Humor. It’s all around us, there’s no debate about that. But the real debate lies in the purpose of humor, and if we need it. To this, I say that there is no simple yes or no to humor. It can take on various forms and be used for almost any situation. Humor is too broad of a category and too complex to say that it is either beneficial or detrimental.

            Take, for example, a joke. The joke could be controversial: offensive to some, but hilarious to others. Since it could be taken many different ways, the success of the joke depends on who the audience is.

            An article, written by Mike Myatt, describes humor very well with a sentence. “This makes humor a proverbial two-edged sword,” Mike states. “It can slice through the toughest of situations to your advantage, or cut sharply against you.” This statement holds a lot of truth: in one situation, humor can be used to break tension and get a crowd to warm up to me. But in that same type of situation, my humor could be taken the wrong way, causing problems.

            Because certain aspects of humor are so controversial, jokes should be used only if the audience will get the joke.  According to Janet Gibson, author of the article, “A good sense of humor is a sign of psychological health,” there are 3 rules to “getting the joke.” They are as follows: mentally represent the setup of the joke, detect an incongruity in its multiple interpretations, and resolve the incongruity by inhibiting the literal, non-funny interpretations, and appreciating the meaning of the funny one. But no one can expect people to do these steps, especially when the humor used can be considered controversial. This is why humor is a double-edged sword: it can foster laughter and enjoyment but can also warrant hostility.

            Another situation proving the benefits and harms of humor comes from Gil Greengross and his article, “How Humor Can Change Your Relationship.” In this article, Greengross states, “Regardless, married couples overwhelmingly say that humor has a positive impact on their marriages.” This is the benefit of humor; it can strengthen relationships and provide laughter for two spouses. But Greengross portrays the other side of humor when he later reveals that “In couples that reported high stress, the more the husband used humor, the greater the chance the couple would separate or divorce.” This shows how humor used between people in a different circumstance would be problematic instead of helpful. The analysis of humor depends on the context in which it is used.

            Because there are so many different ways to use humor, one cannot just classify it into one category. Not only are there different types, but there are numerous perceptions of the forms of humor. One joke intended a certain way could be received a completely different way. This is why you it is impossible to take away the bad parts of humor without taking it away altogether; you cannot simply say yes or no.