(yes this is similar to my last one)
People will say that humor is the most important thing that maintains a relationship for long but the truth is most humor, especially the popular kind, can be very superficial. We all don't share the same kind of humor, not even the "relatable" but sometimes bland (to some audiences) kind. Furthermore, some people have real lifelong deficits in understanding and/or reacting appropriately to humor, so it would be better to accommodate them than to force them to get it the first try as if they're "not trying hard enough". There are other more meaningful ways to build intimacy and ease tension that are far more universal and accessible than simple humor.
The point is, humor can be meaningful, but it's not really universal since it's dependent mostly on sociocultural contexts that not everybody will be familiar with.
Originally written on November 3, 2025. This written work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/