In this blog post, I’ll take a lighthearted look at the reasons behind laughter and empathy through my personal experiences.
To be honest, this post began with a somewhat academic curiosity. I started out intending to explore topics like “the aesthetics of British humor” or, at the very least, “why Jerome is funny.” But when I actually started digging through books, I realized there was surprisingly much I didn’t know.
I leafed through materials on “British humor” in English, while the person next to me looked through “humour anglais” in French. I understand the academic approach of tracing things back to their roots, but in the process, I actually felt a sense of emptiness. I saw the early spring sky, bright and blue, outside the window, and my heart felt strangely sad.
Scholarship naturally tends to trace things back to their etymological roots. People say that’s the truth, but I felt that such fundamental inquiry doesn’t always explain human innocence or laughter. I simply felt a bit sorry for myself.
Nevertheless, the question remains. Why do we laugh? Perhaps there’s no need to ask it in such grand terms. I ask myself as well. “Why did I laugh?” Has there been a time recently when I suddenly laughed—perhaps as if I’d flipped over while changing my posture?
Whenever that question comes to mind, I always think of a turtle that’s somehow flipped onto its back. That image reminds me of the dynamism of laughter. What comes to your mind?
Once, while walking down the street, I burst out laughing. Three tourists were walking in front of me; one of them was running ahead, while another, with a camera slung around his neck, was getting ready to take a picture. I naturally looked at the subject the camera was aimed at.
Here, I’d like to ask you: When a photo is being taken, do you look at the person taking the picture, or the person being photographed? I usually find myself looking more at the person being photographed. Perhaps I’m the type who finds joy in observing the finger pressing the shutter.
The tourist the camera was pointed at was smiling broadly, bending his knees and pretending to make a phone call with his thumb and pinky extended and the rest of his fingers curled. That alone might be funny, but what was even funnier was that a non-tourist was actually sitting on the bench in front of him, making a phone call on his cell phone. He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he had become the subject of their imitation.
I found the scene very amusing. The playful attitudes of the two tourists and the situation where a complete stranger was captured like a victim overlapped in a delightful way. I imagined that photo being printed and them laughing together over it later.
I even imagined an even funnier scenario. What if the non-tourist making the call realized he was being photographed and gave a peace sign toward the camera? Wouldn’t that make for another hilarious photo? And what if I laughed out loud at the sight, and they called out to me, prompting us to all give a peace sign together for one more photo? Wouldn’t that be plenty of fun, too?
In the end, I stood there laughing out loud, but the situation actually only played out in my imagination. I didn’t approach anyone to stage the scene. Yet, I still burst out laughing.
I believe the reason for laughter is ultimately connected to that “feeling of realizing something.” We laugh whenever a sense of “deep resonance” occurs. Whether it’s a “Oh, come on!” laugh, an “Oh, no!” laugh, a “Hmph!” laugh, or an “Ah!” laugh—regardless of the type—the sensation of understanding something gives birth to laughter.
That moment when you feel like you’ve figured something out is truly magical and joyful. Laughter sometimes comes when we can poke fun at ourselves, and other times it comes even when we know we’re the victim of the situation.
Where in this book did you first laugh? If you think about it, don’t you think you might know why you laughed? It’s okay if you don’t. If you laughed, that’s enough.
Ah—it’s spring. Whether you’re boating or biking, I hope you laugh a lot. Even if you fall over or fall into the water while laughing, I hope life remains joyful.
