Laughter as a Release Valve

 Laughter as a Release Valve

Two well-known philosophers, Herbert Spencer and Sigmund Freud understand laughter and humor as a reliever of tension. They arrive at the conclusion that humor (in opposition to wit and comic) is able to release potentially harmful tension, traumas, or stressors that could otherwise cause harm. These are the first humor theorists that have rooted their work in the outcomes of humor as a personal tool. Others examine humor only as it relates to incongruity, superiority, and vice. These fail to capture the healing properties of humor. 

    My favorite image of Spencer’s is the student giving a speech in class who is fidgeting because of nervous tension/excitement (110). He leads his reader to believe that laughter can be a release valve for this type of nervous excitement.

    Freud captures the liberation that humor can provide in his explanation of the ego and super ego’s relation to trauma and laughter as a way to avoid it. “Humor is not resigned; it is rebellious. It signifies the triumph not only of the ego but also of the pleasure principle, which is strong enough to assert itself here in the face of the adverse real circumstances” (Freud, 113). Through laughter and humor, we are able to conquer many of the hardships that seem unbearable.

    I am interested in these theories insofar as they are applicable to the healing process in personal trauma and laughter’s application in high-stress situations. According to Freud, we can bypass pain from trauma if we are able to laugh at it. I am amazed at the real-world application of this in the lives of those who have experienced not insignificant amounts of pain. Comics who write about their lives, like Irby and Sedaris, are the waling embodiment of Freud’s theories. A question that arises from these analyses is how do we help/can we help others reach this state? Is humor teachable, and if so, how? or is it something a person must come to themselves in order to utilize it properly?


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