Friends have put forward two reasons. First, in a world beset by problems, as one friend said, “We are all desperate for something to laugh about.” Second, many of us need constant reminders to “let go” because, although we know it is the best thing, we don’t seem to be hardwired to do it.

And my own take-away is that many of us who ply the fields of self-development take ourselves far too seriously. The work is serious; there is no doubt about that in my mind. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t have a laugh along the way, especially a good laugh at our own “silliness.”