What Would Augustine Say About Social Media Humor?

The recent election of Pope Leo XIV, a priest of the Augustinian Order, has drawn fresh attention to the legacy and thought of St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential theologians in Christian history. 

First of all, I must say that by no measure can I be considered a religious man. I am, in fact, a staunch rationalist , but also a lover of history and philosophy. The election of the new Augustinian pope led me to revisit some of Augustine’s reflections, especially on themes he considered central: the soul’s orientation toward the Divine, the dangers of pride, and the role of humor in human life.

Augustine’s View on Humor

Augustine didn’t launch a full-scale war against laughter, but he was certainly wary of it. In Confessions and City of God, he questioned the value of many human pleasures, including humor,when they threatened to distract the soul from divine truth. Laughter, for Augustine, wasn’t inherently evil, but it was deeply suspect when it veered into irreverence or indulgence. He was especially concerned about humor that mocked sacred things or led people into frivolity. His Sermons often cautioned against what he called “scurrilous” or overly playful speech, warning that it could undermine spiritual seriousness and feed into pride.

Social Media: A Modern Arena of “Scurrilous Speech”

So what would Augustine say about the chaotic, meme-driven, sarcasm-saturated landscape of modern social media? Probably something fiery.

The platforms we use daily,X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and others, are overflowing with the kind of humor Augustine found problematic. Mockery of the sacred? Check. Crude jokes and sexual innuendo? Check. Snark, performative outrage, and scoffing at morality? Triple check. In today’s digital discourse, jokes often come at the expense of dignity, humility, and serious reflection. It’s hard to imagine Augustine scrolling through X without feeling a wave of theological dismay. He might even see the whole thing as a digital-age version of the “scurrilous speech” he warned Christians to avoid.

Pride, Distraction, and the Eternal Perspective

For Augustine, laughter wasn’t evil in itself, but it was a slippery slope. He feared it could lead to pride, a disordered love of self, or a dulling of the soul’s awareness of God. These were not trivial concerns. In Augustine’s theological vision, the highest good is union with God, and anything that distracts or detours the soul from that path, especially if it’s dressed up in cleverness or comedy, poses a real spiritual risk.

Augustine’s Nuanced Approach

Yet, Augustine wasn’t a joyless curmudgeon. He understood that humor, when used wisely and with humility, could enrich human life. He wouldn’t have condemned all jokes outright,just the kind that mock, belittle, or indulge the ego. Context, as always with Augustine, mattered. A joke told in kindness, with reverence and humility, could be part of Christian fellowship. A meme dunking on someone’s beliefs for 'likes'? Probably less defensible.

He might even recognize that social media, despite its many pitfalls, can be used for good. A platform that spreads insight, encourages community, or invites reflection could align with his understanding of rightly ordered love. But that’s not the tone that dominates online spaces. Instead, we see an endless stream of sarcasm, dunking, and attention-seeking. For Augustine, this isn’t just annoying, it’s dangerous. It tempts people toward pride and away from contemplation of eternal things.

A Timely Reflection in the Age of Pope Leo XIV

In a world increasingly shaped by digital media and performative humor, Augustine’s warnings sound less like outdated moralizing and more like prophetic concern. He reminds us that what we laugh at matters. The way we speak, especially in public  — especially online, shapes not only culture but also the soul.

As Pope Leo XIV begins his pontificate, perhaps his Augustinian roots will prompt a revival of this kind of reflection. In an age of endless scrolls and fleeting jokes, we might all benefit from asking what our humor says about our hearts,and whether it’s drawing us closer to Divine, or pulling us away.


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