No 2 minutes silence at gym. AIBU

[Mushypeasandchipstogo]

I went to my gym today for a class in the swimming pool. I had totally expected the class to finish just before 11am so that those who wanted to could observe the two minutes silence. By 10.55am it was apparent that this was not going to happen so I just took myself out of the pool and sat in the changing room by myself.
So as to not drip feed, I am from a Forces Family and the wrong side of 50! I found this totally disrespectful of the instructor. He could have, at the very least, mentioned that he had intended to not stop before the class. AIBU to be upset by this?

I was swimming and we didn't. I thought it was done on the Sunday.

YABU, HTH

@Libertaire

YABU.

If you wish to observe two minutes silence, carry on. Nobody is stopping you.

Others are free to ignore such public virtue-signalling if they wish.

☝

If someone doesn't partake in the silence it doesn't mean they don't care. Just like if someone does partake in it, it doesn't mean they do care..
Same with the poppies, someone could buy one and not give a toss, just because it is 'what you do'. And other might not get round to it, but could be giving money regularly to the british legion.

Both are nice ideas though, just go wrong when people start to make assumptions and judgements based on what others are doing.

@CSJobseeker

You don't think politicians incite patriotism (in the jingoistic sense) when it suits them? What on earth do you think propaganda is for then? Why do governments bother with it?

Loyalty to a specific nation state (which is a pretty abstract concept, with borders changing over time) is not a natural human emotion. Loyalty to the people around you can be, but that's not the same thing.

Well said 👆 One example is the Brexit campaign. There was a lot of “if you’re patriotic, you will want our Sovereignty back” and other related shit. I think patriotism is divisive and dangerous. It triggers all kinds of conflicts and hatred. I am content to be British, but I’m not proud if it. British is responsible for many atrocities and the ways in which we treat our poor, our elderly and our disabled are often disgraceful. We’re not as bad as some countries, but we are much worse than others.

Some people will be offended that you didn’t get changed, others that you didn’t stand to attention, and others that you didn’t adorn your body with multiple poppies.

The hysteria surrounding Remembrance Sunday is out of control. I saw on twitter the attached photo. It sums it up in my view how barmy the whole thing has got.

Your post came across as trying to guilt trip those who didn’t want to observe the 2 mins as you did. You need to concentrate on doing what you want to do, and leaving others to do what they want to do free of your judgment.

I know where you’re coming from but I’m not that surprised. If they had stopped the class early because of the silence then there’s a chance other people might have complained about the class being cut short.

Posters suggesting this probably mean well. But the majority may nonetheless want to continue with the tradition of the 2 minutes silence. Why do some find traditions so difficult and have a constant need to eradicate them?

But it's not really a tradition, is it? It only started up again in 1995. It was a tradition for precisely 20 years from 1919 to 1938 when the events of WW1 were still very fresh in peoples minds. It then ceased to be a tradition for a further 56 years. As it was not a tradition for most of my life, I find its revival completely contrived. I also have a feeling that some of the people observing the silence spend the entire 2 minutes judging others.

Yes you can remember at any time but surely it's more poignant to observe the silence at 11am on the 11th day of 11th month (in case people have forgotten when that is) I don't know why suddenly everyone is saying the 2 min silence is only on Remembrance Sunday.

Because Remembrance Sunday is a solemn occasion where a 2 minute silence is appropriate. Bustling round the supermarket, doing your normal job, in the middle of the gym or in the swimming pool, not so much!

I only remember because I worked in a town at the time @MeridthGreyishblue . I didn't work at the weekends , everything stopped

What time are you talking about? Certainly never happened in any town I lived in. Unless you are in your 80's, of course, and remember from when you were a small child.

I'm talking about when you would be in a pub having fun, and some old fella would start singing a maudlin tune and everyone has to listen cos the old fella is singing

Wow, so, not only are your comments xenophobic (given you are in the UK but don't appear to like Brits very much) but also ageist.

Any other endearing traits we should be aware of?

It's British scepticism and distrust of ideologies that has protected our freedom

Really? Which ideologies do you distrust? All of them, or are you selective?

Equally I am baffled at the growing trend of "decorating" for Rememberence Day. Are these tatty huge poppies stuck to lampposts supposed to be meaningful? These shops that do displays like its Halloween? It's just rubbish the same as Christmas decs. Cheaply made tat that will be thrown away.

This is parodied on the Twitter page Poppy Watch. No doubt some find this is enormously offensive, but no one has the right not to be offended. I find poppy tat offensive.

As an aside, I was thinking earlier how brilliant Blackadder Goes Forth was, and how sadly there is no way the BBC would have the guts nowadays to broadcast it. They would be terrified of crucifixion by Twitter. What an enormous shame this is.

