“In laughter, we distinguish an instinct of fraternity” Yves Cusset, philosopher and humorist

“In laughter, we distinguish an instinct of fraternity” Yves Cusset, philosopher and humorist

Why do we need to laugh?

It is first of all a need of the body and the mind: to turn away, for a moment, from the weight of reality. Thanks to its entertainment function – in the noble sense of the term – laughter allows us to experience joy by letting go. In a society where citizens are required to permanently internalize constraints through numerous rules, it feels good not to always take ourselves seriously.

Why do we want to laugh together?

In laughter, we discern an instinct of fraternity. Laughter falls on us, it is a momentary and graceful energy that we want to share with others. This helps strengthen social bonds. Where we can be fed up with others, angry about the way society works, we can laugh about it instead of bumping into each other. In a society without laughter, social relationships are more mechanical.

I am thinking of periods of censorship or authoritarian political regimes where the need for laughter was not honored, contributing to the impoverishment of human relationships.

What does this increased need for laughter say in our current society?

It is a symptom of the aging of our society, where depression is becoming a general phenomenon, where we sometimes struggle to find reasons to live together…

We then multiply comic spaces in an almost compulsive way: on the radio, on television, in newspapers… Laughter can appear as a social snub. “How does it feel to be the best-selling antidepressant in France?”, journalist Laurent Delahousse asked comedian Danny Boon.

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