Monty Python Knew -- Before the Research!

In reading the chapter on Play in A Whole New Mind I was struck by this quote from Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, especially after tuning into him in my last post:

"There is no question that a playfully light attitude is characteristic of creative individuals."

My take on this is that stress/ anxiety/ pressure keeps us in a survival mode that precludes us using our innate creativity. Ironically, this stress can cause us to shut ourselves off from the very "lightness of being" that can liberate us from stress. No doubt about it, the world we live in is full of darkness, danger and diabolical tragedy yet the Light is also present. As Pink says, "Happiness is conditional; joyfulness is unconditional." The grimness of much of the modern world can only be transcended by our intentionality to open to the Light -- and to bring that to others, sometimes in silly ways.

Which brings us to Monty Python! In the mid-20th century, John Cleese and his crew had many of us laughing hysterically over their absurd, sometimes impenetrably, sometimes ridiculous yet usually delightful skits. Friday night had us gathered around the TV ready to laugh away our cares of the week. Pink talks about the health benefits of laughter, including its effects on diminishing stress hormones, boosting the immune system, activating the cardiovascular system increases the heart rate and pumps more blood to the internal organs -- and connects us to other people. And, he talks about a physician in India, Dr. Kataria, who has started "laughter clubs" that are now all over the world. Here is John Cleese -- and please read on after watching the video for a provocative proposition!



Here's a query for us school people: What if, instead of SSR (sutained silent reading) we had SAL (sustained audible laughing)?