Jokes and humour are often thought of as frivolous and unimportant. In a way, this is understandable: they are, by definition, not serious. If the lawyer defending you in court couldn't stop wisecracking, you'd be understandably alarmed.
But the common impulse to regard humour as inconsequential, is a mistake. Humour, jokes and laughter, have a vital role to play in human behaviour and interaction.
Humour is a powerful part of social bonding: we're 30
