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Ha, ha, ha, ha! He he he, ho ho ho... snort... he he ha ha. Laughing, laughing, laughing.

Everyone loves to laugh, everyone laughs differently. There are many different laughs. This article looks at several aspects of laughing; hopefully you find it amusing.

Different Types of Laughter

There are many different types of laughter.

• There is the cackle. This laugh usually comes with an axe.
• There is the smoker's laugh which is usually followed by a coughing fit.
• My personal favourite is the silent laugh. This laugh is where the mouth is fully extended and, from the human eye, it appears that the person is actually laughing, yet no sound comes out.
• The courteous laugh is actually a laugh out of kindness; it is usually used when someone says something that is not particularly funny but, to avoid hurting the jokesters feeling, one presents a 'pseudo' laugh.
• Chuckling is laughter in short spurts and is usually considered 'the cute laugh'.
• The Fat Mans' laugh has a low and rumbling noise and involves the
  'jiggling' of other areas of the body specifically the torso.
• The projectile laugh is the laugh when the oral cavity is occupied with either a solid or liquid which then becomes a missile for anyone in a short distance from the laughee.
• The snort laugh is also amongst the most popular ways of expressing amusement. This laugh is interrupted by pig-like noises, or grunts, also known as snorts.

Why People Laugh

People laugh for many different reasons. There are many things to laugh about. Poor social skills are a reason why some people laugh. They merely do not know how to socialise and assume that, by laughing at everything, they have covered their bases. People laugh at TV shows, movies, comedians and plays. Jokes are another motive for laughter. Crude jokes, cruel jokes, knock knock jokes; all of these can result in a laugh.

Spoken or written humour, however, is not always required to achieve laughter. Often it is caused by a visual impression such as someone falling. The most well known visual joke is the act of someone slipping on a banana peel or being hit by a plank of wood. Other people laugh at traumatic or scary experiences, such as men with white face paint and crazy hair, with blood red smiles in polka dot outfits. These people are known as clowns.

Laughter can be induced by the consumption of alcohol, or inhaling of a marijuana cigarette. This also causes laughter in situations which are not particularly humourous, but the drugs create the allusion that something is. This act, in itself, becomes a source of laughter for sober observers. Others laugh at the same joke or situation over and over again; they laugh as if it's the first time they have experienced the situation or joke. Some people laugh just for the sake of laughing.

Why Laughter is Important

Laughter is important to the human soul. It is an expression of happiness. This expression can be very contagious. Imagine if everyone in the world laughed at the same time (excluding the snorters, smokers and cacklers). Imagine what a joyful place this planet would be. Everyone laughs at jokes.

Laughter is healthy! You burn calories every time you do it, which can be very significant especially to those who jiggle in the torso area when laughing.

Laughter can be a sign of friendships or camaraderie. The phrase 'laughter is the best medicine' is often true. I firmly believe laughter belongs in the Ten Commandments:

Laugh unto others as you would have them laugh unto you.

You'll make the world a better place.

arock507

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