--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the caveman had known how to laugh…" description: "\"“If the caveman had known how to laugh, history would have been different.”\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg" --- # If the caveman had known how to laugh, history would have… ![“If the caveman had known how to laugh, history would have been different.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg) > ““If the caveman had known how to laugh, history would have been different.”” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If early humans could laugh, history would be different. **In simple terms:** Laughter could change history. Key Takeaway Value humor’s impact. Themes philosophy humor history Mood reflective witty Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - education - media - social commentary Key Concepts human nature cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does humor shape societal change? - Can laughter influence historical narratives? A Different Perspective Humor alone may not alter major events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caveman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caveman/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ## Related quotes > [Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world's original sin. If the cave-man had known how to laugh, History would have been different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/humanity-takes-itself-too-seriously-it-is-the-world-s-original-sin-if-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world's original sin. If cavemen had known how to laugh, history would have been different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/humanity-takes-itself-too-seriously-it-is-the-world-s-original-sin-if/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“Words made you laugh and history fell apart into tales and isolated mysteries threatening to be trivial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mcelroy/words-made-you-laugh-and-history-fell-apart-into-tales-and-isolated/) [Joseph McElroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mcelroy/) > [I wish that George W. Bush had gone to Vietnam, because he would have seen history in a different light. He would've experienced it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-wish-that-george-w-bush-had-gone-to-vietnam-because-he-would-have/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I'm inspired by history, different periods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lambert/i-m-inspired-by-history-different-periods/) [Adam Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lambert/) > [There's a great book called 'Britain's Black Past' edited by Gretchen Gerzina. It has a myriad of stories and angles on black British history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paterson-joseph/there-s-a-great-book-called-britain-s-black-past-edited-by-gretchen/) [Paterson Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paterson-joseph/) > [“Things just happen, one after another. They don't care who knows. But history ... ah, history is different. History has to be observed. Otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/things-just-happen-one-after-another-they-don-t-care-who-knows-but/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [If we go back in the history of different nations, violence and the use of force are part of their heritage. These are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/if-we-go-back-in-the-history-of-different-nations-violence-and-the/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [The first movie was mostly about George and Julia. This one is mostly about me and Catherine and our love story and our whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-affleck/the-first-movie-was-mostly-about-george-and-julia-this-one-is-mostly/) [Casey Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-affleck/) > [When I started doing improvise music in Europe, in the beginning I thought the way that Europeans were interpreting the reconstruction of deconstruction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-drake/when-i-started-doing-improvise-music-in-europe-in-the-beginning-i/) [Hamid Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-drake/) > [There was never anything like it before in history. It was a different kind of joyous, happy screaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-stafford/there-was-never-anything-like-it-before-in-history-it-was-a-different/) [Jo Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-stafford/) > [I come from a community that has a lot of white kids, and I notice how, a lot of times, they don't understand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marley-dias/i-come-from-a-community-that-has-a-lot-of-white-kids-and-i-notice-how/) [Marley Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marley-dias/) > [What fascinates me are the turning points where history could have been different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/what-fascinates-me-are-the-turning-points-where-history-could-have/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [ America is the one place in the world where I just innately understood \[that\] South Africa and the United States of America have a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/america-is-the-one-place-in-the-world-where-i-just-innately/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Feeling like a caveman tonight? Or do you still insist you’re immune to such primitive impulses?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-kent/feeling-like-a-caveman-tonight-or-do-you-still-insist-you-re-immune/) [Claire Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-kent/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Caveman quotes > [“Feeling like a caveman tonight? Or do you still insist you’re immune to such primitive impulses?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-kent/feeling-like-a-caveman-tonight-or-do-you-still-insist-you-re-immune/) [Claire Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-kent/) > [On the television planet, where men make up the tribe, the law of the caveman rules. So, for a woman coming from another world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/on-the-television-planet-where-men-make-up-the-tribe-the-law-of-the/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [“I got out of the truck, half-hoping she would be too sleepy to walk. I wanted to carry her. She brought out the caveman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/i-got-out-of-the-truck-half-hoping-she-would-be-too-sleepy-to-walk-i/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Ugh. It's caveman romance. All that stuff we're not supposed to think is dreamy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lofty/ugh-it-s-caveman-romance-all-that-stuff-we-re-not-supposed-to-think/) [Carrie Lofty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lofty/) > [My domineering lover made no apologies for his caveman tendencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/my-domineering-lover-made-no-apologies-for-his-caveman-tendencies/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [“I'll give you caveman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-keith/i-ll-give-you-caveman/) [Megan Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-keith/) > [“The lack of a clear set of values and beliefs, along with the weak culture that resulted, created the conditions for an every-man-for-himself environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-lack-of-a-clear-set-of-values-and-beliefs-along-with-the-weak/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“But I’m definitely pulling the alpha caveman card on your pretty little ass during our sexcapade.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/but-i-m-definitely-pulling-the-alpha-caveman-card-on-your-pretty/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-failing-i-would-most-like-to-correct-is-aggression-it-may/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [My caveman. It was going to be Abe Lincoln, but, that didn't work out. XD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-timmerman/my-caveman-it-was-going-to-be-abe-lincoln-but-that-didn-t-work-out-xd/) [Christopher Timmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-timmerman/) > [To discover and know has always been a deep tendency of our nature. Can we not recognize it already in caveman?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/to-discover-and-know-has-always-been-a-deep-tendency-of-our-nature/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“Everyone thinks that it was the big strong caveman who got the girl, and for the most part, that may have been true, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-thinks-that-it-was-the-big-strong-caveman-who-got-the-girl/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Not that he’d admit that to a single living soul, but he wasn’t such a caveman that he couldn’t admit it to himself. Okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-barnard/not-that-he-d-admit-that-to-a-single-living-soul-but-he-wasn-t-such-a/) [Jules Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-barnard/) > [“On the other hand, when you grow up you will discover that some of the people in this world never passed beyond the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-willem-van-loon/on-the-other-hand-when-you-grow-up-you-will-discover-that-some-of-the/) [Hendrik Willem van Loon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-willem-van-loon/) > [“It was like he was a caveman grunting, "You woman. Me man. Let’s make babies together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-lyons/it-was-like-he-was-a-caveman-grunting-you-woman-me-man-let-s-make/) [Missy Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-lyons/) [Browse all 57 Caveman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caveman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If the caveman had known how to laugh, history would have been different.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-history-would-have-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Caveman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-history-would-have-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/oscar-wilde-16_caveman_if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-hi_3062569.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the caveman had known how to laugh, history would have been different.” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If the caveman had known how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-history-would-have-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-caveman-had-known-how-to-laugh-history-would-have-been/#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 } } ] } ```