To think that it's not hard to take a minute's silence?

[justwonderingtbh]

I work in Manchester. Today was the second anniversary of the attack, which is always going to be a sad day.
I work in an office call centre environment and everyone was briefed about a minute's silence that would be taking place at 2:30. Was told to not take calls after 25 past etc.
It came to half past and a bell was chimed for the silence, I was the only person who stood up for the silence which didn't bother me much but I did think that's the done thing. Also there were people still on their calls! More bothered about making a sale than remembering the 22!
Yes I understand that these people are just trying to hit their commission but just call the customer back afterwards. It has really angered me.

You're taking this far too seriously. You cant impose your views on others like this.

All this posting on Facebook and leaving flowers everywhere is mawkish I think. Not just for this but whenever somebody dies. Not my cup of tea at all.
Was it 2016 that a lot of celebrities died?
Flowers and helium balloons everywhere.

You cant impose your views on others like this.

But it's all right for those who don't want to observe it to impose their views on others?

What the hell happened to manners and consideration?

It's hardly exaggerating or being fake. People want to grieve and show remembrance and leaving flowers is a valid way to do that.
As many pps have said, people grieve and reflect in different ways, so it's hardly mawkish to be devastated recently after your loved ones were victims of a terrorist attack in your home town.

But it's all right for those who don't want to observe it to impose their views on others?

Expecting people to observe something they don’t want to requires them to do something

For those who are observing, all you have to do is ignore the others rather than actively do something

They are different requirements

But it's all right for those who don't want to observe it to impose their views on others?

But someone not being silent doesn't stop you being silent, does it.

What if their most earnest desire was to play Ariana Grande songs out loud in memoriam?

OP wanted to have a rant on a day when her emotions are running high. It's not clear whether she appreciates the alternative POV that has been suggested; or if she - and you - still feel they should get to dictate how people grieve and anything less is unacceptable.

You know, suffering and trauma don't stop a person who has always been a tiresome pain in the arse from being a tiresome pain in the arse. Maybe some of your colleagues thought the one who demanded the entire workforce comply with 'her' minute's silence is an attention-seeker who is milking the tragedy even two years down the line.
If I had a workmate who demanded everyone observe a silence, while I wouldn't necessarily run round the office yodelling and farting, I wouldn't stop what I was doing, either. I think they are all pointless wank, and if you want to have a pointless wank you can go and do it on your own tiime.

Wow. The attention seeker who is milking the tragedy two years down the line lost a family member in the attack. No need for that comment. She never demanded everyone complied. This thread has got out of control, I'm really sorry I ever posted anything.

You stood up? Why?

Oh yeah that's another thing actually! I thought when having any minute's silence that you stood up, but barely anyone did. It didn't annoy me or anything but u was just wondering is this not a thing? It seemed some people did and some didn't so maybe it's like a personal thing, just always had it in my head that you stood up for a silence idk why

I’ve never stood up or seen anyone else do it if they are seated. It’s not a thing.

I do think the issue is, that, sadly, there are many tragedies in the world. You can't 'stop the world' and have minutes of silence for them all.
I work for a large LA and we get e-mails round saying there is going to be a minute's silence for one tragedy, but then not for another. Who decides which ones are "more important"? Who decides how long / how many anniversaries this happens for? Who would want to be the person to say 'Yes, I know we've 'remembered' for 7 years but I think that's long enough, we won't do it in Year 8? How many people have to die for something to become 'officially remembered ? If it is about 'remembering the time and the place' then why should there be a silence at a different time? Is it more tragic that tens of people dies on British soil than hundreds or people dying on foreign soil? Does a terrorist killing make someone's loss more than a natural disaster, or a complete accident? What if someone in my office loses half their family in a car accident? Is that "worthy" of a minute's silence the next year, or not, as it is "only one family".
This is the issue with officially dictated mourning - it becomes impossible.

I was in the cafe at the velodrome when they asked for a minute's silence. It happen d in all MCC venues and offices apparently. All staff and customers paid their respects apart from two blokes who kept chatting. I'm not into big displays of grief, I think it's a very private thing, to the extent that I will only go to the cemetery on my own to see my parents, but those guys today were just rude and ignorant. It wouldn't have hurt them to just be quiet for 60 seconds.

Yes I get it OP just outside Manchester here and the events of 2 years ago were on my mind all day x

No, I’ve never heard of anyone deliberately standing for a minute’s silence if they were already sat down.

Without being insensitive to your colleague, but if there was a specific service for the family members why didn't she attend that?

You don't get to dictate how other people grieve and remember.
Plus, how many people who were silent were thinking about the tragic events. They could be thinking about anything and the people who spoke might be involved in other commemorative events, or have their own way of reflecting.
Personally, I would feel awkward talking during a minute silence, but I think you're far too angry about this.

When I worked in call centres and still had a call at the time of the minute silence, I'd speak to the customer and either offer a call back or they could be put on hold. I've had customers actually ask if they could join me in the silence (not put on hold and observed the silence with me) and I've had arseholes.

Just because you observed, doesn't mean that everyone has to, that's their choice

As many pps have said, people grieve and reflect in different ways

You say this OP but you are criticising people who choose/chose to reflect in a different way from the one you think they should do.

Ever noticed how many wankers can't just observe whatever bit of performative 'grieving' is being pushed at the time, but have to harass others into complying or attempt to shame and bully those who have more important things on their minds than an utterly useless gesture that's allegedly on behalf of dead strangers?
It's worth noting that not all those bereaved in a newsworthy tragedy observe or appreciate the public virtue signalling. Some find griefwanking intrusive and infuriating.

I kind of understand why. They might have children to feed, rent to pay, they can't just hang up on customers or expect them to wait on the line for a minute while they are silent. A minute's silence is just a gesture which doesn't really mean much - it doesn't bring anyone back, it doesn't heal any pain. Just because they weren't able to end their call in that particular one minute designated by your workplace doesn't mean that they don't care, that they don't remember and feel horrific about what happened.

Indeed @SGB. For some people involved in a tragedy, they don't want to remember it, they want to do their best to avoid it. They might want to just, in their mind, act normally to try not to remember it. And that is their right too. There were people involved in the Titanic disaster who refused to even talk about the subject, even 20 or 30 years later.

If I was the girl in the OP's office whose family member had died in the arena and I felt upset enough to want the office to hold a minute's silence two years later, I think I'd probably have chosen to take the day or afternoon off and attended the service in the Cathedral so I could grieve or reflect about my family member.

But again, we're all different aren't we, and allowed to grieve or reflect as we choose to? Except in certain circumstances, apparently we aren't.

The majority position in Manchester is to show public togetherness in the face of what happened. It may not be to your taste. It may not be something that happens in five years' time. But it is how it is done here. If it actually offends anyone they should quietly keep their counsel. That is how this city is coping with such a terrible thing. People here love music, love going out. I prefer the former not the latter but I love my city more and show my respect by keeping my private views to myself.

Well, clearly not.

It is very telling that there are no posts from other local people whinging that a silence was pushed on them, and they are choosing different ways to remember and reflect.

It's only the virtue signallers who think they have the supreme right to perform their "correct" grieving and everyone who doesn't agree is wrong/a wanker/not a real Manc etc.

I find the idea of standing up for a minutes silence to be ridiculous grief showboating. And the majority of my family are from Manchester.