Rubber Swords

“Humour is a rubber sword - it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.”

~ Mary Hirsch 

So true. It’s the beauty of humor. We were reviewing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books and this quote really encapsulates why I love them so much. By portraying serious issues and behaviors in a humorous light, you can point out all the funny little ways in which the world works—the inconsistencies, the peculiar truths, and even the reality that people would rather not admit—and make people think about them without actually attacking anyone’s ideas or standpoints. Of course, what one person finds funny isn’t necessarily funny to someone else, but the fact that a joke is something that you have to think about to understand, but which simultaneously is not meant to be ‘taken seriously’, means that it can invoke thought about some very poignant topics without causing offense because it’s optional how seriously you want to take it. You can choose to see the point or not to, but the choice is in the hands of the audience. On top of everything else, laughter is good for people—both literally and figuratively, so it’s a win-win situation.