Becoming Duchess Goldblatt

by Duchess Goldblatt

I’ll tell you my theory on poking fun. I ran this by a group of Cub Scouts when I taught them a lesson on using humor to make friends, and it resonated with the children, so I think there’s a fundamental truth in it. If I make a joke at another person’s expense, even a gentle joke, even if the person is beyond the reach of my voice and will never know it or be hurt by it: it diminishes my listener to hear it; it diminishes me to tell it. The better joke is always going to be the one that doesn’t hurt anybody. This is the habit of mind I work at.—DG