1928-08-11 — Page 12

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WHY DO WE LAUGH

AN INQUIRY INTO THE MYSTERY.

THE CHINA MAIL,

[By Professor J. Arthur Thomson.] There is something almost laugh- able in the number of theories about laughter. Still more in the way they contradict one another. Freud regards laughter as a means of effecting "economy of psychic expenditure," but Boris Sidla main- tuins that we laugh in the over- flowing abundance of our joy. Pro- fessor William MacDougall regards Inughter as a safeguard against the fatigue and depression of our ten- deney to show too much sympathy. This is a modernising of Byron'a view:--

And if I laugh at any mortal

thing

It is that I may not weep; but it stands in contrast to the long-lived theory of Hobbes, that we laugh because we are lacking in sympathy and have a "sudden glory In discovering "some emin- oney in ourselves by comparison with the infirmities of others."

The reason for the contradictori- ness which these instances merely illustrate is not far to seek. It is due to preoccupation with the sub- tler and more sophisticated forms of laughter, instead of beginning with the more primitive. More over, there has often been a mixing up of three inquiries:

(1) What is the eresential nature

of primitive laughter?

(2) What has given laughter : survival value?

and

(3) What are the main stimuli of laughter?

Rome, Italy.The strange monoplane S-04 constructed by the noted Italian engineer, Alessandro Murchetti, in which Commander Artura Ferrain and Major Del Prete set a new enduranes flight record of 58 hours 42 minutes-beating the United States mark of 53 hours 36 minutes made by Stinson and Haldeman, Note the This photo was made superstructure which supports the motor.

just after the fight on the Montecelio field outside Rome. Left to right. Major Del Prette; Commander Arturo Ferrarin, and Alessandra Marchetti, designer of the plune. ·

1

laugh. A pathological expression is Among the secondary justifica- hysterical laughter, which has been tions of, laughter, a place must also observed in dogs. Our theory is be found, we think, for Mac- that laughter is primarily a local- Dougall's subtle theory, that it is ised loss of control under the sometimes "the antidote to sym- atimulus of strong emotion, sudden, surprise, un unexpected failure. an incongruity, and the like. It is quite possible that the liberation of some hormone is concerned in the sweeping away of the usual con-

A LIVELY INTRODUCTION. To those who wish a lively intra- duction to the subject we have pleasure in recommending Dr. C. W. Kimmina's just published "Springa of Laughter" (Methuen, 63.). It gives an interesting account of the chief theories. and is particularly fresh in its treatment of the laugh- ter of children. It is a very in-trols and inhibitions. Often structive book and not less enter taining.

It was Darwin as usual who first got down to bedrock by recognising laughter as an inborn predisposi- tion, approximated to in monkeys and some other animals, finding simple expression in children, and excitable by a variety of stimuli which may be far away from the ludicrous. On the physiological side, he said, laughter involves: (1) a deep inspiration followed by short, interrupted, spasmodic contractions

the loss of control gathers momen- tum. so to speak, and people laugh till they cry or even suffer considerable pain.

pathy." In laughter some highly evolved people relieve themselvca from the sympathetic pain involved in contemplating some maladjust- ment or disharmony. These ex- amples must serve to illustrate the secondary justifications that have given regularised laughter survival value.

MORE SMILES?

The third question has to do with Our personal theory of laughter the diverse stimuli that make has to do only with its primary people laugh. Here Dr. Kimmins, nature. It requires to be imme-writing from a rich experience, has diately added that modern civilised much that is interesting to say in the provocatives to laughter does not necessarily imply regard to any lack of control, for the predie- laughter in children. The frequent position to laughter to what Leigh reproach, "I don't see anything to Hunt well called a "happy convul inugh at in that," may be salutary, sion." has been regularised, human-but it does not suggest an under- the situation. In

of the chest and diaphragm; (2) /ised, moralised, and socialised. It standing of

has come to have very Interesting simple cases the aurprise, the incon- opening of the mouth, drawing the

secondary justifications. Thus Corners backwards and a little up-

Bergaon has laid emphasis on the social importance of laughter, as when wo laugh the clumsy and the cranky out of court. By laughter. society avenges itself for the liber: iles taken with it." It is a social discipline.

wards, raising the upper lip and showing the teeth; (3) movements of the head, quivering of the lower jaw, contraction of the orbicular muscles; and (4) the reiteration of the characteristle laughing Bounds, which vary notably in their quality in different people. Herbert Spen- cer also disclosed something of the physiological aspect of laughter, pointing out. for instance, the value of diffused movements in relieving the surplus energy of mental ex- citement.

LOSS OF CONTROL. We suggested some time ago a supplementary biological theory of Iaughter which seems to have much

A SOCIAL LUBRICANT..

gruity. the bursting bubble, the sitting down on a hat, and so forth provoke laughter as irresistibly as field does. Sully laid emphasis on the novelty of the unexpected; Spencer atressed what he called somewhat ponderously "descending incongruity," when, a given situn. tion the large scale is suddenly replaced by one on a very small A famous explorer and archæolo-scale-the mountain giving birth to gist has told us that in a critical situation he always looked out for the native with humour in his eye, and tried by some conciliatory joke | to make him laugh, which often solved the problem. Laughter is a social lubricant. This theory has been elaborated by Gopalaswami,

in its favour and to be necessary who thinks that laughter has evolv-

mouse; Hazlitt spoke of a dis- turbance of the expected sequence of events or even words "taking the mind unawares." Bergson, always original, maintains that we laugh when we sce a living creature, a human being in particular, behav ing like

A machine. "We laugh

the.

every time a person gives us to cover the facts. The character- ed out of man's defence group of impression of being a thing." The Laughter is often a Custom-house officers who had help- istic feature of primitive Inughter, impulses. such as is induced by tickling, is a shield, More than that, it may dis-ed to rescue the passengers from a over arm opposition and make the enemy wreck near Dieppe could not keep momentary loss of control vocalisation, facial musculature, and relax. Many a fight has been ob- from asking them "If they had any- A sudden viated by a timely joke. Not that thing to declare;" and laughter respiratory movements. stimulus, of which tickling is the this is thought out as a policy; it could not but mingle with tears. crudest, inhibits the normal auto is nearer the instinctive and iradi. matic controls, and have to tlonal;

WL

Sir Hall Caine, famous Hinglish novellet and dramatist, whoʻcale breťad, his 75th birthday on May 14, at his komo, Greeba Custio; Isle of Man Hall Caine kan been producing noréia for nearly Go years, and it' understood that be is now ancaged in writing a like at Chiriat, Be was knighted in 1918,

While Sully regarded laughter as a grown-up smile, which is in a sense true for the individual, Dar- win was perhaps deeper in his sug- gestion that the adult smile is the outcome of laughter-control. In all likelihood our descendants will laugh less than we do, and amfle more. At present many people smile much too loudly,

I think I am right in saying that no Pear or Peeress has a vate '--so I am a voiceless, voleless, drifter, jabbering about things which I have no power to put into force-Baroness Ravendale,

"

WHY SOME GIRLS ARE NOT POPULAR.

There are some girls who'arë at fractive enough in appearance yet who lack that popularity which ather girls enjoy. What Is the cause? Simply that they uncon Belously repel those with whom they speak because they are afflict- ed with fl-amelling breath, the re- sult of intestinal inactivity.

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