The Need For Humour And Laughter In The Time Of A Pandemic

Whatever the century, humour was always our go-to option whenever we felt low. And, why not?

They say ¡®Laughter is the best medicine¡¯ and since scientists and doctors all around the world are trying to come up with one for the novel pandemic coronavirus, we can resort to the former to help with our anxiety. Like American comedian Joan Rivers had once said, ¡°I enjoy life when things are happening. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s good things or bad things. That means you¡¯re alive.¡±

So, this is a moment to be thankful that we are alive right now. The whole world has been placed in a state of panic and there is only one real goal for all of us - Survival. If laughing about this pandemic, given it¡¯s in good taste, makes you feel a little better about everything that is happening, then there is no reason to not do it.

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Humour is a part of us.

Humour is known to get people through difficult times and I am pretty sure that this is one the toughest times most of us have ever experienced. However, we need to make sure that the humour doesn't get out of hand and mock someone else's misery because that it absolutely unacceptable.

Dark and self-deprecating humour has marked its place in our lives already. Stand up comedians have complete specials on just this theme. American novelist Michael Chabon said, ¡°Man makes plans . . . and God laughs.¡± So, if there is a God and he indeed is laughing at us, let us laugh with him because honestly, it will make us feel so much better.

Everything is an opportunity for laughter.

When asked to light candles and diyas to stand in solidarity with each other, a Bengaluru man decided to cover himself up in a white sheet to look like a ghost and walked around in his balcony with a candle in his hand while the song ¡®Gumnaam Hai Koi¡¯ played in the background.

If that is not bringing a smile to your face, I don¡¯t know what will but this is a reminder that we have the liberty to laugh at our situation, even if it is for a few seconds.

People tapped into their creative sides and gave us such-feel good stories to share that everything felt all right for a minute.

HIT ME ON THE HEAD SOMEBODY BEFORE I LOSE IT ?? pic.twitter.com/mqaXrv2TAl

¡ª Noodlehead (@wack_a_noodle) April 5, 2020

Another woman made light of the whole matter when she found out that her mother was giving her grocery a bubble bath to sanitise it. She felt like she should share this hilarious moment with the rest of us and took to Twitter to share a picture of the same. People loved getting involved with her experience and even gave tips like, ¡®Don¡¯t let her wash the vegetables with soap¡¯ or simply said, ¡®I thought I was the only one!¡¯

Twitter/@EvieLancaster

Social media has made humour extremely accessible.

Other than this, social media platforms are flooded with jokes revolving on quarantine and lockdown since that is one common thing for all of us right now. While some are sharing stories about how hilarious their Zoom meetings are, others are putting out pictures of their #CookingFails which are an absolute delight to look at because how can someone mess up heating up pizza!

Twitter/@robclash

We are suffering, yes but no one said we cannot suffer with laughter at our side. Psychologists strongly suggest that laughter can be a great coping mechanism and it¡¯s something we need the most of right now.

My personal experience with this could be hopeful for the reader. I live away from home but I got back just in time before the lockdown was announced. Now, being at home all the time with just my mother is not something either of us are used to. However, my life at home with my mother went from ¡°What do you want for dinner?¡± to ¡°I¡¯m on leave today. Cook for yourself!¡±

My 54-year-old mother is a workaholic and finding it very difficult to stay at home with her grown-up daughter who hasn¡¯t lived with her in eight years. However, that is not stopping her from cracking jokes every now and then about our situation.

One night, she walked into my room and asked me, ¡°What time do you have to leave for work tomorrow? 10? Do you have to be there at 10 or leave at 10?¡±

My workstation is my bed, sometimes my couch (No, I don¡¯t have a desk! Jeez!) but her asking this question on purpose made us both chuckle a little. That helps. It did help.

That night, we went to bed with a smile on our face, not anxiety.

(I hope my mother doesn't read this otherwise she'll think she's funny!)

We need to hold onto our sanity and if humour can lead the way, why not? It¡¯s not like we have somewhere else to be right now, if you know what I mean.