--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At bottom the world isn't a joke. We only…" description: "\"At bottom the world isn't a joke. We only joke about it to avoid an issue with someone, to let someone know that we know he's there with his questions;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/robert-frost-371_argument_at-bottom-the-world-isn-t-a-joke-we-only_2445235.png" --- # At bottom the world isn't a joke. We only joke about it to… ![“At bottom the world isn't a joke. We only joke about it to avoid an issue with someone, to let someone know that we know he's there with his questions; to disarm him by seeming to have heard and done justice to his side of the standing argument.” quote by Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/robert-frost-371_argument_at-bottom-the-world-isn-t-a-joke-we-only_2445235.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/robert-frost-371_argument_at-bottom-the-world-isn-t-a-joke-we-only_2445235.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/robert-frost-371_argument_at-bottom-the-world-isn-t-a-joke-we-only_2445235.png) > “At bottom the world isn't a joke. We only joke about it to avoid an issue with someone, to let someone know that we know he's there with his questions; to disarm him by seeming to have heard and done justice to his side of the standing argument.” [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor masks deeper concerns, allowing us to address uncomfortable topics indirectly. **In simple terms:** Jokes hide serious issues. Key Takeaway Use humor to surface hidden problems. Themes communication psychology humor as coping social interaction Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - team meetings - family gatherings - public debates - online forums Key Concepts defense mechanisms social dynamics conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - When does humor become avoidance? - How can humor be used responsibly? A Different Perspective Humor may trivialize serious matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Isn Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-joke-522343/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Joke Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke-avoid-522344/) [Joke Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke-joke-522345/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Seeming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeming/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Standing Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-argument-522346/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I think you need to have the guts to not use comedy. Often, the people that work in comedy use a joke to avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/i-think-you-need-to-have-the-guts-to-not-use-comedy-often-the-people/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [If sex isn't a joke, what is it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/if-sex-isn-t-a-joke-what-is-it/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“I think that all filth is local…and that a joke isn’t a joke unless it’s at somebody’s expense”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-think-that-all-filth-is-local-and-that-a-joke-isn-t-a-joke-unless/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Well, what of it? If sex isn’t a joke, what is it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/well-what-of-it-if-sex-isn-t-a-joke-what-is-it/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [A joke isn't a joke until someone laughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crawford/a-joke-isn-t-a-joke-until-someone-laughs/) [Michael Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crawford/) > [I hope life isn't a joke.. cause I dont get it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hope-life-isn-t-a-joke-cause-i-dont-get-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything I say is a joke. I am a joke myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/everything-i-say-is-a-joke-i-am-a-joke-myself/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [A joke is a joke or the image of a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/a-joke-is-a-joke-or-the-image-of-a-truth/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [When you people have a set up joke and the joke is set up straight and the words are just well written, I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-gluck/when-you-people-have-a-set-up-joke-and-the-joke-is-set-up-straight/) [Will Gluck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-gluck/) > [It is almost a joke, but a joke that nobody tells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/it-is-almost-a-joke-but-a-joke-that-nobody-tells/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [It's hard to make a joke out of someone that's a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wolf/it-s-hard-to-make-a-joke-out-of-someone-that-s-a-joke/) [Michelle Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wolf/) > [There is no such thing as an appropriate joke. That's why it's a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-appropriate-joke-that-s-why-it-s-a-joke/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [30 Rock' is probably one of my favorite shows. It's just joke after joke after joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-brie/30-rock-is-probably-one-of-my-favorite-shows-it-s-just-joke-after/) [Alison Brie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-brie/) > [“A joke is never a joke if it is at the expense of another person's feelings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-wolf/a-joke-is-never-a-joke-if-it-is-at-the-expense-of-another-person-s/) [Heather Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-wolf/) > [I thought everybody was in on the joke. But I was the joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/i-thought-everybody-was-in-on-the-joke-but-i-was-the-joke/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) ## More by Robert Frost > [The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working when you get up in the morning, and doesn't stop until you get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-brain-is-a-wonderful-organ-it-starts-working-when-you-get-up-in/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [When I see birches bend to left and right... I like to think some boy's been swinging them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/when-i-see-birches-bend-to-left-and-right-i-like-to-think-some-boy-s/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“The promising young poets, the hopefuls? I'd name Richard Wilbur, Peter Viereck, Karl Shapiro, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, John Ciardi...Leonard Bacon...but it is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-promising-young-poets-the-hopefuls-i-d-name-richard-wilbur-peter/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Lord, I have loved Your sky, Be it said against or for me, Have loved it clear and high, Or low and stormy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/lord-i-have-loved-your-sky-be-it-said-against-or-for-me-have-loved-it/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Let him that is without stone among you cast the first thing he can lay his hands on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/let-him-that-is-without-stone-among-you-cast-the-first-thing-he-can/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [It is only a moment here and a moment there that the greatest writer has. 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But now the theory goes That the apple's a rose, And the pear is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-rose-is-a-rose-and-was-always-a-rose-but-now-the-theory-goes-that/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Forgive, O Lord, my little jokes on Thee, and I'll forgive Thy great big joke on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/forgive-o-lord-my-little-jokes-on-thee-and-i-ll-forgive-thy-great-big/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [What an exciting age it is we live in With all this talk about the hope of youth And nothing made of youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/what-an-exciting-age-it-is-we-live-in-with-all-this-talk-about-the/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [The footpath down to the well is healed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-footpath-down-to-the-well-is-healed/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [There is the fear that we shan't prove worthy in the eyes of someone who knows us at least as well as we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/there-is-the-fear-that-we-shan-t-prove-worthy-in-the-eyes-of-someone/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [It's God - I recognised him from Blake's picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/it-s-god-i-recognised-him-from-blake-s-picture/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Create and stir other people to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/create-and-stir-other-people-to-create/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) [Explore all 624 Robert Frost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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