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About this quote

What does it mean?
Humor serves as a coping mechanism to withstand the harshness of existence.
In plain terms
We use humor to keep life's pain at bay.
What can you take from it?
Laughing helps manage life's difficulties.

Where it applies

  • stress management
  • grief
  • daily struggles

Putting it to work

  • use humor to cope
  • share laughter
  • find light

Questions to consider

  • What helps you cope with pain?
  • When does humor fail?

Another view

Some situations are too serious for humor.

More from Kurt Vonnegut

  1. A joke is like building a mousetrap from scratch. You have to work pretty hard to make the thing snap when it is supposed to snap.

    Permalink to quote #217
  2. I don't know about you, but I practice a disorganized religion. I belong to an unholy disorder. We call ourselves 'Our Lady of Perpetual Astonishment.'

    Permalink to quote #219
  3. If I should ever die, God forbid, I hope you will say, 'Kurt is up in heaven now.' That's my favorite joke.

    Permalink to quote #216

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