Should you Celebrate April Fool’s Day Among Your Neighbors or in Your Neighborhood?
While April Fool’s Day has been a beloved tradition for centuries, it does seem to be losing popularity. Fewer people seem to pull off big pranks, and some major companies have even stopped participating.
What is the right choice for you and your neighbors?
One reason people could be turning away from April Fool's Day is that people are more cautious about spreading misinformation, especially in the age of social media. Sometimes, pranks can be taken too far and cause real confusion or harm. (Plus people do not always read things closely on social media).
Another reason might be that people are simply busier and less interested in practical jokes than they used to be.
Or some people say it is because we have lost our sense of humor as a nation.
WHAT ARE THE TRENDS
To understand these trends lets begin with some history.
April Fool’s Day is celebrated on April 1st every year. Typically, it is a day filled with jokes, pranks, and laughter. (Honestly, I was never very good at these!)
Where did this tradition come from? While no one knows for sure, many historians believe it started in the 16th century when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. In the old system, New Year's was celebrated around April 1st, but after the change, it moved to January 1st. Some people were slow to adopt the new calendar and continued to celebrate in April. Others made fun of them, calling them "April fools" and playing tricks on them.
Over time, the tradition of playing pranks on April 1st spread across different countries, eventually becoming the holiday we know today.
FAMOUS PRANKS
Throughout history, April Fool’s Day has given us some of the most famous and creative pranks.
One of the most legendary happened in 1957 when the BBC, a British news station, aired a segment about Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Many people believed it and even called the station asking how they could grow their own spaghetti trees!
Another great prank occurred in 1996 when the fast-food chain Taco Bell announced it had bought the Liberty Bell, one of America’s most famous historical symbols, and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell." The joke fooled thousands of people before the company admitted it was a prank.
In 1998, Burger King published an advertisement announcing a "Left-Handed Whopper," claiming the condiments were rotated 180 degrees to accommodate southpaws. Many people attempted to order the new burger, while others requested the "right-handed" version.
More recently, companies like Google have joined the fun, creating fake products such as Google Nose, which claimed to let users search for smells online.
NEWSPAPERS SHY AWAY
Back in my day (cue the old man music) a lot of newspapers would run April Fool’s stories. While I was the managing editor, I wrote a column for the Cross Country Times that ran Wednesday, April 1, 1992, about how I had developed a very serious allergic reaction to printer’s ink and was closing the newspaper. The article was hilarious, I thought. But it was not well received. People (including my grandma) were seriously upset (partly because they did like me and the newspaper).
About that same time the Mizzou Maneater (newspaper) got sued over their April Fool’s issue and the Missouri Press Association recommended to newspapers to stop doing this because it damages credibility.
When your credibility is on the line with news coverage, I do not think it is wise to dip your toes into the creativity of this holiday any longer.
WHAT DOES DECLINE SUGGEST?
The decline of April Fool’s Day may say something about our society.
In the past, people enjoyed lighthearted jokes and found humor in being tricked. But today, with so much serious news and online misinformation, people may not find pranks as funny.
Pulling pranks is now risky business in the workplace and in your neighborhood.
However, laughter and fun are important parts of life.
April Fool’s Day reminds us not to take everything too seriously. And the spirit of the day does encourage creativity and humor.
But interest has certainly waned in the last decade. Searches for the holiday have dropped by as much as 40% in reach years, according to Google.
INSTEAD OF A PRANK, KINDNESS
What not use the day to do something kind for a neighbor. Not prank, but rather some thanks.
Acts of kindness still require some creativity and can be humorous event, but we need more kindness among neighbors and in our neighborhoods, not pranks.
But who knows? Maybe the biggest prank of all is the idea that the holiday is disappearing!
Video from David Burton: Laugh for the Health of it on April Fool's Day
MORE INFORMATION
Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or visit his website at http://engagedneighbor.com.
Comments
Post a Comment