PRACTICAL JOKING WITH CLASS: SOME GROUND RULES
An associate of Dr. Richard Jahns once accused me in tossing water balloons from the roof of the Mitchell Earth Sciences Building onto a tea party being held on the building patio. I was truly insulted! My standards when it comes to pranks were beyond that sort of immature harassment even during my days as a graduate student. Dr. Jahns, a true jokemeister and role model, inspired us to better things.
R. V. Jones' lecture on "The theory of practical joking - its relevance to physics", published in the Bulletin of the Institute of Physics, June, 1957, p. 193 and reprinted in A Random Walk Through Science (compiled by R. L. Weber) sets standards appropriate to professionals. What is funny about hiring a hit man to toss a pie into The Dean's face? Any punk with a few spare dollars can do that! Such a prank is unworthy of any individual who has advanced beyond the sophomore year of high school.
What is a real challenge, however, is to convince The Dean to stick his own face into a pie. This requires careful planning and flawless execution. The prankster must somehow convince The Dean that, no matter how incongruous the situation, it is in his or her best interest to place his or her face into the pie. An astute Dean will recognize the incongruity and avoid the prank. However, opportunities arise when even Deans can be convinced to make irrational decisions.
So - what makes for a good practical joke? First, do no harm. Damage to property should be limited to what can be remedied by a few minutes with broom, mop or vacuum cleaner. Second, play no pranks on persons of lesser status - unless provoked. This means I do not show off by tricking graduate students (where is the challenge?) - unless someone must be taught a lesson. Associate Professors or Deans (particularly of other schools), on the other hand, remain fair game. Third, the prank must include elements of incongruity such that the victim should recognize the fact that something does not quite add up. In other words, the victim must make a decision that permits the joke to occur, a decision that is not entirely rational based on all available information. Of course, if the victim fails to note some of the information that is available, the joke will achieve the anticipated climax.
Humility forbids my offering examples.