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How do soap operas make our lives easier?
There are several reasons, and some of them may come as a surprise to you.
Laughter is a good weapon against stress
When stressed, the body is under stress - both physically and mentally. It's a preparation for an immediate response to an irritant. At such a moment, our condition can be compared to a spring mechanism.
For example, we want a device to push a ball out with force when we push the lever. In order to do this, we have to compress the spring so that at the right moment, it will be forcefully uncompressed. In a stressful situation, a person is like such a spring waiting for a trigger. But he runs the risk of either snapping at any moment, or remaining in a compressed state without waiting for the signal and suffering.
Laughter is the easiest way to relax, to release tension without damaging anything around you. The body itself uses this method in difficult situations. You probably know how it is when a person suddenly starts giggling and can't help it at the most disturbing moment that isn't conducive to laughter. It's a reaction to tension.
However, it's not just sitcoms that exploit laughter these days. A good dose of humour is considered necessary to add to dramatic narratives.
A happy ending gives hope
Of course, we've seen all sorts of series finales in our lifetime. For example, many fans of the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" prefer to think that the last episode never existed, so they did not like the denouement. But for the most part, the series ends well. The writers prefer not to leave the characters that viewers love at a crossroads and end their lines with a very concrete happiness. Which, of course, is nice.