You Fool!

“In the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”

April Fools' Day is celebrated every year on the 1st of April by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool. Some newspapers, magazines, and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in small letters. Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country.

Last Friday was April Fools' Day. Did you get fooled?  Did anything that you read, observed or were told…… fool you?

If you are reading this, you have access to the Internet. You can Google things. You can check things out on www.Snopes.com.  You can check just about anything on any topic from your computer, your smartphone, your tablet, in a matter of seconds.

A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion or discomfort. A person who performs a practical joke is called a "practical joker". Other terms for practical jokes include prank, gag, jape, or shenanigan.

Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks or hoaxes in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being talked into handing over money or other valuables. Practical jokes are generally light hearted and without lasting impact; their purpose is to make the victim feel humbled or foolish, but not victimized or humiliated. However, practical jokes performed with cruelty can constitute bullying, whose intent is to harass or exclude rather than reinforce social bonds through ritual humbling.

In Western culture, April Fools' Day is a day traditionally dedicated to conducting practical jokes.

Something is broken.

When I was growing up we had ONE DAY…….one dedicated day……… April 1st was the one (and only) day to get this all out of our systems. One single day.  April 1st was the day, to get all the jokes, all the pranks, all the foolishness out into the world. You would be on your guard all day long - the 24 hours of April 1st was a day to open doors slowly, a day to be weary of friends bearing gifts, and a day to use caution when taking phone calls from strangers.

Somehow, the Internet in all of its magic and power, has made every day April Fools' day. 

And that seems to be.......well.......the best prank of all.