@HesterShaw1

Equally I am baffled at the growing trend of "decorating" for Rememberence Day. Are these tatty huge poppies stuck to lampposts supposed to be meaningful? These shops that do displays like its Halloween? It's just rubbish the same as Christmas decs. Cheaply made tat that will be thrown away.

This is parodied on the Twitter page Poppy Watch. No doubt some find this is enormously offensive, but no one has the right not to be offended. I find poppy tat offensive.

As an aside, I was thinking earlier how brilliant Blackadder Goes Forth was, and how sadly there is no way the BBC would have the guts nowadays to broadcast it. They would be terrified of crucifixion by Twitter. What an enormous shame this is.

To clarify - there is no way the BBC would have the guts nowadays to commission it, not broadcast it. Luckily it went down in history for teaching an entire new generation (mine) about the horror and futility of trench warfare and is therefore Approved Of.

Animals are not territorial to an area the size of a nation though. So as the poster you quotes said, people are often loyal to small groups (family, friends, neighbours) as a natural instinct such as can be observed in animals

Animals are loyal to those in their social group, not a nation

So it's a matter of distance or size then? Rather simplistic if you ask me

I can consider someone living in Orkney as part of my social group, especially when I perceive them to reciprocate my feelings. You could feel a strong bond with a next door neighbour who refers to a place other than the UK when they say 'my country', like a poster upthread. Interesting.

LOL at some posters' nervousness at the suggestion that patriotism can be instinctive and hence real (as opposed to a mere construct that can be eroded if you try hard enough)

I also have a feeling that some of the people observing the silence spend the entire 2 minutes judging others

What would you think of someone who visited a place like Auschwitz (mentioned by a PP) who behaved inappropriately? Would you not judge them?

Really? Which ideologies do you distrust? All of them, or are you selective?

I can't speak for that poster, but yes, I question all ideologies, including those which I consider to broadly align with my views.

I don't think unquestioning belief is a positive thing, whether it's belief in a person, a country, a government, or an idea.

All ideologies which sweep people up in flag waving, label displaying, rallying, baying enthusiasm/fanaticism are something to question and be sceptical about. I'm including virtual life as well as actual real life.

They all have the potential to turn into a mob, which turn on minorities.

The last 20 months or so have perfectly shown that.

It's worth noting that unquestioning belief was one of the goals of the state in Orwell's 1984. Because that unquestioning belief was part of what gave them such power over people.

@mustlovegin

I also have a feeling that some of the people observing the silence spend the entire 2 minutes judging others

What would you think of someone who visited a place like Auschwitz (mentioned by a PP) who behaved inappropriately? Would you not judge them?

What the actual fuck?

You're comparing someone finishing their pre-booked swimming lesson with someone behaving inappropriately at Auschwitz?

Have a word with yourself.

@MeredithGreyishblue

Definite conflating of the 2 days. But when the BBC & othe media do it too, it's not hard to see why.

The more recent resurrection of 2 mins on Armistice is, I think, in response to more recent conflicts (Iraq) and to incite waves of patriotism.

My grandparents married on Armistice Day back in the days post the Second World War when it really was recent.

I agree that it's a more recent phenomenon. It arose around the same time as Help for Heroes was established, and was part of the same trend of sanctifying the military.

I have every respect for people who join the armed forces, but we all know that they are absolutely not all heroes, and indeed many of them absolutely hate the thoughtless way that term is pinned to them. Many will get through their military career seeing less danger than the average police or fire officer, or lifeboat volunteer. It's also a cause that has unfortunately been adopted by some of the more rabid right wing groups, which is quite ironic given that most of their members wouldn't last 5 minutes in a military career. So to have people like that aggressively telling others off for not staying silent at some arbitrarily fixed time is really pretty unpalatable.

YABU for trying to force your religion/beliefs on others.
No lobby group has a right to disrupt public life, no matter how just and worthy their cause might be.

@mustlovegin

to incite waves of patriotism

Patriotism isn't 'incited', it's felt.

It appears a few cannot feel it as their loyalty lies elsewhere, but why do they feel entitled to prevent the majority from following their own traditions if they wish to do so?

Who is trying to prevent what majority from doing what? I don't see any evidence of anyone trying to stop armistice day activities.

Who is trying to prevent what majority from doing what? I don't see any evidence of anyone trying to stop armistice day activities.

I presume the people preventing others from observing the silence are the same ones who are trying to cancel Christmas to avoid offending Muslims.

Those imaginary people.

Hang on, are people trying to say that patriotism is a natural instinct that (some) people are born with? Is it fuck . It’s a social construct,