As we brace ourselves for the next four years—whatever they may bring—one thing remains certain: we will need to laugh. Not just a polite chuckle here and there, not just the occasional meme shared in group chats, but full-bodied, tears-streaming-down-our-faces, stomach-cramping laughter. The kind that restores the soul and reminds us that, no matter how absurd or infuriating the world becomes, we still have power.
Because here’s the thing: laughter isn’t just a coping mechanism. It’s an act of defiance. It’s survival. And, most importantly, it’s the one thing narcissists, autocrats, and the humorless elite fear the most.
Why Laughter is the Best Medicine
Stress, anxiety, doomscrolling—these have all become routine parts of our daily lives. The news cycle is relentless, social media algorithms thrive on outrage, and we’re expected to function as if everything is perfectly fine. But laughter disrupts that cycle. It reminds us that, for all the chaos, we are still human.
Laughter releases endorphins, reduces stress hormones, and strengthens social bonds. It physically lightens our burden, even if only for a moment. When the world feels unbearable, laughter is a protest against despair. It is proof that we are still capable of joy, still willing to fight, still unwilling to surrender to hopelessness.
Why Laughter is the Best Revenge
If you’ve ever dealt with a narcissist, you know one unshakable truth: they cannot stand to be laughed at. They crave control, admiration, and absolute seriousness. But humor exposes their absurdity. It cuts through their self-importance like a hot knife through butter.
History has proven this time and time again—satire has toppled empires, late-night jokes have unraveled political careers, and memes have turned public figures into punchlines. Humor is a weapon, and one that authoritarian minds simply cannot wield. Their egos are too fragile, their need for validation too desperate. Nothing threatens a narcissist more than the knowledge that they are not taken seriously.
Using Humor as a Tool of Resistance
So how do we wield laughter in these coming years? Here are a few ways:
Memes and Satire: Keep making them. Keep sharing them. The more absurd reality gets, the more we need to highlight that absurdity.
Laugh at the Right Things: Not all humor is created equal. Punch up, not down. The powerful deserve ridicule; the marginalized do not.
Find Your People: Laughter is best when shared. Seek out the communities that embrace humor, that find joy even in dark times, that know how to turn frustration into comedy gold.
Know When to Use It: Not every moment is a joke, and not every situation calls for humor. But when the moment presents itself—take it. Let laughter cut through the tension.
The next four years will be unpredictable. But one thing we can control is our ability to laugh. Not because we don’t take things seriously, but because we take our own sanity seriously. Because joy is an act of resistance. And because there is no sweeter revenge than knowing that, no matter how much power they think they have, they will never be able to take our laughter from us.
So laugh. Loudly. Unapologetically. Relentlessly. The future depends on it.
Love this piece because you're absolutely right.