Disclaimer: I already know what I’m going to do. I’m just curious, not least because I’m still feeling my way around Facebook.
Friends just had a baby. They posted a photo with the full name and time of birth.
When I opened the reply box, I first thought, “We all knew you had it in you.”
Then I thought, “Nah, it’s not the right time to be clever.” So I posted a brief congratulations.
Then I decided I would going to go back in a little while and add, “Oh, and to quote Dorothy Parker, ‘We all knew you had it in you.’ :)”
Then I thought I’d ask the SD how they think it would have been if I’d started with the Parker quote, without the first reply as a buffer. Would it be offensive, funny or other?
I wouldn’t say it was offensive, but perhaps not appropriate, particularly if it’s the first response. It’s a bit like the first reply in a GQ thread being a joke. It might be funny, but it’s not the time or place to do it.
I think your addendum would have been fine with your initial congratulations post. But the quote on its own might not read well to everyone, particularly tired frazzled hormonal new parents.
I’d not heard that quote before but if someone had posted it on my birth announcement I’d have LMFAO. And then cursed you because my bladder control was not what it should be.
Plenty of people made jokes in the thread on a forum where I announced my kid’s birth… It provided much needed levity in amongst the turmoil and stress and exhaustion.
It being not the time or place is dependent wholly on the parents themselves. It would have been 100% appropriate in our case.
That post would be entirely appropriate amongst my FB friends. Several of them have had babies and if I’d have been clever enough at the time, I would totally post that. I think I’ll save it for the next.
I’d say it depends on your relationship and reputation. I’m well known for my offbeat humor so if I posted that no one would be surprised or offended, except perhaps for my ESL friends who might be confused.
Anyone who finds that offensive has no sense of humour. It’s not knee-slappingly funny, but certainly not offensive in any imaginable way; it’s smirkworthy.
Well, it seems to have gone over okay! I was just thinking that if someone didn’t know the quote, they might think it was random, like I’d hit the wrong reply window. But people are responding in Spanish and Latin as well as English, so mine is hardly the most far-out comment!
BTW, if I’ve got it right, Mrs. Parker made that comment in a telegram. Communication by wire, and look how far we’ve come. Imagine what her blog would be like.
