Laughing Matters

How much can you tell about someone from their laugh?

For example, the type of person who laughs to themselves, in the absence of company. That's someone with something going on upstairs. It could be a sinister plan to hold the world ransom for one billion dollars or it could be Monty Python reruns [as an aside, most people find Monty Python funny, but how many people actually get it?]. But the point about the solo laugher is, they're someone interesting, someone whose entertainment is not dependent on others.

How about the type of person that laughs a split second after everyone else? They either have no idea what is or isn't funny, or they don't have enough self confidence to show that they find something amusing on the off chance that no one else finds it funny. Moronic or spineless, neither case is appealing.

Another example is the creationist who was my host in Charlottenberg. I didn't hear him laugh once during the two months I stayed there. Admittedly, after I realised how odious his company was, I spent most of my time avoiding him, but when forced to associate with him, I noticed that the most evident sign of experiencing hilarity he showed was a half smile. What a fucking misery guts.

By contrast, his son in law was a guffawer. I quite enjoyed his company. It was nice to have someone to share a laugh with. I envied how he could seemingly get along with just about anyone, until I realised his guffaw was his magic trick. When you laugh loudly at more or less anything, people will find you somehow quite amiable.

I know someone else who fake laughs. It's kind of a "heh, heh, heh" deal but there's no conviction. Maybe he doesn't think the jokes I make are funny, but is putting it on to be polite. He's too eager to please. The unfunny should not be rewarded with laughs [even if I'm the unfunny].

And then there's the person who sort of laughs, in a refined and socially acceptable sort of way, but never really lets go. Yeah, great. You find something funny, but you won't really enjoy it for fear of interrupting the stodgy dining experience of the family at the next table? Inhibited.

I suppose I'm being a little harsh about laughter. After all, different strokes for different folks and all that. But people who don't laugh? People who laugh indiscriminately? People whose laughter sounds fake? People who only laugh when someone else does? People who only ever titter? Fuck them all. Live it large and laugh it loud.

But only at the funny stuff.