Laughter

In Time Enough for Love, Robert Heinlein dropped a significant remark about laughter. “When apes learn to laugh, they’ll be people.” Laughter is what makes us human. But there are different kinds of laughter, and different ways of being human. The best kind of laughter reinforces our deeper or richer humanity, creating a sense of empathy with others. Other types of laughter, on the other hand, create division and express what we recognize as inhumanity. 

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Some laughter responds to clever wordplay, sharp irony, unexpected consequences, and, of course, a touch of warmth; it reflects shared cohesion or mutual understanding. Other kinds of laughter violate these norms and criteria, suggesting a propensity for causing discomfort or harm. Such laughter is an expression of