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Subject:In defense of humor... From:Lisa Comeau <COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA> Date:Tue, 16 Jun 1998 15:01:08 -0400
First, I apologise for the appearance of my email messages with the equal signs and so on. I cant do anything about it, it appears to be an intermittent firewall issue. So, instead of using quotes, I have capitalized things to be stressed, I am not yelling...and I have left out asterisks and capitalized there too. I have also left out apostrophes. Hope this is easier to read. I wish I could predict when this type of thing happens, but I cant.
Second, I tried to respond to a post that I found interesting, and thought it had alot to do with my side of technical writing AND with my background in the entertainment industry, particularly my four years of stand up comedy experience.
Third, I like cats, so will you people stop sending me personal email flames about my alleged cruelty to animals? I liked the analogy my Physics teacher used because
at the time the Earl the Dead Cat dolls that you stuck in your car trunk were popular, which, by the way, I hated
and his 2 year old son had been severely mangled by a cat, and it made me remember it after all these years, NOT because I condone animal abuse. As a matter of fact, I worked for an animal shelter to help pay for my University education.
If I offended you, I am sorry, but please learn that noone can MAKE anyone else feel anything, that is your choice. Just like it is your CHOICE to use humor, or not, as the case may be.
If you have the freedom to use what YOU think is humor, and you wish to do so, do it. If you feel it is appropriate, do it. But please stop telling me that I shouldn't, because I have, I can, I do, and I will, because its my job! I was hired mostly on the basis of my entertainment industry experience, the technical was only half of it.
None of you who are so quick to flame me have even expressed an interest in why I am defending the use of humor, you're telling me I'm unprofessional because I make jokes. Which parts of my posts did you read? Or were you all just blinded by one comment I made which didnt even come from me?
I discussed the fact that you need to be careful, and I mentioned that IN MY JOB humor works because I use it in CONJUNCTION with my teaching, but I suppose that this thread shouldnt be any different than any other in which people assume that others on the list have the exact same position and duties as they do.
At least when I dont agree with something someone else posted, I dont try to make them a villain. I like to think that I have to respect a persons opinion if I repect them, whether I agree or not. And I DO agree with many of you that in YOUR positions, humor may not be acceptable. So don't use it.
Sorry if I'm ranting or off topic, but I think that respect is more important than humor or lack thereof, and by the way, just because you don't find something funny doesn't mean you are humorless, but it doesn't make the person who FINDS it funny a terrible person.
Why does everyone get so hung up on the fact that posters to the list dont think the same as they do? Thats what makes us such a good group when we can debate in a good way instead of slamming each other.
All those who believe in telekinesis raise my hand...
My twenty dollars worth
Lisa Comeau
IS Super-User/Trainer
Certification and Testing Division
Canadian Standards Association
Rexdale, ON
comeaul -at- csa -dot- ca
