The Ministry of Laughter?
Laughter is so amazing. I was watching some comedy show on the idiot box the other day, and I suddenly realised that it was just so pleasurable. To just sit, switch off my brain, and laugh. Before I started watching, I felt lazy, depressed, and just plain tired. Afterwards, I felt happy, optimistic, and motivated.
It’s a great form of escapism, is comedy. It takes you away from you real-world problems, and gives you a high. And it’s kinda addictive. It’s almost like a kind of drug…
(I’m sure one of my science boffin readers can explain how laughter releases nice hormones into the body or something – I read about it ages ago but can’t really remember the details right now…)
Everyone loves to escape from reality. People want to forget the problems they had at work today, or the spat they are having with a friend or family member, or sometimes just the drudgery of the endlessly monotonous daily routine.
Some people choose to drink alcohol to escape. Others smoke cigarettes to get a momentary high. Some take mind-altering drugs to take them to an alternate plane of reality. Some keep doing it because they’re addicted, but at root causes, it’s all about escapism, really, isn’t it?
I think laughter should be promoted as a substitute for these pastimes. Don’t get me wrong, I think people should be free to drink, smoke, and even take drugs (I think that legalized and taxed drug-use would not be a bad idea – I’ll discuss that some other time).
But there is a negative aspect to each one of these ‘vices’, whereas laughter has no drawbacks. Nobody gets hurt, and everyone leaves with a smile on their face. Laughter also has medicinal properties, in some theories. Laughter is the best medicine, as they say.
I think a government should place more emphasis on keeping the public laughing. (And before the cynics pipe up, I don’t mean that politicians should keep the populace laughing by being morons.) Laughter should be a national priority, and comedy should be subsidised, to ensure a steady stream of smile-inducing entertainment for the people.
Perhaps there should even be a Ministry of Laughter. We have a Ministry for everything else…
