Over the course of human history, humor has existed. Some would consider it a helpful tool that allows us to connect with other people. But the truth is that humor is not beneficial, but rather detrimental.

            One thing humor does is promote social problems and division. “The Value of Humor,” an article by Robin Tapley, discusses humor and whether it has a positive negative effect. In the article, the arguments for the negativity of humor come from another author, Jean Harvey. Harvey states, “What happens is that the joking reinforces the power differential in favor of individuals with a high social status.” This means that the ones creating humor are also creating social division. Humor does not help people relate to one another, but rather “strip down social inferiors.”

            Harvey also makes a valid point when she states, “In mixed groups where some people are highly vulnerable in various ways and others are extremely secure, it is not an accident that humor tends to be initiated by the secure.” This quote is extremely accurate; in a group of people, the ones who tend to be the most humorous are the ones who are not as insecure. They can joke about most things and are unfazed. Humor emphasizes a clear difference between people of different social status without helping to lessen it.

            Ann McGee-Cooper, author of the article, “The High Cost of Negative Humor,” shows how nasty humor can be and how it can ruin relationships. One example she used to make her point was a situation at a company. In this company, a social divide arose between the newer employees and the accounting department’s older employees. The newer people began to jokingly refer to the accounting employees as “DOAPs”, an acronym for “dumb old accounting people.” Anyone can clearly see that, despite an attempt at humor, this situation got out of hand. When these types of situations happen the targeted people “pay the price in lowered self-esteem, self-doubt, anxiety, and loss of energy.”

            But how does one know when humor goes too far? Or how does one know if humor already started too far? The answer to these is that you can’t tell. This is precisely why humor is detrimental and should not be allowed. By omitting it from our social interactions, we effectively remove social division and promote equality among everyone.