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The deleted Covid Humor thread

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peregrina2000

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Many forum members have noticed that the covid humor thread has disappeared, and recent attempts to start a new one were deleted. We have had many PMs with individual forum members, but we thought a more general explanation was in order.

Though some moderators had serious misgivings from the start, we allowed the covid humor thread, on the theory that laughing is always a good release from stress and a positive way to cope with difficulty. Those of us who laughed, though, are undoubtedly not the forum members whose lives have been profoundly changed by covid, either by the death of loved ones, life-altering post-covid distress, or other tragic consequences. Those forum members found the thread tasteless, hurtful and uncaring.

Since our guiding principle is to preserve a place for all things Camino-related, where people feel welcome and unthreatened, we decided that continuing the humor thread was not appropriate.

I have not locked this thread, because doing so means that it will quickly sink out of sight. Though I’m leaving it open for now, please know that disagreements or criticism of our decision should go in a PM to me or another moderator.

Buen camino.
 
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Many forum members have noticed that the covid humor thread has disappeared, and recent attempts to start a new one were deleted. We have had many PMs with individual forum members, but we thought a more general explanation was in order.

Though some moderators had serious misgivings from the start, we allowed the covid humor thread, on the theory that laughing is always a good release from stress and a positive way to cope with difficulty. Those of us who laughed, though, are undoubtedly not the forum members whose lives have been profoundly changed by covid, either by the death of loved ones, life-altering post-covid distress, or other tragic consequences. Those forum members found the thread tasteless, hurtful and uncaring.

Since our guiding principle is to preserve a place for all things Camino-related, where people feel welcome and unthreatened, we decided that continuing the humor thread was not appropriate.

I have not locked this thread, because doing so means that it will quickly sink out of sight. Though I’m leaving it open for now, please know that disagreements or criticism of our decision should go in a PM to me or another moderator.

Buen camino.
I presume I’m allowed to agree with a moderator in open forum; which I do. There’s a time and place for humour - and mine is often inappropriate in retrospect, but COVID is not a laughing matter and now is not the time.
 
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I was one who was not offended by the thread and participated often. That said, we are all different and I do not want to see people hurt over the jokes and cartoons, so totally understand their perspective. I have enjoyed the humor, but the thread did have a good "run of it" and I appreciate that Ivar and the moderators allowed it to continue for a long time...Thank you!
 
My 97 year old aunt just died a few days ago after having Covid for only a week. She lived in a nursing home, but had her own apartment. Interestingly, my dad (her brother,) died at 67 and he was the youngest of four children...one never knows.
 
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My 97 year old aunt just died a few days ago after having Covid for only a week. She lived in a nursing home, but had her own apartment. Interestingly, my dad (her brother,) died at 67 and he was the youngest of four children...one never knows.
Sorry for your loss, CC! May she rest in Peace! 🙏🏻
 
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I think the humor thread (which I read but did not participate in) was very appropriate as people need a relief from the stress of this pandemic. I have enjoyed all the posts and since this is going to be shut down I will finally add my own: In early March 2020 before panic set it, my husband had one final doctor's appointment, his urologist. We had to travel 3 hours despite misgivings as he had seen the same physician for over twenty years and his doctor was going to retire in the next few weeks. My husband went into the clinic as I waited in the car. When he returned an hour later I asked him what his test results were and how his exam went. He looked at me, smiled and said, " We had to elbow bump because we weren't allowed to shake hands, and then .......... he stuck his finger up my a**. I don't usually laugh at my husbands jokes, but at that time I was glad that I had not started driving. I don't believe that humor is insensitive, it allows us to deal with stress and discomfort. I for one am sorry that these threads will disappear.
 
I was one who was not offended by the thread and participated often. That said, we are all different and I do not want to see people hurt over the jokes and cartoons, so totally understand their perspective. I have enjoyed the humor, but the thread did have a good "run of it" and I appreciate that Ivar and the moderators allowed it to continue for a long time...Thank you!
If people read the thread and are hurt by it, perhaps they should not read the thread. If I don't like an article I am reading I just close it and leave. I may not agree with what is being said, but I do not want anyone not to participate in a conversation that they enjoy. If you don't want to participate fine, but don't close threads because someone doesn't like it. Stop the cancel culture here on the camino forum.
 
