The Mind-Body Connection?

So during the final exam in American Political Thought, which I "administered" today, I found a handout from Case's counseling service on "The Mind-Body Connection" in the classroom. (During a three hour final, I tend to get quite bored.) Here's a sentence, in an essay on the health benefits of Laughter, that I found particularly disturbing:

"When we find something funny, we tend to talk more, make more eye contact and touch others more."

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for talking and eye contact. But I'm not sure that "touch[ing] others more" is such a positive thing. That's kind of a mind-body-body-mind connection, and the problem may be the second mind . . . .

Also, I take issue with this sentence:

"Be funny every time you can--but never at the expense of another person."

Never? Aren't there important cultural traditions, like the put-down, the comic insult, the dozens, etc., that wouldn't exist if we followed this rule. I mean, there's being cruel, and then there's kidding someone who can take a joke. And isn't it OK, at least some of the time, to make fun of someone behind their back? I mean, I read somewhere that a sense of humor serves an important purpose for subordinates in a hierarchical society (like a dogpack).

What about Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator"?

So many posts today. Could the explanation be: lots of grading on my desk? Killing time with the Internets.