--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main evolutionary significance of…" description: "\"The main evolutionary significance of humor is that it gets us from the closed mode to the open mode quicker than anything else.\" — John Cleese" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/john-cleese-1768_funny_the-main-evolutionary-significance-of-hu_1917790.jpg" --- # The main evolutionary significance of humor is that it… ![“The main evolutionary significance of humor is that it gets us from the closed mode to the open mode quicker than anything else.” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/john-cleese-1768_funny_the-main-evolutionary-significance-of-hu_1917790.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/john-cleese-1768_funny_the-main-evolutionary-significance-of-hu_1917790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/john-cleese-1768_funny_the-main-evolutionary-significance-of-hu_1917790.jpg) > “The main evolutionary significance of humor is that it gets us from the closed mode to the open mode quicker than anything else.” [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor shifts thinking from closed, rigid modes to open, flexible ones, accelerating creative and social progress. **In simple terms:** Humor opens minds quickly. Key Takeaway Use humor to break mental blocks. Themes humor creativity psychology Mood lighthearted insightful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - Team brainstorming - conflict resolution - learning environments Key Concepts Cognitive flexibility social bonding Questions to Reflect On - When does humor hinder seriousness? - How to use humor responsibly? A Different Perspective Humor may be misunderstood. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) ## Related quotes > [Humor is just making fun of a situation. 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There have been a lot of bumps in the road, but my sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-morrison/i-love-life-and-i-have-a-lot-of-gratitude-there-have-been-a-lot-of/) [Shelley Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-morrison/) > [Whenever I indulge my sense of humor, it gets me into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/whenever-i-indulge-my-sense-of-humor-it-gets-me-into-trouble/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [You don't just magically flip some evolutionary switch somewhere and transmute a quadruped into an upright-walking bipedal human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/you-don-t-just-magically-flip-some-evolutionary-switch-somewhere-and/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [The trick is: how do you talk about natural selection without implying the rigidity of law? We use it as almost an active participant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/the-trick-is-how-do-you-talk-about-natural-selection-without-implying/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Innovation is an evolutionary process, so it's not necessary to be radical all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/innovation-is-an-evolutionary-process-so-it-s-not-necessary-to-be/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [Creativity is the evolutionary impulse in the Universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/creativity-is-the-evolutionary-impulse-in-the-universe/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Evolutionary biology is now uttering and seeking those forces that link us with all those that have being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-forsyth/evolutionary-biology-is-now-uttering-and-seeking-those-forces-that/) Adrian Forsyth > [From an evolutionary standpoint you can't just wipe everything out and start over, and I don't think you can do it in the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/from-an-evolutionary-standpoint-you-can-t-just-wipe-everything-out/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [From the day I got out, it was an evolutionary process. I was sick for, like, two years - that's the best way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-wright-jr/from-the-day-i-got-out-it-was-an-evolutionary-process-i-was-sick-for/) [Isaac Wright Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-wright-jr/) > [Almost all change is evolutionary, not revolutionary... expectations always travel at higher speeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/almost-all-change-is-evolutionary-not-revolutionary-expectations/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) ## More by John Cleese > [Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/too-many-people-confuse-being-serious-with-being-solemn/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. Now what I am suggesting is that we've advanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/years-ago-we-would-have-been-burned-for-this-now-what-i-am-suggesting/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it's okay... you're either free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-very-essence-of-playfulness-is-an-openness-to-anything-that-may/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Loving your neighbour as much as yourself is practically bloody impossible? You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Creativity is not the possession of some special talent. It’s about the willingness to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/creativity-is-not-the-possession-of-some-special-talent-it-s-about/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [England is a fairly envious little country and it's embodied in the press. They don't like anyone being more distinguished than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/england-is-a-fairly-envious-little-country-and-it-s-embodied-in-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-used-to-desire-many-many-things-but-now-i-have-just-one-desire-and/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-the-hard-thing-for-young-comedians-is-that-the-majority-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I wish you wusses would stop whining about your unhappiness. I'm really fed up with it. Pour yourself a scotch and pull yourself together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-wish-you-wusses-would-stop-whining-about-your-unhappiness-i-m/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/on-movies-i-like-to-involve-the-cast-in-the-writing-of-the-script-i/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I had a very, very difficult relationship with my mother, who was supremely self-centred. She was hilariously self-centred. 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This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. 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