Laughter When All Else Fails

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”

Humor is universal. If you’re willing to see it. It shows up everywhere. Laughter transcends language, race, religion, socioeconomic status, and just about everything else. 

Perceived differences are a great barrier to human communication. But comedy, comedy can be the bridge between two people who want to believe they have nothing in common. Two people who would never share a drink together will often share a joke. 

I believe that there’s much more that unites humanity than jokes. However, finding common ground in a world that feels increasingly divided and hostile can be hard. The lowest-hanging fruit, laughter, might be a good place to start.  

I first read the quote at the beginning of the article in an account of the fight against FGM in Egypt. The most unlikely of places for humor. But laughter was the initial tool used to bridge people with vehemently opposing viewpoints. It initiated massive social change. The people involved were scared, mistrustful of one another, and caught up in social systems that promoted repression and violence. One might think the situation was hopeless, but laughter helped create a common ground. Once a common ground was formed, discussions advanced to include understanding and shared vision. 

While it’s not a panacea for all of society’s ills, humor can be a powerful tool in the fight to recognize and understand the humanity in one another. Besides, if we’re going to overcome things like prejudice, bias, and social inequity, we might as well crack a few jokes along the way.