By Sam Gassaway | Photo Editor
We used to be a proper nation.
Back in the days of yesteryear, cultural institutions such as Taco Bell could convince the American public that they purchased the Liberty Bell. Google could fool the masses into buying “Gmail paper.” National Geographic could announce that they were no longer “publishing photos of naked animals.”
But as of late, it feels like these massive April Fools’ campaigns have slowed down. In the past six years, I cannot remember a single company’s April Fools’ Day announcement that has truly grabbed my attention.
The same goes for my personal life. Since coming to college, the April Fools’ game in my circles of friends and peers has been severely lacking.
We as a society have lost our edge of silliness. Like a dying river bed in the Sahara, the well of tomfoolery that has driven our country for the better part of the past 250 years has seemingly dried up.
We live in deeply unsilly times. War in the Middle East, skyrocketing gas prices over the past few weeks, an ever-growing divide between political parties, the growing workplace threat posed by generative artificial intelligence. There’s a lot we need to keep track of and to take seriously.
However, I believe it’s times like these when we need humor more than ever. As the popular saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine,” and I think that April Fools’ Day needs to make a comeback.
A 2021 study published by the National Library of Medicine shows that laughter helps reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress. It also releases endorphins, natural neurotransmitters that can help temporarily relieve pain.
A holiday that not only encourages humor and foolery but also encourages us to be the butt of our friends’ jokes is not only a good idea for personal stress relief, but a necessary move that will strengthen communities.
It’s commonly stated that humor helps ease tension and bridge gaps, and in a divided America, we need tools that help take down barriers and build bridges across the aisle.
So go say something insane on your close friend’s story and put your phone on do not disturb. Send cute videos of puppies to your friends. Make your roommates go insane by moving all of the furniture in your apartment.
Celebrate the holiday that our country so desperately needs. This April 1, go out there and be silly. Be foolish.
