Matthew Peeler's Blog

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one of the definitions of laughter is “a cause of merriment.” Robert Provine says, "Another attraction of laughter is its remarkable contagiousness." To me, laughter is exactly what Provine states, it is contagious. Laughter is something that brings us all together and does exactly what the definition says by bringing us merriment. This trait of laughter is very apparent in most cases, as time itself has shown us plenty of situations in which laughter is contagious. There are many relationships that have started with a good genuine laugh. Every type of relationship, from a professional business relationship to relationships leading to marriage, can be started with laughter.
I think that most people can go back and remember being in a situation that was awkward. When I get in this situation, the first thing I try to do is make everyone laugh. This typically takes the edge off of a situation and does exactly what one tends to do and that is bringing the people around them together. It is human nature for individuals to follow what is going on around them. Regardless of how much of a "leader" a person is, they are going to fall into the trap of society at some point and follow what is going on around them. With laughter being so contagious, just as Provine states, one can use this pitfall in human nature to their advantage and create a situation that brings individuals closer together.
This is the contagiousness that oftentimes sparks relationships that last a lifetime. It all starts in the same place, with a good genuine laugh that sparks a conversation to break the ice. Without laughter, it would be much more difficult for people the break the barrier that holds back the ability to have a good ice breaking conversation. Without laughter, we would not have to chance meet some of the people we meet and have met in the past. Laughter is a characteristic that is carried by most everyone and is highly contagious. It is these two things that bring us as individuals, along with society as a whole, together.