Roy asks – “I’m at work right now and some of my co-workers enjoy sharing memes. However, out of the group, there are two females who can’t stop cackling. Not a chuckle, not a pleasant, well-rounded laughter; but this hideous screech of a cackle that makes me wish I had earplugs. So, in order to try and understand it a little, anyway, I came across this blog and tuned out their screech and managed to amuse myself, quietly, of course. I am male.”
Oh my Holy Spirit, this man read and appreciated Your answer about women who noisily focus attention to themselves through unpleasant laughter tendencies. I’ll add to that list a woman whose sneeze sounded like a loud, high-pitched shout, to which her friend always said “Bless you” each time. In both cases, the women appear normal at rest, and they also seem to be completely unaware of the spectacular interruption that they foist upon everyone. What sort of solution might You suggest? If any?
“Oh My God, We don’t know! These are runaway tendencies that nobody seems to have the nerve to object to. I know that you have been tempted to record them and then play the sound back to the offenders. I think that would be effective, at least in causing the person to attempt a cure.”
At least that wouldn’t let them get away with it anymore. I think a radio program, or any broadcast, could solicit examples from the public and then have a contest for the most-shocking….. playing the anonymous entries throughout the day and calling for votes. That way victims, such as Roy, could record his offending co-workers on his cell phone and maybe win a cash prize.
Meanwhile, the public and the cacklers would be educated about the phenomenon. Experts could be interviewed. People could complain in this anonymous way and the ladies might shut up, eventually. Would You recommend doing that?
“Yes, I certainly would! That would be effective across the board. Or even, play the recording over the office public-address system and see if the offenders recognize themselves!”
All’s fair in love and laughter!
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A few days later – I had just ordered a $22 lunch in a Lebanese Restaurant here in London, when six women in their twenties came in and took over the large table in the center of the medium-sized room. They began to shriek with laughter and speak very loudly, ignoring the discomfort of the surrounding guests. Finally, I asked the waitress to box up my meal and I left. I couldn’t understand their utter disregard for the other diners.
Someone has just speculated that it was a Hen Party, though they didn’t have the usual, tell-tale sashes designating the Hens and The Bride. Here in England, that custom gives women license to shriek and laugh publicly, wherever they desire on one last fling before marriage.
I reconsidered my suggestion to record and then playback immediately the offending sounds, simply because I couldn’t have stood to double the listening dose. But, I do wish there were someplace on the Internet to begin collecting Cackling Women samples.