When Too Much Laughter in the Work Place Becomes a Problem During Lent
(Originally posted on March 10, 2017)
We continue with the "Tools of Good Works" from St. Benedict's Holy Rule to help us focus on those acts of charity that we can perform during Lent in the work place.
We start today with:
As for speaking much, well, if you're the "strong silent type," maybe this doesn't apply. But for the rest of us, if you pay attention to what you say, you may find that a bit of editing will help your verbal communication just as much as it does your writing. Running off at the mouth never makes your point clearer, and usually obfuscates it to some degree. Worse, you may blurt something out you didn't really mean to say that winds up hurting someone's feelings. As a "sometimes-blurter" I can attest to this. Something pops into my head, and out my mouth it flies. If you similarly over-speak form time to time, or say the wrong things at the wrong time, try this: When things do pop into your head, shut your mouth. Take a deep breath. Maybe count to ten. If the idea's worth sharing, there's plenty of time to do so.
Vain words connect with what we just said, but what's this about using words that "move to laughter"? That's a bit monkish, isn't it? Yes and no. Yes in that monks really ought not to be guffawing day and night. Many even observe strict silence. But does that really apply to us out here in the "real" world? This one baffles me a bit. An occasional joke can lighten things up, especially on a particularly "drudge-y" work day. Maybe the reference makes sense if we think about those to whom "everything is funny." Laughter becomes a kind of superficial buffer that prevents real, meaningful conversation. That can't be good.
Or maybe we connect this with the next "tool" - "not to love much or violent laughter." If the "kidder" or "joker" in the crowd avoids a serious exchange it's not the best way to live, but they're usually not aggressively offensive. "Violent" laughter, on the other hand, can be at the least disruptive especially to others who aren't privy to the joke but have to suffer the blaring cacophony. It's hardly ever appropriate in the work place. And if the outburst was sparked by an element of derision at the expense of someone else, so much the worse. Let's face it, laughing at someone's expense - even if it's a boss, overbearing teacher, corrupt politician who "deserves" it - lacks charity. Not saying there have never been times when I've gotten a good charge out of such digs, or even that I haven't - once or twice (I wish) - initiated an uncharitable guffaw. But that's not saying it's OK. Anyway, maybe that's what St. Benedict has in mind here. Remember, St. Benedict's trying to help us be more charitable with these four "tools." And if laughter provides cover for treating others in an offhanded or superficial manner, disturbs others, or is at someone's expense, it should be curtailed, if not eliminated from our palette of patter.
We conclude today's remarks as we have been, with this traditional exhortation from the praying of the Stations of the Cross, to remind ourselves we live and work now in the holy season of Lent:
We continue with the "Tools of Good Works" from St. Benedict's Holy Rule to help us focus on those acts of charity that we can perform during Lent in the work place.
We start today with:
- To keep one's mouth from evil and depraved talk.
- Not to love much speaking.
- Not to speak vain words or such as move to laughter.
- Not to love much or violent laughter.
As for speaking much, well, if you're the "strong silent type," maybe this doesn't apply. But for the rest of us, if you pay attention to what you say, you may find that a bit of editing will help your verbal communication just as much as it does your writing. Running off at the mouth never makes your point clearer, and usually obfuscates it to some degree. Worse, you may blurt something out you didn't really mean to say that winds up hurting someone's feelings. As a "sometimes-blurter" I can attest to this. Something pops into my head, and out my mouth it flies. If you similarly over-speak form time to time, or say the wrong things at the wrong time, try this: When things do pop into your head, shut your mouth. Take a deep breath. Maybe count to ten. If the idea's worth sharing, there's plenty of time to do so.
Vain words connect with what we just said, but what's this about using words that "move to laughter"? That's a bit monkish, isn't it? Yes and no. Yes in that monks really ought not to be guffawing day and night. Many even observe strict silence. But does that really apply to us out here in the "real" world? This one baffles me a bit. An occasional joke can lighten things up, especially on a particularly "drudge-y" work day. Maybe the reference makes sense if we think about those to whom "everything is funny." Laughter becomes a kind of superficial buffer that prevents real, meaningful conversation. That can't be good.
Or maybe we connect this with the next "tool" - "not to love much or violent laughter." If the "kidder" or "joker" in the crowd avoids a serious exchange it's not the best way to live, but they're usually not aggressively offensive. "Violent" laughter, on the other hand, can be at the least disruptive especially to others who aren't privy to the joke but have to suffer the blaring cacophony. It's hardly ever appropriate in the work place. And if the outburst was sparked by an element of derision at the expense of someone else, so much the worse. Let's face it, laughing at someone's expense - even if it's a boss, overbearing teacher, corrupt politician who "deserves" it - lacks charity. Not saying there have never been times when I've gotten a good charge out of such digs, or even that I haven't - once or twice (I wish) - initiated an uncharitable guffaw. But that's not saying it's OK. Anyway, maybe that's what St. Benedict has in mind here. Remember, St. Benedict's trying to help us be more charitable with these four "tools." And if laughter provides cover for treating others in an offhanded or superficial manner, disturbs others, or is at someone's expense, it should be curtailed, if not eliminated from our palette of patter.
We conclude today's remarks as we have been, with this traditional exhortation from the praying of the Stations of the Cross, to remind ourselves we live and work now in the holy season of Lent:
We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou Hast Redeemed the world.
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