A terribly inappropriate cacophemism, as well as a 3m+ convention and burgoening ‘lol revenue’ content industry, I write today about the ‘frape’, to be ‘fraped’, ‘frapeing’, ‘frapeage, ‘frapeacino’ and derivatives thereof. I don’t condone the slang on any level (neither do the followers of this page, should you wish to show your support). It is, however, what people who do it call it, so it is referenced as so here for obvious reasons.
‘Frape victims’ have usually left themselves logged into Facebook, or Twitter, or something similar, and one of their friends has written a comedy status, seemingly from them, to their friends or followers. This usually happens at parties, when someone will use a shared machine, and oh look, they’re still logged in. Boring pranksters go for the playground low-blows – ‘I am gay’ through to ‘I just shat my pants’. The more sophisticated frapesters change the birthday of the frape victim to the very next day, ensuring they wake from their hangover to not just the clanging of their own nerve endings, but to the odd well-wishings of 200+ people saying ‘Happy birthday!’ in that process-driven way we’ve become accustomed to.
Download the Mutual Agreement Of Non-Frape & Social Networking Truce contract (PDF)
I wrote this ‘Mutual agreement of non-frape & social networking truce’ faux contract. A group of friends can print it and sign it, ensuring whoever participated is safe from each other. Will it provide NATO-like security for you and your party people? Likely. Will it create a sinister dominant group, safe from their own collective terrifying frape skills, yet able to prey on those who are unaware of the document? Yes, but I hope they don’t. Is it an actual legal contract? No, no, no. It is an attempt to pitch to ‘party people’ at a ‘party people’ level something that might reduce the stupidity.
Addendum: After coverage on Mashable.com, AllFacebook.com and a range of other blogs, it seems people have issues. 1) People think it is an actual legal contract. 2) People are upset I used the word ‘frape’. The chances of this document standing up in court are about the same as finding a dragon and your great grandmother falling out of its nose moments later. It is a social media version of a ‘roommate citation‘; it is kitsch nonsense. The author (that’s me) takes no responsibility for the document or use of it. With regards to the term ‘frape’, yes, it is a terrible portmanteau, but it is what people who do it call it, there is no other term they use for it. Make no bones about it, this ship has sailed; 3m+ Google results for the term, masses of uses on Facebook itself here and here. The document is also for the people who do it, therefore uses their language. The document draws attention to the slang nature of the term too. I can’t help feel if there is any controversy to this particular document, it will be from people who are unaware that this is what their valued, connected, social digital network of millions has decided this prank is called. Am I wrong for referring to it in my article or document? Of course not. Try reporting on, dealing with or drawing attention to the absurdity of anything bad, wrong or silly without using the word for what the world calls it. It just doesn’t happen, except in the Harry Potter books, perhaps. With regards to those who say the word is insensitive, may trigger hurtful memories of those who have been raped or assaulted and how it belittles crime, I agree entirely. But I didn’t think that was reason enough to contradict the millions who use the term. I did, however, consider it enough to quote out the term and refer to it as plebian. M
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That’s much better.
Ta.
This is cool!