Have a Sense of Humor to Save the Day

Sam was late for work again. His employer had recently given him a final warning about that, so this time Sam was really worried. He imagined his boss rehearsing a dismissal speech.

And he was! On Sam's arrival at the office, 34 minutes late, the boss approached him with a threatening look on his face.

Sam thought quickly. He grinned, extended his hand and said: 'How do you do. I'm Sam, and I want to apply for the job that presumably became vacant 34 minutes ago. Does the early birds gets the worm?' His workmates roared with laughter. His boss, unable to hold back a smile, returned to his office. Sam's sense of humor had saved the day.

There is no doubt that a good sense of humor often can "defuse" a tense situation. Humor can even help one to cope with adversity. A sense of humor enables people to laugh and relax and therefore can benefit their health. In his book Laughter and Health, Dr. James J. Walsh explained that the up-and-down movement of the diaphragm in laughter affects internal organs in a manner similar to exercise. Laughter has a good effect on the heart, liver and intestines. It aids digestion and the elimination of wastes.

What Is Humor?

Humor is said to be the ability to see the funny or amusing side of things. It is also said to be that quality that appeals to one's sense of the ludicrous or absurd.

A humorous situation occurs when something is out of place or not appropriate. For example, a dignified London businessman, complete with furled umbrella and newspaper, wading in the sea, would be incongruous, odd, and would cause many a smile among onlookers. As another example, if a cat or a dog entered a school classroom, it would provoke many laughs, because such an animal usually has no place in a classroom.

Situation humor can be based on an unexpected happening. For instance, if a man tipped his hat to a woman and a pigeon flew out from beneath it, observers would laugh at such an unexpected occurrence. A report from Nigeria says that Africans there are very spontaneous in their appreciation of the unexpected. Thus, they usually laugh when a man slips on a banana peel. But they also go to his assistance immediately with sympathy and concern.

Most humor is expressed in words. And humor based on words comes in great variety, depending on nationality, social customs, environment and other factors. Some types are more intellectual or subtle, some are slapstick, or more crude and boisterous, some are more barbed or cutting (in English often called "wit").

Also, what is funny to the people of one nation can be meaningless to another. For example, a white missionary was addressing an African audience and had occasion to add what he thought was a touch of humor. Dead silence. Later on he made reference to a monkey. His interpreter did not bother to translate the word, but merely lifted his arm and scratched his armpit. What a roar of appreciation!

Just where did humor originate?