There are men so philosophical that they can see humor in their own toothaches. But there has never lived a man so philosophical that he could see the toothache in his own humor.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Men live by intervals of reason under the sovereignty of humor and passion.
If we may believe our logicians, man is distinguished from all other creatures by the faculty of laughter. He has a heart capable of mirth, and naturally disposed to it.
Humor is an affirmation of dignity, a declaration of man's superiority to all that befalls him.
Certainly, anyone whom I've witnessed, who has gone through something horrible and life-changing, has a sense of ironic humor, or an ability to look at the peculiarities of the world and find humor in it.
It has always surprised me how little attention philosophers have paid to humor, since it is a more significant process of mind than reason. Reason can only sort out perceptions, but the humor process is involved in changing them.
We do have a zeal for laughter in most situations, give or take a dentist.
A toothache, or a violent passion, is not necessarily diminished by our knowledge of its causes, its character, its importance or insignificance.
There are people who laugh to show their fine teeth; and there are those who cry to show their good hearts.
The man with the real sense of humor is the man who can put himself in the spectator's place and laugh at his own misfortune.
The man with a toothache thinks everyone happy whose teeth are sound. The poverty-stricken man makes the same mistake about the rich man.