Eh, I don’t see how the “glee” portion makes any sense. In the military context, the survivors were facing combat against the same force as their fallen brothers and sisters. They all had a similar chance of death. In this context, the ‘survivors’ never did anything worthy of being banned. They aren’t comparable situations.
Some of us have taken quite a few shots from those who are now dead to us.
— Eh, I don’t see how the “glee” portion makes any sense.
Aww, I’m just makin’ it up as I go, you know?
I agree that the situation here isn’t anywhere near as powerful as what some of these men have been through, but some of the strings of posturing and rough talk, combined with the obviously military nicknames, built an image in my mind of what it might be like.
- - - -
Long, boring days or weeks filled with petty tasks. Everyone is on everyone else’s nerves and nobody can do anything right. Mischief alternating with recrimination becomes a daily pattern.
Then the call comes in, and the mood changes quickly and everyone looking out for each other’s backs. Then, suddenly, the air is charged with adrenaline and testosterone and shouting and gunfire and smoke and dust.
Then it’s over, or is it? Uncertainty slowly gives way to consensus: all clear. Now it’s time to check on each other and see who is OK, who needs help, and who is beyond help.
Then relief sets in, and there is the telling and reliving events, congratulating of the successful, arguing over the credit—but nothing too serious, yet. There is also remembering the missing—a sometimes unkindly reminiscing.
Finally, a solemn, uneasy quiet settles in and lasts until boredom takes over again.
- - - -
Looking over the first 9,000 posts of this thread (a marathon session to be sure), I saw that pattern repeated several times.
FR is a serious thing to many of these folks, and seeing someone they’ve swapped barbs and wisecracks with get banned is...what? A little frightening? Yes, a little. So yes, there’s a little relief when it’s over. And yes, there’s more to it than that, but it’s in the mix, how much I don’t know.
Some of the old-timers on this thread seem to alternate between flirting with suspension or banishment by abusing their fellows, and then seeking reassurance from JR that they haven’t gone too far, and then making up, sort of, a little.
Of course there is a lot of brash cheerfulness to be rid of a jerk.
I wonder how many thesis have been written on the sociology of message boards?