On average people laugh 18 times a day

April 3, 2002 6:42 AM

On average people laugh 18 times a day "It makes us less stressed, lowers our blood pressure and reduces anxiety. It's more common than sex, eating or singing." Still 18 times a day doesn't sound like its enough. Simple solution. "Tickle, the most ancient and reliable stimulus of laughter, is undervalued..."
posted by Voyageman (17 comments total)

someone told me that being ticklish is a conditioned response which has something to do with why it's so hard to tickle yourself. i have no links/facts to back this up, but i remember thinking it sounded plausible when i heard it.
posted by juv3nal at 6:49 AM on April 3, 2002

I'm definitely below average of late. And I don't think being tickled has the same value as really laughing about something but maybe that's just me.
posted by tommasz at 6:59 AM on April 3, 2002

My laugh is why my wife and I met. She heard my belly laugh from across the room and saw me with laugh-tears in my eyes and somehow found that compelling.

Right now I work in a place where there is no joke craking or laughing. It is quite awful -- esp. after last year at ArsDigita where I sat next to the funniest man in the world.
posted by n9 at 7:03 AM on April 3, 2002

I think MeFi'ers have to be at least double this.
posted by adampsyche at 7:07 AM on April 3, 2002

I think different people are more prone to laughing than others. I laugh constantly throughout the day, mostly at myself though, but way more than my co-workers.

Example, am I the only one that giggles at stupid shit like this. ( turn your speakers up ).
posted by remlapm at 7:23 AM on April 3, 2002

remlapm - you are not alone :-) crazy baby...
posted by JaxJaggywires at 7:48 AM on April 3, 2002

make that .... 19

There's a Space Shuttle mission to Mars with 2 monkeys and a woman on
board. The headquarters in the US calls:

"Monkey number 1, Monkey number 1 to the television screen." He sits
down and he is told to release the pressure in compartment 1, increase
the temperature in engine 4 and to release oxygen to the reactors. So
the monkey does the pressure, temperature, and releases the oxygen.

A few moments later headquarters calls again: "Monkey number 2, monkey
number 2 to the television screen." He sits down and he is told to add
Carbon Dioxide to room 4, to stop the fuel injection to engine 3, to add
nitrogen to the fuel compartment and to analyse the solar radiation. So
the monkey does the carbon dioxide, the fuel injection, the nitrogen
and the analysis of solar radiation.

A little later on, headquarters calls again: "Woman, please woman
approach the screen."

She sits down and just as she is about to be told what to do she
says.....
posted by monkeyJuice at 7:52 AM on April 3, 2002

"I know I know!! Feed the monkeys, don't touch anything."
posted by monkeyJuice at 7:52 AM on April 3, 2002

My sister and brother used to hold me down and tickle me. . .I view tickling as a form a abuse and even today react with hostility. So watch it Voyageman. . .*smile* (I did a Google search on forced tickling, thinking that I would find some insightful link about this but all I got was pages and pages of gay and straight tickle porn. . .you think that you have everything and the net still has surprises.)

But my sense of humor survived intact and while there is precious little to laugh at, every little chance to extract humor our of our existences should be jumped upon. . .
posted by Danf at 7:58 AM on April 3, 2002

An average of 18 times a day? Some poor sap out there must be laughing zero times a day to make up for me.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 8:03 AM on April 3, 2002

I eat and sing more than 18 times a day. But I don't tend to laugh often, but when I do, it usually comes in continuus bursts, ie during Jackass (disturbingly funny) or something like Blackadder. I do smile lots though - isn't that good exercise? I just never got the hang of laughter I suppose, ah well.

My little sister can nearly kill herself laughing, once you get her going, she forgets to breath and turns an interesting shade of purple. Thats a terrible thing to behold.. Makes me laugh though..
posted by Mossy at 8:18 AM on April 3, 2002

"I know I know!! Feed the monkeys, don't touch anything."

hehehehe ... ooOOoo ... one ... hehehehe ...oooOoo.. two ... feelin better already ;oP

(Even if the joke was nicked from this months FHM)
posted by MintSauce at 8:46 AM on April 3, 2002

That'd be me, Shadowkeeper, you bastard.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:24 AM on April 3, 2002

According to this article you can tickle yourself, but you need a robot. Without the robot, your cerebellum tells you to ignore the impending tickling.
posted by jaden at 9:28 AM on April 3, 2002

That'd be me, Shadowkeeper, you bastard.

Mwah-hah-hah-hah!

Whoops! There's another one you'll hafta forego, F³.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 9:31 AM on April 3, 2002

"Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods."
-- Japanese Proverb
posted by racer271 at 9:53 AM on April 3, 2002

I hate you, Shadowkeeper. ;-P
posted by five fresh fish at 10:46 AM on April 3, 2002