Was April Fool's Prank funny?

[Walter]

OK, you said participating in April Fools jokes was infantile. Ergo...

I did? The only place I've found where I used the word was:

All I'm saying is April Fool's Day is fun for little kids. Once you've grown up, there are lots of playful things that are much more fun. I don't see the need to indugle in infantile behavior.

I don't read it the same way at all, but just for the sake of discussion, let's assume your take on it to be correct (I am not conceeding the point). It does not follow that participating in AF jokes being infantile means people who think they are funny are also infantile.

Happy New Year!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

that is where your logic, and those who were offended, falls short IMHO. The joke was not aimed at any one person in particular or any group in general. The joke was on ^me^

I know ... but some folks didn't get that. And those who didn't found the humor offensive. That's what I'm trying to explain.

Try looking at it from the "other side", rather than simply dismissing them as being unreasonable. That advice goes to both "sides" of this discussion ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fairybasslet]

I did? The only place I've found where I used the word was:

I don't read it the same way at all, but just for the sake of discussion, let's assume your take on it to be correct (I am not conceeding the point). It does not follow that participating in AF jokes being infantile means people who think they are funny are also infantile.

Happy New Year!

It's Passover dude, not Rosh Hashanah

 

[OHGoDive]

I think, perhaps only in the long run, exposing people to the concept that they are capable of committing actions that others will laugh at, is a positive, not a negative.

I feel closer than ever to formerly anonymous people who I thought had accused me of soiling my wetsuit, being aroused by me, admiring my diving skills, etc., etc.

(What would truly be funny would be knowing exactly which threads sucked you in. Why were people clicking on a thread called "Embarassing Dive Buddy" anyway? Where's the comraderie in that? Or, what sort of perverse person would click on a thread -- posted by Don, no less -- professing his love for someone? )

This joke was good in so many different ways. And, the true confirmation of its beauty is, it lives on to this day, 48 hours after.

 

[fairybasslet]

Try looking at it from the "other side", rather than simply dismissing them as being unreasonable. That advice goes to both "sides" of this discussion ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I did look at it from the other side. I was not in on the joke. I am not a mod nor did I create the code. The first thread I saw was someone (who I don't even know) accusing me of crapping in my wetsuit. And other people chimed it that it must have been me. At first I was like "What the hell are they picking on me for?" So yeah, I was fooled. But I can laugh at myself. And the only PM I sent was asking someone if they saw my name instead of ^you^. Someone going so far as to threaten a lawsuit, well.. that is unreasonable. YMMV

OK, I am done with this because it is now getting boring, childish and infantile.

 

[OHGoDive]

I did? The only place I've found where I used the word was:

I don't read it the same way at all, but just for the sake of discussion, let's assume your take on it to be correct (I am not conceeding the point). It does not follow that participating in AF jokes being infantile means people who think they are funny are also infantile.

Happy New Year!

So, what... you were merely expressing your disdain for infantile behavior, apropos of nothing?

I think that from the context, it follows quite logically.

 

[piikki]

(What would truly be funny would be knowing exactly which threads sucked you in. Why were people clicking on a thread called "Embarassing Dive Buddy" anyway? Where's the comraderie in that? Or, what sort of perverse person would click on a thread -- posted by Don, no less -- professing his love for someone? )

I was wondering about the same thing - whether the way you stumbled in had an effect on how you got suckered in. I did not recall it was 4/1, when I got up but I read the doody suit first. By the middle of the story it was clear what it was. Then I saw a suspicious nickname come up a little later, and it was like 'aha, right, didn't we just turn a corner to April..."

I am not so sure if I would have immediately figured things out if I would have woken up to some odd PMs from 'characters' I recognize. (I still do not exactly know what the PMs were about). I don't work in computer world, so I am not savvy with all the trickery but I am suspicious enough. When I see eg emails with my name on them I usually approach with caution. It really surprised me people would not immediately suspect a scam.

 

[The Chairman]

But in this case, the "funny" was of a nature that discouraged people from getting along.

Again, this is incredibly isolated. Most of the people not only "got along", but had a wonderful time. Did a disproportionate amount of people feel disenfranchised by this prank? I don't believe so and at least not in the long run. Those who felt so, quite possibly ALWAYS feel so. Neither you or I have data to prove that there was more harm done by this than by someone saying you had better dive a BP&W or else you have wasted your money.

I, for one, don't want to get mired in the paralysis of analysis. Since you didn't experience it, it seems hard for many of us to accept your analysis of what "must" have gone on. Sort of like a person who has never dove a particular site telling you how awful it must have been.

Some people just like to criticize. That's their lot in life I guess. They surely don't want to be labeled as a whiner, and often that happens. It's surely your right to do so, but trying to use this to bolster your long time contention that we are "going down the tubes" just seems disingenuous. Embracing NOK? Severely NDR?? We are anything but, and still you brought them up.

Again, I would like to point out that we have a bigger variety here on ScubaBoard than ever before and we have a great mix of a LOT diving discussion to a little non-diving banter. You obviously see us differently and that's your prerogative.

 

[Footslogger]

OK, I am done with this because it is now getting boring, childish and infantile.

=================================

I agree that it's time to move on ...but then again it does appear that thems who were/are dishing it out might not like being on the receiving end.

What goes around comes around ...

It was funny. I got burned. It lasted too long and the initial humor got lost somewhere along the line.

 

[HowardE]

I wonder if people were actually as upset with http://www.google.com/tisp/