Laughter On Call - to quote my friends in 12 Step programs - “has no opinion on outside issues.” Our laughter is intentionally non-partisan. Given the current political climate my sense is that 75 days before this Presidential election, after watching the two parties’ conventions, it’s pretty clear that affiliative humor isn’t in anyone’s playbook.
Nevertheless I’m riveted by how much both sides are using jokes to connect with their audience. The two parties delivered crystal clear examples of the power of making people laugh. I probably shouldn’t be, but I found myself surprised by the amount of aggressive humor on display. For those of you who are not humor nerds like me, what this looks like is put-downs and sarcasm, getting laughs at the expense of others.
Everyone involved in this election, even those fighting for justice and empathy at the highest levels, understands the power of humor to not only bludgeon their opponent, but also to unify their constituents.
We’re seeing in real time how damaging and effective using aggressive humor can be.
In one sense, I should thank these leaders for inadvertently illustrating exactly what I spend a lot of time talking about. Getting people to laugh together helps create a feeling of belonging. Not just for political parties but for high producing corporate cultures.
On the other hand, witnessing leaders behaving this way is really bad modeling. Most of us are not running for President. We can’t attack each other with zingers without consequence. As much as I appreciate seeing humor used on the world stage, it’s also making me nervous. Especially for the people coming up who admire this kind of communication.
It makes me want to submit a news crawl for media outlets to run during as the race amps up..
Warning: Use Humor Responsibly. Excessive use of sarcasm and insults could lead to alienation, social isolation, irreparable relationships, a loveless future, too many cats…
