So I had to give a persuasive speech for my last debate class. I chose to persuade everyone that laughter is important. This got really interesting. I really enjoyed researching this. Did you know that a Vanderbilt University study found that laughter burns a bit more than a calorie a minute? But when we got to our class on Tuesday, Emily and I were the only ones who had our speeches prepared. So we did our speeches while the others commented. But I really enjoyed giving the speech.
So here it is. There may be a few mistakes, but I went through it and got most of them. Enjoy.
Why Laughter is Important
Laughter is important for quite a few reasons. I’m going to talk about four of these reasons.
First of all, laughter is important because it affects and reflects the attitude. Laughter affects and reflects the attitude. If someone is sullen or depressed, being around happy people will probably affect their mood. Just like being surrounded by moody, rude people will soon start to affect your attitude. Also, if you laugh really hard, then it will give you really sore cheeks. This is another way in which laughter affects you. Laughter is also important because it reflects the attitude. Laughter reflects the attitude. If you are laughing as hard as you can, you would obviously not be mad or depressed, at least while you’re laughing. Also, sometimes certain things aren’t funny at certain times and at other times they are absolutely hilarious. If you don’t laugh at the little things but laugh at the hugely funny things, than you are probably in a less silly mood. But if you laugh at everything then you are in a particularly punchy mood. If you don’t laugh at anything, then you are probably in a sad, mad, or sullen mood. My point here is that laughing can affect others and how you laugh can show your attitude.
My second point is that laughter is important because it can show security and joy. Laughter can show security and joy. Joy is one of the most popular expressions of laughter. We laugh when we are happy, more often than not. When someone says something funny or really random, we laugh because we’re happy. When we laugh for joy, we’re saying “Look, I’m happy”. Everyone has happy laughs. Some happy laughs make you shake your head, some make you wince, and others you don’t even notice. But everyone has a distinct happy laugh. Laughter is also important because it can also show security. Laughter can also show security. Everyone has a “true” laugh. This is the opposite of their “nervous laugh”. Personally, I like to find these “true laughs”. I’m still holding onto my hope of finding Adam’s “true laugh”. “True laughs” can be surprising. But it is hard to find a person’s “true laugh” when the other person is not entirely comfortable. So laughter, true laughter, shows security. Also how loud they laugh shows security. If I don’t feel entirely comfortable in a group, I am probably not going to start guffawing at some funny joke.. I may snicker or chortle, but I will probably not guffaw as loudly as possible. My point here is that laughter can reveal whether someone is happy or secure in a situation. This knowledge may affect how you respond to that person, which could strengthen your relationship with them. This moves me to my 3rd point.
Thirdly, laughter is important because it helps you connect with others. Laughter helps you connect with others. Everyone knows how to laugh. Laughing is a universal language; therefore, people who speak different languages can still communicate through laughter. Also, when you are in an awkward conversation, laughter can help release the tension. Laughter can even be used to start a conversation. Let’s say that you are placed in a room with another person your age. If that other person says something funny, provoking laughter, the “ice” has been broken and you will probably start a conversation. Unless of course you are one of those sullen people who would stare at the person, staying silent, and then stand with your face to the wall until they let you out. However, this is highly improbable. Laughter is important because it encourages and strengthens [relation’s hips] sorry, relationships. The more jokes, puns, etc. you share with some person, the closer you will probably feel to that person. Also, people would probably feel more drawn toward the “funny” one in the group than toward the more silent one, because laughter takes your mind off of stressful situations, or upcoming events. Being “funny” and creating laughter could create more opportunities for relationships. So keep in mind, laughter is a national key to conversation and a tool to build and strengthen relationships.
As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said “Nothing shows a man’s character more than what he laughs at”. My last point is that laughter is important because it can be used for different purposes. Laughter can be used for different purposes. As I mentioned earlier, laughter can be used to express joy and security; however, it can also be used to express ridicule and mockery. Sadly, laughter is used in these ways quite often. In these situations laughter hurts feelings and strains relationships. Sometimes wh--en somebody messes up, laughter can come very quickly out of our mouths before we know it. It is up to the other person, however, to decide how to receive that laughter. He can be hurt and show it, or be hurt and hide it, or just laugh with the other person. As Sara Jeanette Duncan said “One loses many laughs by not laughing at oneself”. But it is often our tendency to feel hurt or embarrassed when we’re laughed at. Also on television, in books, and on the radio, laughter can be taken too far. People can go so far to make a joke or get a laugh that it comes across offensive to others. People have different views and when these views are mocked, those people could be offended. My point here is that we need to be more purposeful with our laughter. We have control over how we laugh and what we laugh at. We need to take into consideration other's feelings and views. Laughter has the power to bless and to hurt. We shouldn't use laughter to hurt others, but rather seek how we can bless others with it. Bring laughs, I say, not tears!
Let’s review how laughter is important. (1). Laughter affects and reflects the attitude. (2). Laughter shows security and joy. (3). Laughter helps us connect with others. (4). Laughter can be used for different purposes. These are just a few of the ways that laughter is important. So think about your laughter, or your lack of laughter as you continue your day, what does your laughter say about you. As Carolyn Birmingham said “A smile starts on the lips, a grin spreads to the eyes, a chuckle comes from the belly; but a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around”. So let your laughs today be from the soul, overflowing with joy!
Here is the gospel application. Laughter says something about us, so we need to beware what we laugh at and how it comes across to others. What we laugh at shows our character. We need to think before we laugh: Would this hurt anyone else? What does this say about me? Does the Bible say anything against this? What would Jesus do?
This last question really sums it all up. Jesus might choose to offer a bit of wisdom instead of laughing at that person. Jesus might encourage that person. Jesus wouldn't do anything that would put another person in a bad light.
We need to be more like Jesus. The Bible doesn't say that Jesus laughed. But I am sure that He did. He was fully human.
Sadly, in the modern world, we don't take time to consider what we're laughing at and what it says about us, most of the time. We unconsciously, create an image of ourselves. We must realize that most everything we do says something about us. We are creating an image for everyone to see. Would someone know if we were a Christian by looking at our image? These thoughts have challenged me to really pay more attention to my motives.
So I would challenge you. What does your image say about you?
Labels: gospel, laughter, Speech and Debate
