Nothing in man is more serious than his sense of humor; it is the

In the words of Mark Van Doren, the poet and philosopher of quiet depth, lies a paradox radiant with truth: “Nothing in man is more serious than his sense of humor; it is the sign that he wants all the truth.” What seems at first a riddle — that humor, the mark of lightness, should be the measure of seriousness — unfolds into profound wisdom. For humor, rightly understood, is not frivolity, but insight; not mockery, but vision. It is the soul’s way of bearing the unbearable, of seeing clearly without despair. In laughter, man reveals his greatest strength — the power to confront truth in all its beauty and brutality and still to smile.

Van Doren’s words remind us that those who truly possess a sense of humor do not flee from reality; they embrace it wholly. The fool laughs to escape, but the wise laugh to endure. To find humor in life is to acknowledge its contradictions — that joy and sorrow, glory and failure, love and loss, all exist intertwined. The one who laughs in understanding has made peace with imperfection; he seeks truth, not comfort. In laughter, he admits that the world is vast and complex, and that his own smallness is part of its wonder. Such laughter is not shallow amusement, but a humble bow before existence itself.

Consider the life of Abraham Lincoln, that grave yet gentle soul. In the darkest hours of the American Civil War, when death shadowed the land and even his allies doubted him, Lincoln was known to tell stories — humorous, sometimes absurd, always human. He once said, “If I did not laugh, I should die.” His humor was not escapism, but medicine for the spirit. Through laughter, he acknowledged the cruelty of war, the folly of men, and the weight of destiny — yet refused to yield to despair. His sense of humor was the crown of his wisdom, the proof that he could see the whole truth — tragedy and comedy together — and still believe in humanity.

To possess such humor is to love truth more than vanity. For laughter humbles us; it strips away pride. The man who can laugh at himself is one who fears nothing, for he has accepted himself as he is — flawed, finite, yet worthy of grace. It is easy to be solemn, for solemnity often hides insecurity; but it is divine to be joyful, for joy reveals courage. As the ancients said, “Only the gods can laugh.” To laugh with wisdom is to share in that divine strength — to look upon chaos with serenity and to find order even in absurdity.

Yet Van Doren’s insight goes deeper still. He teaches that the sense of humor is not merely the sign of joy, but of inquiry — of a mind that seeks all the truth, not just the parts that comfort or flatter. Humor thrives on contrast, on the collision between what should be and what is. It exposes falsehood, hypocrisy, and pretense. A society without humor is a society afraid of truth; a man without humor is a man blind to his own limitations. Thus, humor becomes a torch — not the fire of mockery, but the light of discernment. It burns through illusion and reveals reality in its full, paradoxical splendor.

So let this be the lesson to those who walk the path of understanding: cherish your sense of humor, for it is the guardian of your wisdom. Laugh not to forget, but to remember. Laugh not to belittle, but to understand. When life wounds you, let laughter be your healing; when pride tempts you, let laughter be your mirror. For laughter, born of truth, is both shield and sword — it protects the heart and cuts through deceit. The man who laughs rightly cannot be conquered, for he is already free within.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, learn this ancient art. Cultivate humor not as a mask, but as a light. Do not fear the truth, even when it mocks you — for in that mockery lies the promise of awakening. Look upon the world with clear eyes and a smiling heart. As Van Doren taught, to laugh at life is not to dismiss it, but to love it more fully. For in the end, nothing in man is more serious than his laughter, for laughter is the voice of the soul that dares to see the whole truth — and still rejoices.