"What do you think of people who play practical jokes?"
July 2001
Note: This survey was initially posted by Maria Bellamy.
Personally? I hate practical jokes. I can figure out wordplay all
day, but I'm klutzy enough to consider practical jokes potentially dangerous.
How I feel about the person depends on what they do after they find out
how I feel about the jokes....
-- Cathy Fiorello
They deserve what they get.
-- Michael Baugh
Depending upon the joke, they fit in either just above or just below punsters.
-- Carl Parlagreco
Drawing and quartering is a perfect solution.
-- Susan Baugh
I think that as long as they are actual practical
jokes, and not something harmful, and in the right
environment ... I love them to death. As a matter of
fact, I'm one of them.
-- Erin Barger
I think they're a bad idea, and very immature. Even if you know the
victim very well, you still risk hurting someone either physically or
emotionally. Plus, they have a tendency to escalate -- the victim often feels the
need to retaliate with another practical joke, even worse.
And sometimes, innocent bystanders get caught up in it, and are
unintentionally hurt.
They can be fun to watch on TV when you know the victim is fictional
and nobody's really getting hurt by it.
-- Cync Brantley
I would say practical jokes are the most primitive form of humor. Even animals will play practical jokes sometimes. I've read persuasive anecdotes of horses, dogs, cats, a jaguar, chimps ... playing tricks on a human or another animal for amusement.
-- Sylvia Wendell
Not usually fond of it. I have had too many people play too many
tricks on me in the past to find it funny. Besides I play too many tricks on
myself. If they want humor, I can give it to them all by myself.
It also puts the person into a different friend 'category'. One who
is less trustworhty. A few years ago a trusted friend was asked for some
information on a subject I am very sensative about. He gave me the
wrong information and embarrassed me a great deal. It is a joke now, but
he will never know how much that lie effects me to this day. I feel that I
can never truly trust what he tells me. I would trust him with my life,
but not with my heart.
