--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man, when you lose your laugh you lose…" description: "\"Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.\" — Ken Kesey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png" --- # Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing. ![“Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.” quote by Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png) > “Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.” [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Laughter is essential; losing it destabilizes one’s balance in life. **In simple terms:** Without humor, you lose stability. Key Takeaway Cultivate joy. Themes humor mental health balance identity Mood reflective lighthearted Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stressful work - relationship strain - personal crisis Key Concepts existentialism psychology social coping Questions to Reflect On - How do you recover laughter after loss? - What role does humor play in resilience? A Different Perspective Humor can mask deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laugh Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-lose-370026/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Lose Footing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-footing-659021/) [Lose Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-laugh-842652/) [Man Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-lose-761449/) ## Related quotes > [It is bad to suppress laughter. It goes back down to your hips. Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/it-is-bad-to-suppress-laughter-it-goes-back-down-to-your-hips-man/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [But the rest are even scared to open up and laugh. You know, that's the first thing that got me about this place, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/but-the-rest-are-even-scared-to-open-up-and-laugh-you-know-that-s-the/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When you lose the power to laugh, you lose your power to think straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/when-you-lose-the-power-to-laugh-you-lose-your-power-to-think-straight/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [ In a scene \[where the improvisers must interact\] without the letter S, the audience is waiting for you to lose - so they can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/in-a-scene-where-the-improvisers-must-interact-without-the-letter-s/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [If you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/if-you-lose-the-power-to-laugh-you-lose-the-power-to-think/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“...Television is cretinizing me – I can feel it. Soon I’ll be like the TV artists. You know the people I mean. Girls who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/television-is-cretinizing-me-i-can-feel-it-soon-i-ll-be-like-the-tv/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Obviously when you lose you can't laugh but on a training day, why can't you laugh? It should be normal, in my opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rudiger/obviously-when-you-lose-you-can-t-laugh-but-on-a-training-day-why-can/) [Antonio Rudiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rudiger/) > [“Sometimes laughin' is all a body can do, child. It's laugh or lose your mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/sometimes-laughin-is-all-a-body-can-do-child-it-s-laugh-or-lose-your/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [You're invited to tons of parties, and you'll wear these shoes and that dress, and it can be enticing, but I think it also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/you-re-invited-to-tons-of-parties-and-you-ll-wear-these-shoes-and/) [Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/) > [It's impossible to lose your footing when you're on your knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/it-s-impossible-to-lose-your-footing-when-you-re-on-your-knees/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Balance lives in the present. The surest way to lose your footing is to focus on what dreadful things might happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/balance-lives-in-the-present-the-surest-way-to-lose-your-footing-is/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“The need for urgency is because one, two maybe three more steps, and the human race will be balancing itself on the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-c-estrada/the-need-for-urgency-is-because-one-two-maybe-three-more-steps-and/) [Alejandro C. Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-c-estrada/) > [If you are not consciously directing your life, you will lose your footing and circumstances will decide for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/if-you-are-not-consciously-directing-your-life-you-will-lose-your/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/to-dare-is-to-lose-one-s-footing-momentarily-not-to-dare-is-to-lose-2/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.” —SØREN KIERKEGAARD”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/to-dare-is-to-lose-one-s-footing-momentarily-not-to-dare-is-to-lose/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## More by Ken Kesey > [“Time overlaps itself. A breath breathed from a passing breeze is not the whole wind, neither is it just the last of what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/time-overlaps-itself-a-breath-breathed-from-a-passing-breeze-is-not/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The Grateful Dead are faster than light drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-grateful-dead-are-faster-than-light-drive/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“Okay, stand outa the way. Sometimes when I go to exertin' myself I use up all the air nearby and grown men faint from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/okay-stand-outa-the-way-sometimes-when-i-go-to-exertin-myself-i-use/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The frontiers we broke into in the '60s are still largely unexplored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-frontiers-we-broke-into-in-the-60s-are-still-largely-unexplored/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [There's something about taking a plow and breaking new ground. It gives you energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/there-s-something-about-taking-a-plow-and-breaking-new-ground-it/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [The best of all possible cages.' Ben stepped back to regard the job with a sad smile. 'What more can one ask?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-best-of-all-possible-cages-ben-stepped-back-to-regard-the-job/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Your trouble is, you keep trying to unscrew the unscrutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/your-trouble-is-you-keep-trying-to-unscrew-the-unscrutable/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [That ain't me, that ain't my face. It wasn't even me when I was trying to be that face. I wasn't even really me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/that-ain-t-me-that-ain-t-my-face-it-wasn-t-even-me-when-i-was-trying/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [But if the strength ain't real, I recall thinking the very last thing that day, before I finally passed out, then the weakness sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/but-if-the-strength-ain-t-real-i-recall-thinking-the-very-last-thing/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“They think they know the book by its cover, but the book knows what it is. Now he knew better; if the book never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/they-think-they-know-the-book-by-its-cover-but-the-book-knows-what-it/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [More was revealed in a human face than a human being can bear face to face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/more-was-revealed-in-a-human-face-than-a-human-being-can-bear-face-to/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [If this glorious birth to death hassle is the only hassle we are ever to have ..if our grand exhilarating fight of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/if-this-glorious-birth-to-death-hassle-is-the-only-hassle-we-are-ever/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“It's gonna burn me just that way, finally telling about all this, about the hospital, and her, and the guys- and about McMurphy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/it-s-gonna-burn-me-just-that-way-finally-telling-about-all-this-about/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When Shakespeare was writing, he wasn't writing for stuff to lie on the page; it was supposed to get up and move around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/when-shakespeare-was-writing-he-wasn-t-writing-for-stuff-to-lie-on/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [“And then some guy wandering as lost as you would all of a sudden be right before your eyes, his face bigger and clearer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/and-then-some-guy-wandering-as-lost-as-you-would-all-of-a-sudden-be/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) [Explore all 295 Ken Kesey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. 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. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ken Kesey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-your-footing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-your-footing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/ken-kesey-1034_comedy_man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-yo_860091.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.” — Ken Kesey", "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": "Ken Kesey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man, when you lose your laugh...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-your-footing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/man-when-you-lose-your-laugh-you-lose-your-footing/#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 } } ] } ```