as a funny person?
What makes you laugh these days?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
