New member with silly underwear question (how long should they last)...

I apologize for making that joke about buying used underwear on ebay. It was insensitive I guess.

At the same time, I think the poster kind of overreacted. We all need to be able to laugh at ourselves now and then, especially when all we're talking about is clothing (and not even shoes, for that matter). It's not like anyone insulted his sister or made a crack about his religion. And he even acknowledged in his first posting that it was a kind of "silly question," so perhaps he should have recognized that he might get a few joking replies and take them in stride.

I've had a few what I would call "unhelpful" replies to my queries every now and then. A little levity is not a bad thing. Of course there is a difference between making a joke and mocking the questioner, but I don't think most of the responses were that over the line. But maybe I'm wrong, so I'll rein in my jokes from now on. And hopefully that fellow will come back and give the forum another try.

If he does, I'm afraid I still have no answer for him. I've been wearing boxers for 15-20 years and I don't have the foggiest idea how long they last. I don't know anyone who counts washing cycles. I think more expensive boxers feel better, but I really don't know if they last longer.

Originally Posted by knittieguy

Click to expand...

I apologize for making that joke about buying used underwear on ebay. It was insensitive I guess.

At the same time, I think the poster kind of overreacted. We all need to be able to laugh at ourselves now and then, especially when all we're talking about is clothing (and not even shoes, for that matter). It's not like anyone insulted his sister or made a crack about his religion. And he even acknowledged in his first posting that it was a kind of "silly question," so perhaps he should have recognized that he might get a few joking replies and take them in stride.

I've had a few what I would call "unhelpful" replies to my queries every now and then. A little levity is not a bad thing. Of course there is a difference between making a joke and mocking the questioner, but I don't think most of the responses were that over the line. But maybe I'm wrong, so I'll rein in my jokes from now on. And hopefully that fellow will come back and give the forum another try.

If he does, I'm afraid I still have no answer for him. I've been wearing boxers for 15-20 years and I don't have the foggiest idea how long they last. I don't know anyone who counts washing cycles. I think more expensive boxers feel better, but I really don't know if they last longer.

exactly.
same with me, i just thought i had a little fun poking fun. if he found it disrespectful and insulting (on a forum atmosphere as light and fun as this) i will not do it again to him.

I would mainly just appreciate it if the first couple of people to respond would try to be helpful if the request sounds at all serious. I give joking replies to questions too but I try not to drive off brand new members first thing, and I'd hope the more senior members here would do the same.

Originally Posted by diorshoe

Click to expand...

exactly.
same with me, i just thought i had a little fun poking fun. if he found it disrespectful and insulting (on a forum atmosphere as light and fun as this) i will not do it again to him.

Ah, the apology non-apology that implicitly blames the other person for being too sensitive. Wonderful job, diorshoe.

As I told before, I came to SF following a link from AAAC. I found here a more enternaining and useful than AAAC than stroke me as quite a bit snobish and bigoted.

I find many of the posts funny and I do appreciate the good humour of the forum members.

But, my view is that we should act in the forum in the same way a gentlemen should act in real life.

Let's say we gather together in a club. We can discuss our things and make fun of each other and laugh together. Tath's perfectly right.

Let's imagine now that a brand new member arrives, introduces himself and ask for some advice.

If Us as a group start mocking and laughing at him and call him names, I imagine his reaction could be to send us to hell and leave.

If otherwise, we welcome him, take him seriously and give him useful advice, he most probably will stay, and after he feels part of the group he'll see how good humoured we are and will start to have fun and laugh with us.

That is the point I am trying to make. The Internet anonimity lets some people simply act as a-holes to perfect strangers, covered by that anonimity and do things you'd not do in a person to person interaction.

My concern is that if this continues, maybe it coud discourage the serious members and newcomers and we'd stay only with the douchebags that like the bashing and gay-joke trolling as those are most likely the only ones that would stay.

Don't you think ?

If I personally would have been mocked and ridiculized in my first question I would hardly not stayed in the forum.

Until it stops being stretchy. That's usually it for me

the most popular program on public radio saturday mornings is car talk.
there is plenty of joking as well as solid advice.
i think click and clack are great. would not change it for anything.
i think we have the same thing here.
although occasionally its a bit strong. please do not change.

I think this is serious. I mean, don't you have a pair of favorite boxers?

My elastic starts to go after a few years, I just toss and buy new.

Originally Posted by josepidal

Click to expand...

I think this is serious. I mean, don't you have a pair of favorite boxers?

No. I don't wear boxers.

I hate to be the grammar police (well, not really I guess), but...
[from dictionary.com]
anx·ious /ˈæŋkʃəs, ˈæŋ-/
-adjective
1.\tfull of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous: Her parents were anxious about her poor health.

people that mix up "you're" and "your" are beyond help, but I feel people that misuse "anxious" are still salvageable. So take this as a compliment.

Also, I'd say, roughly, even though they cost 8x as much, don't expect them to last 8x as much. Most of what you're paying for is quality, but I would hope some of that quality translates to longevity, as well.

I've got 8 pairs of Zimmerli briefs that I've calculated have had about 150 wears each, and only two of them are starting to show any damage, and only very little. So good underwear can last a while.

All this hand-wringing over one new poster who asked an admittedly "silly" question and got his knickers in a knot because he got a few wisecracks in reply? WTF did he expect?

The typical failure mode of my underwear (boxers and boxerbriefs) is the elastic. The day they droop and you wind up walking around with the waistband at either knee is the day you realize you've had them a mite too long (this has happened to me).

I hate to be the grammar police (well, not really I guess), but...

Click to expand...

Americans are the only internet citizens who criticize other people's diction (while mistakenly calling it grammar) seemingly without the realization that the poster might not speak English as a first language, or might be employing a different dialect. My favourite case was an American calling out a Briton for mis-spelling 'colour' on a British website.

The amusing part of this particular instance is that the second definition for 'anxious' is, simply, eager.

Regards,
Huntsman

Interestingly, I just heard about some study that found that there is a 70% greater chance of being misunderstood in posting something on a message board than there is when talking in person. That's what makes a message board different from sitting around in a club. In person, there is usually no question about when someone is joking or when someone is serious - on a message board it's a lot harder to make that distinction.

Having said that, I usually wear underwear until they rip or the elestic loosens so much that they don't stay up by their own effort anymore.