He Who Laughs Lasts

Michael Brickey, Ph.D.

As Michelle Pritchard put it, “You don’t stop laughing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop laughing.” Cultivating a sense of humor is one of the best ways to stay youthful.

Our society tends to regard humor as frivolous. Few activities, however, are as mentally demanding and intellectually stimulating as humor. Humor requires appreciating other perspectives and understanding cultural norms and expectations. It is no accident that one of the eleven tests on the world’s most respected IQ test asks people to arrange cartoon pictures to tell a story.

For people who are learning a language or culture, understanding the culture’s humor is one of the last skills they master. Telling or joke or relating a humorous event requires great judgment and insight in knowing whether someone is likely to find something funny. What is funny to one person might be dumb or even offensive to another person. Telling a joke also requires timing and acting skills.

Humor helps you develop perspective and not take yourself too seriously. Laughing uses a lot of muscles and stimulates your immune system.

Just as physical fitness is a “use it or lose it” proposition, your ability to understand humor declines with age unless you exercise your sense of humor on a regular basis. The phrase “someday you’ll laugh at this” illustrates how humor also helps us put pain in perspective.

Cartoons like Peanuts (Charlie Brown) and Ziggy prompt us to not take ourselves too seriously. Dilbert’s satire assures us that we’re not crazy but sometimes our jobs are. The Family Circus helps us appreciate how children perceive the world, enabling us to be more sensitive to their needs and nourish our childlike sides. Doonesbury and political cartoons lampoon our political processes and help us see when “the emperor has no clothes.” Humor’s ability to get us to appreciate others’ perspectives is a great antidote for racial, political, and international problems.

Personal challenges for humor might be: 1) remembering even two jokes when a stand-up comedian says one after another and has you in stitches, 2) telling a joke and getting a laugh, and 3) developing your own jokes. Joking with young children provides a great opportunity to exercise humor and not worry about looking foolish or blowing a punch line. Of course you do have to reciprocate by listening to a lot of knock knock jokes–over and over. When you listen to young children trying to make up their own jokes, you realize how much a person has to understand for humor to work.

In short, humor is an art form that exercises our minds. Appreciating humor can keep you “mentally fit” and add fun and enjoyment to your life. It is a great stress reliever.

Humor also reveals our anxieties and reinforces stereotypes. Unfortunately, much of the humor about age reinforces negative conceptions of aging. If you want to live a long, healthy, vital life, be alert to ageist humor and challenge it. Examples of negative humor about aging include remarks about being over the hill, an old geezer, an old bitty, and having a senior moment.

Ageist humor can subtly reinforce negative stereotypes. Consider this joke:

The newspaper sent a reporter to interview a man about reaching his hundredth birthday. The reporter asked, “Of what are you most proud?” The centenarian said, “I’ve lived 100 years and haven’t an enemy in the world.” The reporter exclaimed, “Truly inspirational!” The centenarian replied, “Yep, I’ve outlived every last one of them!”

On the surface this joke appears to be positive. Beneath the surface, however, it suggests a negative, stubborn personality. Consequently, it is a joke you need to detect and reject.

By contrast here are two examples of positive humor about aging:

A younger construction worker teased an older worker about his age. Older worker: "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? I’ll bet a week's wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that building and you won't be able to wheel it back." Braggart: "You're on, old man. Let's see what you got." The old man grabbed a wheelbarrow by the handles and said, "All right. Get in."

The joke showed the older worker as physically active, mentally sharp, and assertive.

A 60 year old woman went to a doctor for her annual checkup. Doctor: "You have the body of a 35 year old and are in terrific shape. You might live forever. How old was your father when he died?"

Patient: "Did I say he was dead?"
Doctor: "Oh, how old is he? Is he very active?"
Patient: "He is 82 and loves ski, surf, and sky dive."
Doctor: "Well, how old was your grandfather when he died?"
Patient: "Did I say he was dead?"
Doctor: “Wow! Is your grandfather very active?"
Patient: “He is 106 and loves to run in marathons. He is getting married again next week.
Doctor: "At 106 years old why on earth would your grandfather want to get married?"
Patient: “Did I say he wanted to?"

This joke challenges our stereotypes and stretches our imaginations.

You may be thinking that it’s harder to find a joke with a positive image of aging than it is to find a joke that is flattering to blondes, but like the last two jokes, they are out there, waiting to be found.

The longevity humor challenge is to have your radar tuned to notice when humor has implications for longevity. If negative, spit it out. If positive, savor it and remember it. If you have some positive jokes about aging, I’d love for you to hear from you so I can share them with others.



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This article may be reprinted in E-zines, newsletters, newspapers, and magazines provided they the content is not edited and the following attribution is given:

Dr. Michael Brickey is President of the Ageless Lifestyles Institute and author of Defy Aging. His new book, 52 baby steps to Grow Young, gives two-page-a-week practical steps for developing a youthful mindset at every age. Further information is at www.DrBrickey.com.