The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-05-31
Why We Laugh !!

People laugh under the most
diverse circumstances. A pun, a
snore heard in a solemn assembly.
the artlessness of a child, a dog
which enters church during the
services, a repartee, a drunkard
who reels, a parody. the robe OF
an actress which is torn by ANAL
in the floor, an old style costume,
an orators slip of the tongue,
the caper of a clown there are
a few of the instances which
occur TO my memory. 1t is my
wish in this study to show that
they all resemble one another,
and also to find in all the cases
the common element which ex.
cites laughter.
1t is hardly necessary to in.
dictate the common opinion that
laughter is caused by joy. But it
is evident that Joy does not al.
ways excite it-there are grave
joys. 1t is also plain that people
often laugh without being joyous.
Without doubt, Joy disposes to
laughter, but it does net produce
it, One OF the most common
opinions is, that it is caused by
the unusual, the odd, by that
which is not in accord with our
habits of mind, by something
which breaks the familiar course
of things. This is the theory
adopted by Darwin. We shall
admit at once that whatever is
odd is often ludicrous. We will
go further and say that, doubt.
less, there is not a word, an act.
a situation, au attitude, which is
equally true that the unusual
does not always cause laughter.
There are events contrary to the
normal order which are the very
opposite of amusing.
Another theory very wide.
spread is that of contrast. 1t is
incontestable thai many contrasts
are mirth provoking, butas many
Others are not. Another very
interesting theory is theone pro
posed by Balm. lie calls the
real cause of laughter degrade
ton. When we see in a grand
parsonage the infrmities oil
human nature; when under very
imposing circumstances some
commonplace event suddenly
calls US back to earth; when the
littlenesses of great things and
of great men are suddenly re.
vealed to US. the degradation
stirs US to laughter. That this
solution is in accord with many
facts it is impossible TO deny.
However IN this case also there
frequently occurs the spectacle
of a degradation entirely lacking
in ludicrous features.
Let US now try to find the true
cause, tine condition which when
produced always produce laugh.
ter, which when suppressed al.
ways suppresses laughter. Who
has not been amused at an at.
tempt to break in an unlocked
door? A man gathers all his
strength, contracts his muscles,
draws up his face, and braces
himself to force open the door
We know that the door is moi
fastened. and we laugh. Circus
clowns excite laughter by analo
gous means. For instance, theS
put forth an immense effort tc
lift from the ground an enormous
cannon ball. But we know the
ball is made of pasteboard and is
as light as a feather. What is
it that really takes place within
US under such circumstances? II
is evident that the action appears
to us at first odd. But at the
same instant in which we see that
the act is absurd a rapid reflect.
ion makes it also seem very
nataral. We think that our man
believes the door is locked. We
think that in the eyes of the
clown the ball is a true ball. The
effort which they make then is a
natural one; we would have done
the same, 1t is then that we
laugh.