--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Jokes can be noble. Laughs are exactly as…" description: "\"Jokes can be noble. Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleaning_jokes-can-be-noble-laughs-are-exactly-as_1213019.jpg" --- # Jokes can be noble. Laughs are exactly as honorable as… ![“Jokes can be noble. Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving anymore. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward — and since I can start thinking and…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleaning_jokes-can-be-noble-laughs-are-exactly-as_1213019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleaning_jokes-can-be-noble-laughs-are-exactly-as_1213019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleaning_jokes-can-be-noble-laughs-are-exactly-as_1213019.jpg) > “Jokes can be noble. Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving anymore. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward — and since I can start thinking and striving again that much sooner.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests laughter is a healthier response to existential fatigue than tears. **In simple terms:** Laugh to cope with exhaustion. Key Takeaway Choose humor over sorrow. Themes humor resilience existentialism Mood wry philosophical Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - stressful work - personal loss - creative blocks Key Concepts coping mechanisms psychology Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your laughter in tough times? - Can humor replace grief? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper issues needing attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Exhaustion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhaustion/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Futility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futility/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning do to do afterward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/laughter-and-tears-are-both-responses-to-frustration-and-exhaustion-i/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/laughs-are-exactly-as-honorable-as-tears-laughter-and-tears-are-both/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Sharing is the essence of teaching. It is, I have come to believe, the essence of civilization...Without it, the imagination is but the echo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/sharing-is-the-essence-of-teaching-it-is-i-have-come-to-believe-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-pay-hinckley/the-only-way-to-get-through-life-is-to-laugh-your-way-through-it-you-2/) [Marjorie Pay Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-pay-hinckley/) > [“I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr-2/i-myself-prefer-to-laugh-since-there-is-less-cleaning-up-to-do/) [Kurt Vonnegut, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr-2/) > [... sometimes in life, you either laugh or you cry. And I prefer to laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/sometimes-in-life-you-either-laugh-or-you-cry-and-i-prefer-to-laugh/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [I'd much prefer to have a laugh instead of a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-connors/i-d-much-prefer-to-have-a-laugh-instead-of-a-fight/) [Mike Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-connors/) > [No, my young apprentice. You said the exact right thing. Again. I'm just laughing at life." "Why?" he asked, opening both his eyes. "Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-my-young-apprentice-you-said-the-exact-right-thing-again-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Człowiek jest zły i cała jego działalność polega na robieniu niepotrzebnych rzeczy i gromadzeniu niepotrzebnej wiedzy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/cz-owiek-jest-z-y-i-ca-a-jego-dzia-alno-polega-na-robieniu/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The painting was framed in a misty view of sky, sea, and valley. Newt's painting was small, black, and warty. It consisted of scratches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-painting-was-framed-in-a-misty-view-of-sky-sea-and-valley-newt-s/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [He was talking about the sign that said 'THE COMPLICATED FUTILITY OF IGNORANCE.' 'All knew was that I didn't want my daughter or anybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/he-was-talking-about-the-sign-that-said-the-complicated-futility-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The complicated futility of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-complicated-futility-of-ignorance/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [...we took the 10 machines we agreed were the most beguiling, and we put them on permanent exhibit in the foyer of this library…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-took-the-10-machines-we-agreed-were-the-most-beguiling-and-we-put/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Laughter and tears may not persuade, but they cannot be refuted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/laughter-and-tears-may-not-persuade-but-they-cannot-be-refuted/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Laughter and tears are not separate experiences, with intervals of rest: they rush out together and it is like walking with a sword between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/laughter-and-tears-are-not-separate-experiences-with-intervals-of/) [Anaïs Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Cleaning quotes > [We should get a Roomba for our Roomba. 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They treat a splashing tub by cleaning up the water. These plumbers are extremely apt at drying up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-parsons-burkitt/western-doctors-are-like-poor-plumbers-they-treat-a-splashing-tub-by/) [Denis Parsons Burkitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-parsons-burkitt/) > [A lot of people approach their barn or horse like they are going to war, because it's been going badly. So you pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-meehl/a-lot-of-people-approach-their-barn-or-horse-like-they-are-going-to/) Cindy Meehl > [“The house was clean, scrubbed and immaculate, curtains washed, windows polished, but all as a man does it - the ironed curtains did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-house-was-clean-scrubbed-and-immaculate-curtains-washed-windows/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [He's getting dumped. And he doesn't even know it yet. 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I'm not racing through my division. I'm cleaning it out. So if you want two L's, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-holloway/anybody-and-everybody-s-going-to-get-it-i-m-not-racing-through-my/) [Max Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-holloway/) > [The 6th of August in the morning we saw an opening in the land and we ran into it, and anchored in 7 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dampier/the-6th-of-august-in-the-morning-we-saw-an-opening-in-the-land-and-we/) [William Dampier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dampier/) Browse all 651 Cleaning quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Jokes can be noble. Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving anymore. 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