The title of this blog is a reworking of the words from The Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among those are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
If you search the wisest philosophers from Aristotle to Plato to Socrates even into the pantheon of Roman thinkers, the few known for morality – like Marcus Aurelius – you will find one constant definition of happiness: “An activity of the soul leading to a lifelong pursuit of human flourishing, best defined by the Greek word, eudaemonia, “living a morallybalanced life.” (Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle)
If I were to write an essay on happiness, it would be very lengthy and perhaps a tad boring for those not initiated in esoteric thinking and writing, so let me be simple. Happiness is being comfortable in your own skin and sharing this joy with others. Seeking wealth, power, fame, is not the road to happiness because happiness is the road itself, the developing of yourself into a flourishing soul along the way of living for and with others.
Happiness is not necessarily humor or comedy although these are devices used by people talented in expressing the foolishness of life just to make us laugh. Perceiving this foolishness can make us forget for a moment the sadness and often, stupidity, that human actions generate when we need a laugh. A person thus talented can be a therapist for the soul in anxiety. We are often led to laughing at our human foibles or the foibles of those whose leadership gets mired in power or greed. The therapist for these moments who is charged to lead others toward eudaemonia is called a comedian.
I may be somewhat of a cheer leader for comedians; my dad was the stand-up comic for his dance band, and a nephew is a professional comedian in Chicago. Yes, he is a product of Second City. Comedians do what they have always done since the ancient Greek theatre and since Falstaff spun his wisdom from the barstool in Shakespeare; they make people laugh. The scalpel of their humor cuts through anything that’s temporary, that has a lopsidedness to it, and this exposes the real underbelly. It’s the bug crawling up the refined lady’s hat in church that Robert Burns says through his impishness: “God give us the grace to see ourselves as others see us.” (To A Louse, Robert Burns)
Comedians are needed to help us find some happiness along the way. They have a mission. I am sad that Stephen Colbert leaves his mission which he has performed so well for thirty years. Colbert understands mission. One of eleven children, he was raised Catholic and practices to this day even teaching ‘Sunday School.’ He suffered an immense tragedy as a teenager when his father and two brothers were killed in a plane crash. How could he create a career in comedy after that? It reminds me of something Abraham Lincoln once said: “I laugh because if I didn’t, I would cry.” Colbert confesses to drifting from his faith for a while but returns a few years later. Last summer CBS cancelled his show set to take effect this May 21, because of a proposed deal between Paramount, CBS’s parent company, and its merger with a Trump-supporting company. Colbert was a constant critic of the president, as he had been with past presidents, all of whom respected his material even when it was personally jarring. A good comedian has to be an intelligent, insightful, and informed communicator who presents the day’s events with humor. This means the comedian must take on issues with the precision of research wrapped in truth and fun. As Heidi Schlumpf of Commonweal wrote, “(Colbert) used his platform to expose the president’s flaws and lies with humor.” (Schlumpf, H. “Colbert the Critic” Commonweal, May 19, 2026) Many of Trump’s gaffes and the timidity of Congress are ignored by other media at the expense of the average American’s awareness.
Reflection
Remember, comedy is not necessarily happiness. But it is a contributor, a part of the alchemy, that when blended with other ingredients, can make our lives a bit easier to take on or to make us forget for a moment the worries we carry every day. Being funny is a gift and when it is not appreciated, something is askew somewhere in the universe of the listeners. You don’t have to like the comedian or the way his subject is roasted, but if he is sensitive and respectful of the office of someone while not overlooking what harm that leader can bring on others, then you have the mission of comedy. A mission that leads to flourishing.
In these post Pentecost days, we are reminded by spiritual thinkers of the gift of parrhesia, the speech that cannot be held back, speech that can be serious, prayerful, inspirational, and yes, even funny, to lead us to a more flourishing life “in the pursuit of happiness.” Parrhesia was the speech of the apostles as they began their ministry of teaching the new faith. Their fear and anxiety which governed them following the death and resurrection of Jesus, melted away and the Spirit took root in each soul providing the courage to speak out, to lead their listeners to a new and flourishing life. Colbert had that type of speech!!
To all my readers: Take care to listen to the messages of people who try to make our lives easier through the pursuit of happiness. Take careful stock and examination to see if you do the same for others. And God bless comedians!!
In All Things Charity 
I really enjoyed this reflection! Thanks for the wisdom.
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