A spontaneous smile beats a synthetic laugh

DR GIL GREENGROSS, a lecturer in psychology at Aberystwyth University, rightly questions the widely held belief that humour is good for your health (“That’s entertainment, but is laughter best medicine?” WM, May 11). But why do experts find it impossible to differentiate between a sense of humour and a sense of fun?

Humour is hugely subjective (one person’s idea of funny is another’s poison), whereas a sense of fun is a common denominator in humanity’s genetic make-up. We all know individuals who, when we spot them walking towards us, generate a gentle smile.

Now these people never pull funny faces or do silly walks, rarely tell jokes and are not captivating raconteurs, in fact they say and do surprisingly little – but they possess the ability to amuse us with mesmeric precision, the sort of people you enjoy sharing a drink with or sitting next to on a long flight or train journey. Yes, they really do lift our spirits.

When designer babies finally arrive, make sure you plump for a sense of fun rather than a sense of humour. I have observed that those individuals who stroll along the sunny side of the street and make us smile without the need to do a stand-up routine live a long, jolly and healthy life. Yes, a spontaneous smile will always see off a synthetic laugh.

Huw Beynon Llandeilo