Is it Okay to Laugh During a Pandemic?
My days in the COVID-19 quarantine are probably similar to most people — working, eating (more than I should), walking, shopping (when necessary), Zooming, and procrastinating. Oh and I share (and receive) a lot of virus-related memes, jokes, and videos.
As we go through the worst global health crisis in 100 years, I think laughter and humor are more necessary than ever (as witnessed by all the memes and jokes I share).
We can all agree a deadly global pandemic is not funny. Thousands of Americans are losing their lives to COVID-19 (over 74,000 and counting). Millions of people lost their jobs as a result of the virus and many families don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
“No matter what your heartache may be, laughing helps you forget it for a few seconds.” — Red Skelton
Many of us have been homebound for two months. Every day, we see the number of cases and deaths go up. We grieve and pray for friends as well as strangers and admire the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, first responders, and grocery workers. It can be very draining and exhausting.
When memes, jokes and funny GIFs, tweets, and videos arrive, I welcome the distraction and the chance to laugh. I know I’m not alone.
Why do people turn to humor during a crisis and make fun of what’s making us fearful and anxious in the first place? It’s good for us.
By creating and sharing humor, we can cope better, and ease some of the tension due to the pandemic. At least, we feel like we have some control over the situation.
“Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away.” — Benjamin Franklin
Generally, the jokes and memes getting the most laughs (and shares) are not about the virus itself but about the way our lives have been affected — parents suddenly homeschooling their kid, toilet paper shortages, Zoom conference calls, washing hands, and more.
Of course, joking during a tragedy can be tricky — everyone is experiencing this pandemic differently. Some have lost family members and loved ones and others are working on the frontlines to save lives.
I saw a meme today I thought was way too dark to share. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the common situations we are all finding ourselves in. Joke about the lack of hand sanitizer but not the lack of ventilators and PPE.
“Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine.” — Lord Byron
In addition, laughter has both short and long-term health benefits — strengthening our immune systems, lowering blood pressure, increasing endorphins, relieving stress, and reducing pain.
Scientists say we laugh to signal to others we want to connect with them. In fact, speakers in a conversation were found to be 46 percent more likely to laugh than the listeners. Laughing with others is also a way of bonding and building social connections. I have been able to stay in touch with many friends because we exchange memes throughout the day.
“The source of all humor is not laughter, but sorrow.” — Mark Twain
Throughout history, when tragedy strikes, humor is always there to carry us through the darkness. Even as Jews faced death in concentration camps during the Holocaust, they found something to laugh about, according to Auschwitz survivor Renee Firestone, who was featured in a 2017 documentary The Last Laugh.
Abraham Lincoln admitted humor became a respite as the Civil War unfolded, "With the fearful strain that is on me night and day if I did not laugh I should die."
After 9/11, many people thought comedy would be changed forever. How could we joke and laugh while our country had been attacked and so many Americans lost their life? The moment it all turned was on the first Saturday Night Live episode after the attacks. Executive Producer Lorne Michaels asked then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani if it was okay to be funny and Giuliani responded, “Why start now?” Laughter was back.
“Laughter is an instant vacation” — Milton Berle
Humor may not be the cure to end the pandemic and it certainly won’t change the reality of the virus, but it can change how we feel about it.
The pandemic has changed our lives over the past few months, but it’s good we can get through it laughing.
Ok, have to run, a meme just arrived.
