[CR]In defence of not using bad words

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

From: <OROBOYZ@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 11:10:33 EST
To: brucerobbins@worldmailer.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]In defence of not using bad words

In a message dated 12/20/00 9:51:04 AM Eastern Standard Time, brucerobbins@worldmailer.com writes:

<< you might be the biggest pervert on the globe for all I know but your post certainly had me chuckling.

Isn't there a danger that this list takes itself just a little too seriously? Let's keep a sense of humour: there are worse things in the world than the M word >>

Bruce & all:

I don't know how long you have been a participant on this list, but I already have many painful episodes in my memory... of "humor" in messages that was taken wrongly or taken offence from. We have lost valuable members due to humor gone awry. As any of my friends can tell you, I am a serious addict to wise cracking and attempts at humor, but I have been through the "school of hard knocks" here and now must ask all CR list members, including myself, to be more than extra-cautious in their attempts at being funny. I bite my lip a couple of times a day when thinking about wise-guy responding to posts to the list. I write my "funnies" directly to individuals and TRY to keep from going to the whole list with them..... This is called LEARNING and MATURITY! (OK, I am not there yet, but working on it still!)

It's not that "the list takes itself too seriously" but that basic communication differences among us have meant losses of members over relatively innocent breaches in "etiquette." This recent instance is a perfect example; the member made a funny-to-me, slightly outrageous-for-effect comment that a certain part of the list thought was a chuckle, but another, perfectly valid group of people said "Geez, does that kind of base humor belong on a vintage bike list?" I say, even though I wasn't among this last group in my initial response, that they have a good point!

The fact is that jokes of that tone used to be called "locker room" humor, because it was reserved for private among folks who were in tacit agreement it was "off color." I lament, in our glorious current society, that this "just between the boys/girls " vulgar humor is now thrust in our faces in the pop media (Bevis & Butthead, etc., etc.) I also am of the old school in that I believe strongly that crudities (despite my enjoyment of them at moments with the boys) simply do not belong in front of women, dare I say ladies, who we do not know or have a feeling about their sensibilities.... I would really hate that one or more of our women or old fashioned taste men for that matter, might resigned from this list because someone wanted to be clever and "push the envelope!" I would much rather we lose someone who thought off color jokes were more essential than people willing to share real information!

The CR list is intended to be a special list, one in which the atmosphere is more like the times of the bikes we admire.. Perhaps a little more gentile and polite...

Please let me quickly add that I am not incensed by any recent posts as watching occasional TV can quickly harden one against all the affronts of modern life.. but let's keep things on a higher plane (plain?) here.

Agreed?

Hey.. Have a great holiday season, good will and cheer to you all.

Dale Brown
List manager