Tag: April Fools’ Day

Poisson D’Avril

Choking jokes

April 1 last year I posted about how much I miss the good old days when April Fools’ Day was a fun day. Memories of those days were fading then. I’m afraid they are only shadows now.

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As I said a year ago:

I guess the negative reactions started to take over when the Internet, home of more copycats than original copy, made the proliferation of pranks available to all including those who would do so for malicious reasons. Call it Internet gluttony. That joke is always on us, because while humans do enjoy a good laugh, we also seem to enjoy overdoing just about anything to the point of pointlessness.

Some would say we’ve grown and matured in the face of an overabundance and overuse of prepubescent humor. I’m not sure that’s entirely accurate.

I think it takes maturity, a sense of humility, and humor to face the challenges every day presents. Certainly in these dark times. It also takes strength, and increasingly, courage. It’s easy to shut down and turn away. That doesn’t diminish the darkness, nor does it brighten the day. 

Perhaps last year’s post was an unintended start of a new April 1 tradition.

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

 

Missing the Fun in April Fools’ Day

The joke’s on us.

Damnit. I miss the fun of April Fools’ Day. Those days are apparently gone forever and I miss them.

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It certainly seems like it was a more innocent time, because while some would get offended, they were usually in the minority. Certianly compared to those who got a good joke and recognized a good leg pull for what it was and not some violation of personal space.

I recall being fooled and doing some fooling of my own. I recall entire websites publishing April Fools’ Day issues. (I worked for one that did.) And I recall the warnings to not take things too seriously. But these days the fun has been stripped from that way of thinking. That kind of fun left the room long before the painful moments we face very day, many of which seem like a joke because they seem so unreal. Yet, real they are.

I guess the negative reactions started to take over when the Internet, home of more copycats than original copy, made the proliferation of pranks available to all including those who would do so for malicious reasons. Call it Internet gluttony. That joke is always on us, because while humans do enjoy a good laugh, we also seem to enjoy overdoing just about anything to the point of pointlessness.

Some say you lose your taste for the kind of hijinx April Fools’ Day would bring as you get older. I’ve certainly gotten older, my tastes in most things have certainly matured. But damnit, I haven’t lost that longing for a good prank.

And that’s no joke.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.