From: Marcus Buck <me(a)marcusbuck.org>
Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Non-free content on Commons
To: "Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List"
<foundation-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 10:16 AM
Birgitte SB hett schreven:
Right, it obviously "the pompous English
majority"
conspiring here because you received a prank from every
English speaker on the list.
If the list were in Spanish so every immature youth in
Latin America with too much
time on their hands could access
it without scholarship, you would be unable to spare the
rest of us on Dec 28. Follow David's example and
ignore those who actually choose to waste your time and
spare the rest of us your stereotyped rant.
Birgitte SB
Cultural imperialism is not confined to societies. It can
be done by
individuals too. And Pedro's critical remarks are aimed at
individuals.
No need to feel offended as a member of the English
majority (except you
support imposing your own cultural sillynesses on other
people, in that
case, feel offended).
The main problem with "just ignore them" is: If you don't
know the
custom of April's Fool day, you won't know that it's a
joke. And even if
you know the custom you can still fall for the jokes.
I am fully aware, that there will always be idiots, who
don't know how
to behave in an intercultural environment, but only if we
tell them that
they are idiots, awareness can arise for the idioticy of
this behaviour.
If you hadn't snipped it would be clear the rant was not directed at any individuals.
The foundation list and it's English majority were all that was given not idiotic
pranksters. While one need not feel offended about it, neither does one need to feel
annoyed with April Fools pranks. But such an attitude is offensive to me and I don't
think it belongs here any more than the annoying pranks do.
I am afraid you misunderstood my suggestion as well as misquoted me.. I have no issue with
singling out people, and didn't mean to suggest they must be ignored without comment.
More like placed on the "ignore emails from X" function of your Inbox. So that
they won't bother him in the future.. I suggested following David's example,
which was singling a prankster out and publicly announcing that he was ignoring him. So I
never intended to suggest that he "just ignore [the pranks]".
Birgitte SB