Why do jokes make us laugh? Usually because they take something we expect (in normal life) and make them into something slightly (or very) different. The surprise is the thing that makes it funny.
Oddly enough Freud, who is not a favourite of mine, actually wrote a whole book about the nature of laughter. The only of his work I voluntarily read and enjoyed. In this area of the mental, he was correct. Yaay!!! Go Freud!
I think that was one of the turning points that made me realise I was destined for the world of the more-or-less normal and not to delve into the realms of dysfunctional psyches.
After all, the joke is a universal thing. When the students in class in China interpreted the joke one of them had told, despite imperfect English, I could see exactly why it was funny. One of those universal ‘human condition’ jokes.
So why does thinking about things from a different angle give us pleasure and make us laugh? It’s a form of mental play, that all but the most rigid enjoy.
Playing with possibilities in our minds.
I think I should be off to do some of that now.
Viewfromtheside's Blog 
Wonderful post, Sidey. Experiments show laughter makes us better problem solvers.
I use laughter mercillessly in my life.When the going gets tough it’s sometimes the only way forward. Satire comes rather too easily and I have to guard against becoming funny in the style of Thackeray. Laughter is the turbine which drives life along.
Nice thinking, I’m hysterical today, but not with laughter …
I cultivate laughter, actively seek it out. It makes life bearable in the dark days and more joyous in the good times.
One thing I just noticed, Sidey, as once again, I had to “register” to comment on your blog, is that my name, in the required field on the “leave a reply” window, was misspelled – and not in the usual way. Apparently I made a typo however long ago it was when I first tried to comment on your site. I changed my name to “Paila Tohline Calhoun.” I wonder if that’s what is responsible for the delay in your getting my comments (Heaven forbid! Just the thought that you might have to wait for one of my bon mots sends shivers down my spine. . .you poor thing!)? So let me know if comments after this one have to be moderated. (However, now that I think about it, moderating my comments is probably not a bad idea.) So, here’s my comment on this post:
I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. . .oh, yeah! Here goes:
Nope. Lost it again. . .I’ll be back later. ‡ͻ﴿
It’s OK to be off. . .as long as youi’re not off by much, and/or gone too long.
Now – wasn’t waiting for that comment worth waiting for?
It seems I can only reply once to all comments on this theme today.
Thanks Kate, yes some of us have to guard our tongues and keyboards,
Cindy, I hope you can laugh later
Tilly, laughter is sometimes the only thing that makes us get out there every day
Paula, these two comments came through fine. I’ll look for others in a few minutes
Laughter makes our lives bearable in the worst of times.
it does
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane. 😀
maybe we are, that’s why we laugh 😉
very much enjoyed this… I’m quite light and fun at the library, but my alter-writing ego (muse) is filled with quite the shadowy side… perhaps both hemispheres are in full function mode???
one of these i’m going to give this a try….
love it!
Nice! and I do love your “I write because I seem unable to stop.” Ditto that.