There is no life without change, and thus, there is no survival without adaptation to change. One of the most common and underappreciated human adaptations to change in the modern era is humor. Most people use humor to deal with difficult situations, oft more frequently than one comes to realize.
Some the most ubiquitous ways of dealing with obstacles using humor involve different forms of imitation or impression. When we imitate someone, our brain is processing the interaction that we had with the subject of the imitation and actually spinning the situation from one that can potentially cause emotional trauma to one that causes joy. This is nothing short of a psychological coping mechanism, but in addition, it involves a network of complex thought processes and internal reflection that are used to regulate emotions. When we make a mockery out of a person or event, we must first re-live that situation that we are mocking. This allows one to reflect upon the situation and alter into a new memory that promotes laughter rather than trauma.
A form of quasi-mockery that causes many daily chuckles to a growing part of the population is the quintessential example of generation Z humor: the humble meme. It can be said that humor is a medicine whose active ingredient is relatability, and no online media makes one feel more related to than a wholesome meme. If you are guilty of scrolling through memes or tiktok memes until the hour of chirping birds, this can actually be because you crave connection and understanding. This can be an important indicator of you level of social well-being. It a way, memes are so powerful because they replace the face-to-face interaction of complaining alongside someone about an issue that affects you. The reason why this is so important is because the empathy that one feels when they connect with someone over shared sentiments, albeit negative ones, promotes catharsis, or the process of releasing pent up emotions in a healthy way.
Considering that memes, impressions, and humor in general are essentially a homeostatic response to pain, the comfort and joy that human beings feel when laughing makes sense. There are theories that laughing for human beings is the equivalent of mooing for cows or barking for dogs. It is an evolutionary form of communication, and perhaps our most ancient form of oral expression. Needless to say, laughing releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones that have countries emotional and physical benefits. Some studies even show that laugher can prevent illness by strengthening the immune system. So, next time you are going through a tough situation, try this simple life hack: make a complete parody out of it. This will not only provide you with a healthy coping skill to relieve the emotional pain of the situation, but it will potentially benefit your long term health.
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