Page 3 | To think colleagues joke was NOT acceptable?

LaurenkI · 2026-03-02T18:10:29+00:00

My team has a meeting every Monday (virtual) and there’s always chat at the start about weekends etc. One of my colleagues said he’s worrying because his holiday plans for the year include already booked trips to Cyprus and Dubai. Another colleague then said ‘any chance you can book a trip to France next’ and he got a few laughs. I have family in France, as does another colleague I’m aware of. Is it me or is this type of ‘joke’ really inappropriate given the current climate?

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:26

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:24

You said you wouldn't take it seriously, so to now say that it's your job to make sure everyone is listened to? Which is it?
Is this another joke that only office people understand?

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Yep this would not factor as a serious issue to me, that’s my feelings.

Id listen and say “this isn’t a serious issue”

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:24

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You said you wouldn't take it seriously, so to now say that it's your job to make sure everyone is listened to? Which is it?
Is this another joke that only office people understand?

usernamealreadytaken · 04/03/2026 13:23

BauhausOfEliott · 02/03/2026 18:33

Dark humour is fine.

Suggesting it's hilarious for a country to be bombed because you don't like it isn't 'dark humour' though. It's just plain old racism.

I use dark humour as a coping mechanism all the time to process things. I can tell you categorically that that isn't what the OP's colleague was doing. At all.

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Are the French a different race to us now?

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:21

Why the fuck should people have to put up with shit like that at work.

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:21

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Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:18

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:12

Okies 👌 you sound the perfect employee!

I’ll assume your offensive messages will be deleted soon, which of course is not your fault.

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I've not said I'd be the perfect employee. I've said I wouldn't last a week and have even said the bits I specifically find difficult.
I'm responding fairly harshly in response to some really dismissive and shitty posts that have made it really really clear some of my major shortcomings in these things.

Don't dish it out if you can't take it.

ladyofshertonabbas · 04/03/2026 13:15

Shrug and move on? Your manager will (rightly) see you as a time waster at best.

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:14

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I think you sound like you would be that as a manager. Could be wrong of course. Maybe in real life you are lovely and supportive when people come to you because they are upset by a racist colleague?
Maybe you're just joking here and I just dont get it because I'm so autistic?

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:12

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:10

Not above office workers in general. The thick ones that make racist jokes and then huddle down in a clique about it.

I have worked in offices and hated it. I wouldn't even last a week in some of the places described here. I don't even have a problem with working with thick people if they aren't racist or keep their shitty views private.

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Okies 👌 you sound the perfect employee!

I’ll assume your offensive messages will be deleted soon, which of course is not your fault.

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:10

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:06

You are far more offensive than the jokes I’d assume “thick office workers” ?

What makes you above office workers?

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Not above office workers in general. The thick ones that make racist jokes and then huddle down in a clique about it.

I have worked in offices and hated it. I wouldn't even last a week in some of the places described here. I don't even have a problem with working with thick people if they aren't racist or keep their shitty views private.

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:09

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Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:06

CitizenZ · 04/03/2026 12:51

A lot of you people really wouldn't fare very well at a comedy night.

Not at those sort of comedy nights!

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 13:06

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 12:58

The second world war jokes are in most workplaces, ignorant and cringey at best, and xenophobic by definition. Mainly found hilarious by thick office workers who vote reform, and would rather turn a blind eye or perpetuate more division between us and Europe, than just a simple 'that's not funny and not a work joke'

People these days I would hope can still enjoy work banter without it having to be jim Davidson or benny Hill humour.

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You are far more offensive than the jokes I’d assume “thick office workers” ?

What makes you above office workers?

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 13:05

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Branleuse · 04/03/2026 12:58

anotherside · 04/03/2026 12:37

Do you think he genuinely hates France? I think the British are (rightly or wrongly) always making digs at France or Germany (and recently perhaps America). It’s just a longstanding joke surely.

The second world war jokes are in most workplaces, ignorant and cringey at best, and xenophobic by definition. Mainly found hilarious by thick office workers who vote reform, and would rather turn a blind eye or perpetuate more division between us and Europe, than just a simple 'that's not funny and not a work joke'

People these days I would hope can still enjoy work banter without it having to be jim Davidson or benny Hill humour.

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 12:58

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 12:50

Are you a manager of an office?

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Yes are you?

Labelledelune · 04/03/2026 12:55

It’s a joke, jeez

CitizenZ · 04/03/2026 12:51

A lot of you people really wouldn't fare very well at a comedy night.

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 12:50

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 11:47

It’s not xenophobic, I also think you’re right not to work in an office.

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Are you a manager of an office?

G5000 · 04/03/2026 12:40

there has to be some kind of reasonable standard people are held to. We can't be held responsible for all special needs, sensitivities and triggers of a thousand colleagues, especially if we don't even know that one person finds perfectly normal interactions confusing, another is still triggered by mention of dogs as theirs died 15 years ago and third has family in another country so that country shall never be mentioned..

anotherside · 04/03/2026 12:37

Do you think he genuinely hates France? I think the British are (rightly or wrongly) always making digs at France or Germany (and recently perhaps America). It’s just a longstanding joke surely.

Sally20099 · 04/03/2026 12:37

That it bothered you in the first place is a sad indictment of what’s making any fun at work virtually impossible now. What’s beyond comprehension is that you are still mulling it over and posting on MN for opinion.

Paganpentacle · 04/03/2026 12:27

Larrythemonkey · 02/03/2026 18:15

You’re an absolute fun sponge looking for offense.

sounds a good idea to book somewhere a bit closer to home!

This.
What exactly are you upset about?

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 11:47

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 11:28

No I don't thank fuck. I have done before and I've never lasted long in those sort of big group environments! Awful if you don't fit in to the little cliques

This post definitely illustrates why too. They take a certain type of person.
I am autistic and I find stuff like that confusing and alienating.
I also find it really hard when there's rules about things, but they're only randomly applied/enforced.

I would have thought that someone making xenophobic comments or jokes in the workplace would definitely warrant that person being spoken to about it if someone made a complaint.

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It’s not xenophobic, I also think you’re right not to work in an office.

Branleuse · 04/03/2026 11:28

BlimeyOReillyO · 04/03/2026 11:08

Do you work in an office? Do share the details so people can avoid it.

Not sure why you’re surprised that people would give this complaint the contempt it deserves!

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No I don't thank fuck. I have done before and I've never lasted long in those sort of big group environments! Awful if you don't fit in to the little cliques

This post definitely illustrates why too. They take a certain type of person.
I am autistic and I find stuff like that confusing and alienating.
I also find it really hard when there's rules about things, but they're only randomly applied/enforced.

I would have thought that someone making xenophobic comments or jokes in the workplace would definitely warrant that person being spoken to about it if someone made a complaint.