Quote

Now this relaxation of the mind from work consists on playful words or deeds. Therefore it becomes a wise and virtuous man to have recourse to such things at times.

Our ability to find humor in the world, to make connections between previously unconnected notions, to create new ideas, to share in a common culture: All these essentially human acts depend on memory.

Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has been maintaining a sense of humor.

'Amusement' is appealing because we don't have to think; it spares us the fear and anxiety that might otherwise prey on our thoughts.

Thought is the labor of the intellect, reverie is its pleasure.

While the laughter of joy is in full harmony with our deeper life, the laughter of amusement should be kept apart from it. The danger is too great of thus learning to look at solemn things in a spirit of mockery, and to seek in them opportunities for exercising wit.

Amusement is a way of boredom-avoidance through external stimulation that fails to exercise our minds. It's mere diversion.

Playful stimulation probably hits all kinds of synaptic possibilities. It is all make-believe and all over the map. The potentiality of the synapses and the potentiality of playfulness are a beautiful marriage.

This I conceive to be the chemical function of humor: to change the character of our thought.

When you start recognising that you're having fun, life can be delightful.