"Perhaps we have to learn to laugh too, at us, at them, " said Christoph Muecher, head of the commission for marketing at Germany's cultural arm, the Goethe Institute.

BBC: Rolling out the old cliches

Jim Stolze, a writer and researcher involved with the project, says the Internet has become our "new global campfire, " the place where we gather to argue, laugh, talk, learn, love, turn strangers into friends, and to get a sense of belonging.

CNN: Can happiness be found online?

If you want to have maximum small business success, learn how to run a tight ship while encouraging your people to laugh and find joy in their work.

FORBES: How do you define success and happiness?

This, Constance would learn, was her way she worked hard to make people laugh.

NEWYORKER: Shauntrelle