This quote suggests that a sense of humor is an important characteristic to have when you are in a disagreement because it can be used to prevent the disagreement from progressing into an argument. Humor can be used to “diffuse the situation” and make the conversation more pleasant and less contentious. You should still be honest and speak your mind, but using a bit of humor in your discussion will help keep the conversation light and productive, rather than turning it into a full-blown argument.