Laugh till YOU get teary-eyed, NOT anyone else.
This urge to laugh at someone else’s expense, this obsessive need to tear down another person for some source of amusement in our otherwise uneventful day – well, sadly, we’ve all been on both sides of this at some point in life.
We know exactly how miserable it feels to be mocked at, of being made to feel that nothing we say or do is ever good enough, likeable enough, worthy enough, respectable enough. Why do it to anyone else then?
This goes beyond our personal space to include our contribution toward building an increasingly inclusive workplace culture too. Why not get over the cliche workplace networking through shared disagreements, common anger, mutual resentment, or anything of the sort? Colleagues may not exactly be friends for life, and they don’t need to be either, but they are humans too. Respectful, empathetic cordiality can’t hurt, can it?
It doesn’t matter if the person(s) is present during the conversation or oblivious to being the highlight of all “jokes”, this is about chipping away a bit of our own healthy sense of self-worth every time we use mockery at a third person to strike up a conversation with another.
The good thing about it all? We can also piece back our self-love by being mindful, learning better and doing better. It definitely doesn’t hurt to be a bit more conscious of what we find “funny” and “amusing” and “hilarious” and “entertaining”.
This is a reminder to enjoy every moment of laughter we can steal from the day, just not at the cost of another person’s smile.