--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Laughing at someone else is an excellent…" description: "\"Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself; and questioning what seem to be the absurd beliefs of another group i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg" --- # Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning… ![“Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself; and questioning what seem to be the absurd beliefs of another group is a good way of recognizing the potential absurdity of many of one's own cherished beliefs.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg) > “Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself; and questioning what seem to be the absurd beliefs of another group is a good way of recognizing the potential absurdity of many of one's own cherished beliefs.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor and questioning others reveal our own absurdities, encouraging self‑awareness and intellectual humility. **In simple terms:** Laugh at others to see your own flaws. Key Takeaway Use humor to examine beliefs. Themes humor self‑reflection critical thinking Mood thought‑provoking analytical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - debates - social media - personal growth - education Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs might you be clinging to? - How can you critique without offending? A Different Perspective Humor can alienate if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Absurdity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdity/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gore/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Sarcasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarcasm/) ## Related quotes > [Getting laugh out of other people is easier than being able to laugh at oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/getting-laugh-out-of-other-people-is-easier-than-being-able-to-laugh/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [To laugh at others is egoistic; to laugh at oneself is very humble. Learn to laugh at yourself - about your seriousness and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/to-laugh-at-others-is-egoistic-to-laugh-at-oneself-is-very-humble/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [One must keep a few smiles aside to laugh at oneself on joyless days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-trenet/one-must-keep-a-few-smiles-aside-to-laugh-at-oneself-on-joyless-days/) Charles Trenet > [Must be able to laugh at oneself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catt-sadler/must-be-able-to-laugh-at-oneself/) [Catt Sadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catt-sadler/) > [“I believe that the ability to laugh at oneself is fundamental to the resiliency of the human spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/i-believe-that-the-ability-to-laugh-at-oneself-is-fundamental-to-the/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [Every four years the naive half who vote are encouraged to believe that if we can elect a really nice man or woman President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/every-four-years-the-naive-half-who-vote-are-encouraged-to-believe/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are-2/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The Gores, I think, are a bit brighter than the Bushes, historically speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-gores-i-think-are-a-bit-brighter-than-the-bushes-historically/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I was taught to read by my grandmother. Central to her method was a tale of unnatural love called 'The Duck and the Kangaroo'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-was-taught-to-read-by-my-grandmother-central-to-her-method-was-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [You hear all this whining going on, 'Where are our great writers?' The thing I might feel doleful about is: 'Where are the readers?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/you-hear-all-this-whining-going-on-where-are-our-great-writers-the/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Andy Warhol is the only genius I've ever known with an IQ of 60.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/andy-warhol-is-the-only-genius-i-ve-ever-known-with-an-iq-of-60/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The United States was founded by the brightest people in the country — and we haven't seen them since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-united-states-was-founded-by-the-brightest-people-in-the-country/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [For Al Gore and Paul Ehrlich and Co., whatever the problem, the solution is always the same. Whether it's global cooling, global warming, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/for-al-gore-and-paul-ehrlich-and-co-whatever-the-problem-the-solution/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [USC is the National Champion like Al Gore is the President of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-emmert/usc-is-the-national-champion-like-al-gore-is-the-president-of-the/) [Mark Emmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-emmert/) > [“Sometimes good people do bad things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gilmore/sometimes-good-people-do-bad-things/) Andrew Gilmore ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The absurd duty, too often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-absurd-duty-too-often-inculcated-of-obeying-a-parent-only-on/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-workman-of-today-works-every-day-in-his-life-at-the-same-tasks/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I was once part of a Christmas cabaret. I sang 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.' I tap-danced. I had a ten-gallon hat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-once-part-of-a-christmas-cabaret-i-sang-i-saw-mommy-kissing/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Solitude produces originality, bold and astonishing beauty, poetry. But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself; and questioning what seem to be the absurd beliefs of another group is a good way of recognizing the potential absurdity of many of one's own cherished beliefs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gore Vidal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent-way-of-learning-how-to-laugh/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent-way-of-learning-how-to-laugh/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/gore-vidal-466_absurd_laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent_1555444.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself; and questioning what seem…” — Gore Vidal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gore Vidal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Laughing at someone else is an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent-way-of-learning-how-to-laugh/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/laughing-at-someone-else-is-an-excellent-way-of-learning-how-to-laugh/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```