In 2024 many people are walking around with mental states that cause them anguish. There are millions of people who are angry about something. You have a vast number of people who are walking around depressed. You have a high percentage of the population that are living with some form of fear. All these mental trials can be helped, maybe even cured, with one simple act. Laughter is the medicine that people on the planet Earth need to take in high doses.
“Haven’t you ever heard of the healing power of laughter?” The Joker asked this question in the 1989 film version of Batman. According to the Mayo Clinic’s website there are several positive effects from laughter. Short term effects include stimulation of organs and soothing of tensions in muscles. Long term effects from laughter include improvement of immune system and relief from pain. With this in mind, people of the world need to laugh more. Many of the situations that are bogging people down are laughable at best.
When you look at the state of society in the USA you see confusion on a level never before recorded in history. You have people who live their entire life through a piece of plastic that is powered by a lithium ecosystem destroyer. I am referring to the cell phone. True, you can go to social media and usually find something to laugh about. Yet, in many cases people who are on social media become depressed or agitated from what they read or view. How funny is it that a vast majority of people have turned their minds and thinking abilities over to a man-made product? That is hilarious on its own. When you add in the fact that there are studies that show students are becoming less intelligent from the use of “smart phones” the need to laugh is overwhelming. The fact that many issues that lead to depression come from the cell phone is another call for laughter. Laughter can cure all of this, so why not try it? It may lead to you putting the phone down and enjoying the real world.
Laughter has been called the best medicine. There are many movements in the USA that are focused on social injustice. Laughter is the only remedy when you do research and see that many of these injustices have been perpetrated nonstop throughout the history of the USA. Injustice in the form of gender inequality has been in the USA since it was referred to as ‘the 13 Colonies’. Why waste time thinking and making yourself miserable over something that has become a societal norm? Look around you and enjoy the beauty of nature and chuckle at the stupidity of it all. I know this sounds callous, but it is not. You will drive yourself insane thinking about injustice in the USA. The cure is laughter. If enough people look at the many forms of injustice in the USA and laugh, maybe the powers that be will realize how stupid these injustices are.
Laughter may be the wonder drug that the world is looking for. If you become addicted to laughter there are positive side effects. If you are laughing you are not thinking about situations that are out of your control. Laughter is an inexpensive cure-all that will take you higher than the most potent narcotic and not have you shivering or draining your bank account. It may become expensive if you seek out high-priced comedians for laughs. Overall, there is enough to laugh at in the USA for free, so there is no need to go broke buying laughter. Once you start laughing and relaxing you will understand that in many aspects the vast majority of people, and the world as a whole, are one big joke. Also, remember to laugh at yourself.
Frank James IV © 2024
beingfrankwithfrank@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the writer and not of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper or HT Group, LLC, its staff or management. “Being Frank” is a bi-weekly column exclusive to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper.
