What do you guys think of April's Fools' Day practices?

[beenherebeforeagain]

The pole, darn it

There was something wrong with your pole? Ew!

 

[Revoltingest]

The pole, darn it

Ahem....."poll".

 

[Smart_Guy]

I mean Paul. Sorry.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I mean Paul. Sorry.

I thought maybe you meant you revised your pal, DS!

 

[Thief]

The pole, darn it

don't you just hate typos?

poll.....is the joke

 

[Thief]

Is Paul a Pole?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

My pal Paul the Pole answered the poll under a pall of smoke from the falafel vendors stands...

 

[Thief]

Pall Malls.....no doubt (cigarettes)

 

[Smart_Guy]

Enough, my palls hurt!

 

[Revoltingest]

Overheard once at an international track meet.......
"Are you a pole vaulter?"
"Yes....how did you know my name is Walter?"

 

[Jainarayan]

It depends. I think bogus news stories ala The Onion and the Pluto-Jupiter gravity thing are funny, but I don't think pranks played on individuals are funny. I'm sort of in the same camp as @Rival.

 

[Thief]

I hear that limerick.....again...

 

[Revoltingest]

It depends. I think bogus news stories ala The Onion and the Pluto-Jupiter gravity thing are funny, but I don't think pranks played on individuals are funny. I'm sort of in the same camp as @Rival.

I'm reminded of....
http://discovermagazine.com/1995/apr/01-molelike-animal-melts-ice-tunnels-with-its-head/

Strange Molelike Animal Melts Ice Tunnels With Its Head
The hotheaded naked ice borer may have feasted on a polar explorer.

 

[Revoltingest]

Another favorite April Fool hoax.....

 

[Orbit]

Hello foo... I mean, guys! (ehhm, not sure about the grammar on the title)

This tradition is practiced in different ways. Some do friendly pranks and some others boldly lie straight out. Some jokes/pranks/lies are harmless and friendly while some others are harsh and rude.

What do you think of it in general?

I personally don't favor it in general since basically it is based on lies. I think this could seriously encourage the sense of lying in us and specially in the youngsters and those with weaker will.




Some important side story:
I told a friend of mine that it is a Western tradition (it came out spontaneously without bad ill intentions, and since we both were Arabs having our own traditions and heritage) alien to us and it is based on lying to others. He ignored the "lying" point and said it does not matter being Western, which I completely agree with, but this is not my point. The point is that I owe my Western friends an apology. I'm sorry.

Are all jokes "lying"?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

rolling on the floor!!! Hadn't seen that one before...but when I saw the host, I knew something was up!

 

[Smart_Guy]

Are all jokes "lying"?

No, not all. But in relation to the subject at hand, so far I see April Fool's has typically and traditionally became, if not originally is, a lying joke/prank. All those I know of (doesn't mean factually all) are lies. I use the word "lie" here neutrally, not judgmentally.

 

[Revoltingest]

No, not all. But in relation to the subject at hand, so far I see April Fool's has typically and traditionally became, if not originally is, a lying joke/prank. All those I know of (doesn't mean factually all) are lies. I use the word "lie" here neutrally, not judgmentally.

"Trickery" is a better word than "lying" regarding jokes & pranks.
About English words......
"Lie" is not neutral. It connotes subterfuge, dishonesty, wrongfulness.
Modifying it to be "White lie" makes it somewhat positive.

 

[4consideration]

It depends on what is passing for humor, as to whether or not I like it.

I like silly, goofy, and sometimes crude humor, but I strongly dislike anything that would be very upsetting -- like pretending someone has been seriously injured, or gore, (even fake gore.) Anything that makes my blood start pumping like a real emergency is happening may put me in a bad mood for a long time.

A lot of "April's Fools" humor is something that is like a "got ya." It is silly and immediately revealed to be a trick, so it doesn't have lasting value for upset. I think that's fine.

I don't like a lot of the kinds of "pranks" I've seen on TV or video, as much of it just seems to be mean, and laughing at someone else's pain.

The silly pranks we did as kids -- like short-sheeting a bed, or putting shaving cream on the ear-piece of a phone, or putting some plastic wrap around the bowl of the toilet -- was hilarious to me.

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm reminded of....
http://discovermagazine.com/1995/apr/01-molelike-animal-melts-ice-tunnels-with-its-head/

Strange Molelike Animal Melts Ice Tunnels With Its Head
The hotheaded naked ice borer may have feasted on a polar explorer.

And I don't sleep now, as it is!