While rarely discussed today, eutrapelia is an ancient Greek virtue that breeds charity, gratitude, and openness. Focused on the arts of humor, conversation, and recreation, it helps us grow more connected to ourselves, to others, and to God.

For the Greeks, virtues were not destinations, but habits of moderation developed through care and perseverance. Over time, the habit could become second nature, as reflexive and even thoughtless as brushing your teeth in the morning.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Eutrapelia is a virtue which falls between buffoonery and boorishness, and so most directly handles humor.

Buffoonery is too much humor, demonstrated by taking everything too lightly and prioritizing getting a laugh even when inappropriate. Boorishness is too little humor, found in people who take themselves too seriously and can’t laugh at themselves or find joy in various situations.

We see these extremes clearly in comedy. The boors of political correctness prefer to find offense in life rather than humor, and strip down any comedic value to preserve sensitive feelings. On the other hand, some resort to relying on shock instead of wit, and their crude, tactless humor reveals an inability to be clever.

True humor is a staple to life. Time and again in my own life, I find that laughter shared with friends or family chases away resentment or anger. Laughter is what heals wounds I worked hard to bandage. And it’s laughing at myself or the situation that gives me the strength to persevere.

They say laughing makes you live longer, and that may be true. A long life is promised to no man, but its quality is without a doubt improved by laughter. Being someone who can see the comical in daily life is a gift, and being around people who do is equally rewarding. To paraphrase 16th century nun St. Teresa of Avila, “Lord, deliver us from sour-faced saints.”

Practicing eutrapelia isn’t Pollyanna-ing the world and refusing to acknowledge daily sadness in the name of optimism. It leads to a lighthearted attitude of the mind, rather than living like Eeyore under a rain cloud.

The Connection of a Smile

Agreeableness is getting rarer, especially in younger generations. In public, people usually keep their head down towards a screen, and God forbid eye contact is made! Refusing a smile to strangers reveals more about our culture than we think. It shows the disconnection and antisocial attitude that break down our sense of community. Being friendly to your fellow humans is more than just a nice thing to do; it moves one’s focus from self to others.

A British friend of mine once noted how chatty Americans are among strangers. People don’t do that in England, she said, and small talk in the grocery store or conversing with the cashier at the gas station isn’t typical. I was struck by the observation and found myself not only grateful for that American norm, but also more determined to keep it.

This demeanor can brighten a day when you’re out, but it does that equally when you’re in. As the proverb goes, “Charity begins in the home,” and that goes for cheerfulness too. Joy and positivity require more conscious choices than we think, and the people we live with should be the first recipients of that. Eutrapelia creates friendlier people, happier homes, and stronger communities.

Humor Is Right Recreation

In addition to moderating the levity of our words and attitudes, eutrapelia guides our actions too. Just as your body needs to rest, so does your soul.

Recreation is more accessible than ever, yet we sadly have lost the art of doing it well. “The kind of people one is speaking or listening to will … make a difference,” Aristotle points out. Tuning in to gossipy podcasts, binge watching TV, and doomscrolling can be entertaining, laughable, and even shrugged off. But they shouldn’t be. Downtime has a purpose and superficiality just isn’t it, nor can it be a substitute.

Re-creation involves active playing, not passive consumption. “It is a happy talent to know how to play,” Ralph Waldo Emerson reportedly said. I’d add it’s a difficult one too. As an adult, devoting regular time to hobbies usually feels impractical, unproductive, and a waste of time. If pursued, it’ll likely get procrastinated or sacrificed in the name of chores until the end of the day, when the scrolling begins.

But it’s worth fighting your schedule (and phone) for it. Finding simple amusement – reading, drawing, rollerblading, woodcarving, walking, gardening – provides rest and delight for your soul. Whether through enjoyment or accomplishment, “pointless” fun helps us reconnect with ourselves and regain perspective, returning us to our own font of goodness which we can then draw from to share with other people.

Screens have their time and place, but they should have a smaller role in recreation than we give them. Once they dominate free time, true refreshment slips through the cracks, making eutrapelia as relevant as it was in ancient Greece. This old, forgotten remedy can help create a culture that is more joyful, connected, charitable, and productive.

Life is not a bed of roses, but eutrapelia helps us to stop and smell the ones along the way. We won’t make it very far if we don’t learn to enjoy them.

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This article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal.

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