A culture's values can be mirrored by its humor. Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes, who, in "On Nature", disliked humor, "Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others." He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness. 

However, Mordechai Gordon, Ph. D of Education, insists, "Humor allows us to view the world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious." I agree with Gordon. Learning to look at the world through humor is important. 

In the United States, every four years an election occurs. Without humor as a way to express their feelings, how else would Americans keep from clawing their eyes out and going the way of lemming? Television shows like "The Daily Show" have become important parts of American culture. They are mothering the masses by metaphorically airplane-ing politics into our mouths. They make politics fun. 

Of course, politics is only one type of humor. Social humor helps people through the twists and turns of the human condition. American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self- image. On the topic of self-image, Hari Kondabolu stands out. He has a joke about the popular musical group "The Pussycat Dolls", describing their hit song "Don't Cha" as a negative representation of women. He points out an obvious offence in American culture. 

A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner. Amongst other things, mates look for an outstanding funny bone in a potential partner. 

Of course, humor is not always used for good purposes. Humor can be linked to vulgarity and racism, but, like everything else, it has potential to unite human beings by allowing us to laugh at ourselves, our failures and our connection with one another. 

Though 1ife may seem tough and depressing at times, all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of. 

With that in mind, remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity. QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. Does the author consider humor to be important?
2. Is humor imperative in the author's opinion? 
3. Does the author think of humor as being important?
Q2:
1. The study to show that people look for humor when dating was conducted where?
2. Where was the study done showing the importance of humor in dating?
3. Where was the study concerning humor when dating conducted?
Q3:
1. What does a culture mirror?
2. What is mirrored by a culture?
3. 
Q4:
1. Who did not appreciate humor?
2. Who was not fond of humor?
3. What was the name of the person who did not like humor much?
Q5:
1. What did Thomas Hobbes think humor really was?
2. What did Thomas Hobbes consider humor to be?
3. How did Thomas Hobbes look at humor?
Q6:
1. Who thought humor helped people take things less seriously?
2. Who said that humor enabled people to view things in an amusing way?
3. Who was of the opinion that humor actually helped people see things less severely?
Q7:
1. When are politicians elected in America?
2. How often are elections held in America?
3. When do we elect people in the United States?
Q8:
1. Is laughter important throughout elections?
2. During elections, is humor an important aspect of people's lives?
3. Does the author consider laughter to be important during this process?
Q9:
1. What show provides a medium for politics-related humor? 
2. What television show in America provides an outlet for humor about politics?
3. What show in the United States usually provides a stage for jokes about the elections?
Q10:
1. Who has a joke about a song?
2. Who jokes about a song?
3. 
Q11:
1. What is the song's name?
2. What is the name of the song that he jokes about?
3. 
Q12:
1. Who is 'Don't Cha' sung by?
2. Who created the song 'Don't Cha'?
3. What group sang the song, 'Don't Cha'?
Q13:
1. Is humor always used for good purposes?
2. Is humor only used to help?
3. Is humor only used with well intentions?
Q14:
1. What is something negative that appears there?
2. 
3. 
Q15:
1. What is humor sometimes linked to?
2. What might humor be linked to in some cases?
3. What does humor get associated with?
Q16:
1. What does the author see in his mirror reflection?
2. What sight is the author greeted with when he sees his reflection?
3. In his reflection, what does the author see?
Q17:
1. What does his reflection tell the author?
2. What does his reflection tell the author?
3. What do his wrinkles tell the author?
Q18:
1. What does the author suggest we laugh at, besides ourselves?
2. What does the author say we should laugh at?
3. Besides themselves, what should people learn to laugh at?
