Laughter is the universal language, and also one of the ways we connect as human beings. But there are so many types – what does each one mean? From delightful to disgusting, these are the types of laughter you should know.
You don’t have to be at a buttoned-up dinner party to hear polite laughter. At work, everyone’s talking about the weather and traffic and making the same tired jokes and observations about the workday dragging on and the weekend being too short. And all the while, everyone is laughing oh so politely. It’s enough to make you…also laugh politely because there’s nothing more to be done in a situation like that.
This exists only in fictional works, thankfully. No one in their right mind would try to pull off a ‘mwa-ha-ha’ and expect to be taken seriously again after the laughter died down. If someone did pull it off, though, that would be impressive, at the least.
This is what happens when you’re too damn funny. You’ll watch your friend’s laughter turn into tears, you’ll watch them collapse into a heap on the ground. It’s only when they begin to stroke out that you’ll start to feel concern.
Have you ever been part of a group that was laughing and then someone else came over laughing, and asked what was so funny? I don’t care what the CDC says; laughter is a hell of a lot more contagious than any communicable disease.
You may think that mentioning your ballooning waistline, shrinking bank account or stagnant relationship would be a good reason to laugh, but it’s uncomfortable for everyone else involved. So if you ever find yourself laughing nervously in a social situation, you need to stop and never start again.
Have you ever seen someone who looked like they were going to vomit, eyes bulging and mouth wide open, and yet nothing came out? They were laughing hard, but silent. And honestly, it’s okay to be alarmed; that shit is the equivalent of someone sleeping with their eyes open…creepy.
This occurs with the type of person who gets uncomfortable way too easily, and the only way they can release the pressure building up inside is to laugh it out. It may make for a great, quirky cartoon character, but in real life it’s just effin’ weird. Think Dr. Hibbert from The Simpsons. Or, my ex-girlfriend.
If you’ve got 10 hours to spare…
This is the most wonderful sound ever produced by a living thing. It is the sound of pure joy. It is living, breathing music. Anyone who doesn’t like babies or doesn’t want to have a child need only listen to the wondrous laughter of a baby to want to procreate and make dozens of ‘em.