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Political division and war are creating panic, and our politicians are both polarized and afraid — afraid for their futures and their families. This fear extends throughout our communities nationwide. I have lived in China and Russia and have learned how precious freedom is. I was mayor of a politically astute city, and know how democracy works, day to day. What do I feel now? Sorrow? Frustration? Yes, and I’m almost frozen with fear.
The phrase “frozen with fear” accurately describes the power of fear. It shuts down our critical thinking. The amygdala, the brain’s emotional center, gets hijacked by fear until, effectively, our prefrontal cortex shuts down. That’s the area responsible for logical, high-level reasoning — and thus problem solving is impaired, and our ability to effectively confront our gargantuan threat disappears. We, the people, need our best brainpower now more than ever to fight effectively for democracy, so that it endures beyond 250 years.
You may remember the saying, “laughter is the Best Medicine.” Well, it is, and I have used it throughout my time as a mayor and councilwoman.
I think about the time I was standing in a fast (15-item) check-out lane and the customer ahead of meunloaded some 30 items from his cart. I was angry, as were others in the line with me. And then I started to laugh, and it was catching. We all laughed and enjoyed the camaraderie. I learned from a therapist that whenever anger or fear threatens to overtake me, I should just stimulate my sympathetic nervous system. In other words, I should laugh. “Laughter, good out-loud belly laughter,” relieves stress and promotes better thinking,” she promised. “It puts you back in control.”
Yes, humor taps into creativity; it enables a shift in perspective. It is the tool we can enjoy that enables us to get back to the critical thinking, to caring for ourselves, to collaborating and communicating with others from different political parties and differing backgrounds, a tool we all need right now, one that promotes the realization that “I am not crazy” or wrong to be afraid and that I’m not alone in this. The powerful relief of endorphins that such moments stimulate is liberating. These are the events that change us, and, in fact, change our political landscape, indeed. Humor allows us to keep going. Humor and wit give us strength that actually lessens pain, lessens stress and promotes better thinking.
My motto — my goal — as a political satirist is to “make you laugh — and even think.”
“Send in the clowns” Stephen Sondheim instructed. “Where are the clowns?” he asks. Here I am. And there they are — all around us, available to you and to me. Pay attention to the clowns and enjoy a good laugh. And then, my dear fellow countrymen, when we are awash in healing from humor, we can use our minds to focus on and quash the real and scary threat of fascism.
Mickie Winkler is the former mayor of Menlo Park. She has lived and written humor around the world and happily continues to do so in Palo Alto.
