Testing Whether Comedy Is the Most Popular Through Practice

Nantai

After digressing for a few days, let’s get back to the topic—“the aesthetic value of literature”. Earlier, I mentioned that “comedy is superior to tragedy”, and made an analogy: “If literature were a beauty, comedy would be a princess; if literature were nobility, comedy would be royalty.” This means comedy is the golden pinnacle of literary and artistic works, and comedic novels are the “kings” among novels. Not only is it the “king”, but comedy is also a must-have and the most popular genre across all TV stations. This claim of being a “must-have” and “most popular” is not groundless—it can be verified with a simple test.

Suppose a workplace holds three events: first, a leader’s report meeting (analogous to a drama); second, a memorial service for revolutionary martyrs (analogous to a tragedy); and third, an evening gala of comedy skits and crosstalk (a comedy). If attendance to these events is voluntary—people can choose whichever they want—which one will attract the most participants? Undoubtedly, the evening gala of comedy skits and crosstalk. That is the charm of comedy.

Another example: imagine three couples in daily life. The first couple wears stern expressions all day, as serious as a discipline inspection official facing a person under investigation; the second cries all the time, as if a family member passes away every day; the third bickers playfully and laughs constantly, just like the comedians Feng Gong and Jia Ling—they act as if they’ve won a big prize every day. Which couple do you think is the happiest? Would you want a partner who is stern all day, cries nonstop, or smiles often? The answer is obvious to everyone. This is proof that comedy, which brings laughter, is the most popular.

Laughter is humanity’s eternal pursuit, while suffering is universally hated. This is why Nietzsche argued that comedy endures forever, while tragedy is doomed to be short-lived. King You of Zhou doted on his concubine Bao Si, but Bao Si never smiled. To make her laugh, King You offered a reward of 800 taels of gold and even lit the beacon fires (used to summon feudal lords for emergency defense) as a prank. Bao Si finally laughed, but the feudal lords were infuriated. As a result, King You lost his throne—he didn’t just waste gold; he lost his country and even his life. Such is the preciousness of making people laugh! If King You had invited comedians like Feng Gong & Niu Qun to perform crosstalk for Bao Si, or Chenpeisi (Chen Peisi) & Zhu Shimao to act in skits for her, he might have kept his throne. This is probably why Voltaire stated that the prosperity of comedy is a sign of a country’s civilization.

The “supremacy” that makes comedy the most noble lies precisely in these aspects—it brings laughter, carries vitality, and can last forever. Don’t you agree?