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No problem. Many people are in sadness bc of losses all around the world these times. Me too: My older brother caught it and lost the battle, over in England in March. No reason to joke about it. Completely understand.
@alexwalker So sorry for your loss. I am watching the memorial service and thinking of your brother, CC’s Aunt, and all those families who are missing family members, friends, coworkers, or acquaintances throught the world. 🙏🏻
 
I should add that humour may be a way of deflection/diverging from our worldwide losses: We have to go on, and humour can maybe help. I simply accept the tragedy unfolding, my loss included, fighting through it. But sad as it is, maybe humour can help, I think?
 
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I should add that humour may be a way of defection/diverging from our worldwide losses: We have to go on, and humour can maybe help. I simply accept the tragedy unfolding, fighting through it.But sad it is. But humour can help?
Humor helps many people deal with uncomfortable situations. It may be a way of deflecting, but eliminating a thread that helped members cope with how Covid has affected them and their familes and friends seems counterintuitive.
 
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I presume I’m allowed to agree with a moderator in open forum; which I do. There’s a time and place for humour - and mine is often inappropriate in retrospect, but COVID is not a laughing matter and now is not the time.
I think when the thread first started, especially when people were first quarantined, the thread provided an outlet to help folks cope with their frustrations and feelings. Currently, I think most of us know someone in our family, or a friend or coworker who has died. Now, just the title of the thread may seem insensitive to someone who is grieving.
 
I’m sure one of the grown-ups will be along shortly to express this better than I, but:

This is ‘the Camino forum’ not the ‘tell us what you’re thinking about - no really, just carry on we’re interested, honestly’ forum. There are a million other places where we can unburden ourselves of baggage, tell mother-in-law jokes or just moan.

I don’t think that the occasional deleting of my expressions of opposition to ritual ruminant torture (I’m trying to avoid ‘bull fighting’ just in case they’re running a script. Oh bugger, I’ve done it again) constitutes ‘cancel culture.’ It’s simply outside the guidelines which this specific forum sets.

The ‘COVID humour’ thread was an aberration for quite some time. Speculation on the virus was edited, advice on future options was edited - but the ‘humour’ thread carried on, obviously to the discomfort of some.

The moderators here are volunteers and generally of even-temper. In my opinion - which is worth no more or less that that of anyone else - if you want to discuss camino-related topics, there is no finer place than here.

If you need to unburden yourself of angst or relieve your tension with humour, perhaps you could do that elsewhere?

I participate in several forums, each with their own speciality and some with a general ‘attitude’ which would offend most new participants within seconds of their arrival.

This forum’s demeanour is a bit 1930’s, maiden aunts on bicycles, occasional doffing of hats and obsessive politeness; but there’s nothing wrong with a bit of that in my opinion.

I must try to get the cork back in my dinner.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I understand that there are differences of opinion on whether to keep the thread or not. We decided that on balance, the interests of those who were hurt and offended by the thread outweighed the interests of those who wanted to laugh over covid. Isn’t that how a community operates, with compassion for the feelings of other? If we take the position that we don’t care if others are hurt or offended because they just don’t have to read the thread, then there is no point in having any rules of engagement at all — let’s just have a free for all where anyone can say what they want, and we can avert our eyes when offended. And I’m sorry, but I think it is ridiculous to call this an example of cancel culture. If anyone wants to discuss this further, let’s take it to a PM, but I’m going to close the thread.
 
Thanks to those who have written PMs. I got the permission of one of the senders to post a snippet of a PM I got, which I think sums it up much more eloquently and to the point than I did.

Things shared with humorous intent can go awry when we don't know the audience or what they think or have experienced. First rule of humor (from my Speech professor several decades ago) is to remember that all humor has a root in pathos, so any one person's humor may hold an intense pain at its root and may inflict pain on others with a similar experience.

I am not trying to pile on in opposition to those who disagree with the decision, merely to shine some better light on our rationale.
 
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