Have you ever owned or received a card that makes you feel embarrassed?
I once got several postcards as free gifts, but I couldn’t send one of them out because the theme is virus. Not doctors, not “stay at home” message, just virus. It’s really weird to send a card like this during the pandemic, so at the end I discarded (no intentional pun) it.
What would you do if you have this kind of card? Would you discard it, keep it for yourself or just wait until one Postcrosser says “I like weird cards”?
One time a person not knowing the Dutch language sent me a postcard, of which the text asked me if I wanted to go out with them.
I thought it was pretty hilarious, not embarrassing per se, but just funny.
Every card has a time and place. That cards just wasn’t now. If I get a card I’m not particularly thrilled about, I can usually find someone who will appreciate it for what it is.
I would keep it for awhile and see if there were people who like that kind of thing. I appreciate your sensitivity, and most people probably won’t want that card. But for those interested in biology, microbiology, virology, etc., they might think it is a great card (I would).
Did not receive a card like that, but interestingly enough did receive a profile to send a postcard to who’s interests where a bit… Sexist? I just was so not into this and couldn’t even make myself buy them a card.
I love weird cards! I’ve received loads of truly bizarre and disturbing cards that I will treasure forever!
I received one card years ago that had a drawing of a naked man on, surrounded by stuffed cephalopods. That’s not embarrassing in itself but the sender had censored the man’s private parts with a massive piece of washi tape! It made me wonder what our postman thinks of me. Obviously I immediately peeled the tape off…
I agree with this so much. One man’s meat is another man’s poison, and this happens a lot on Postcrossing. I usually keep such cards until the day I draw a profile, and I realised, “now my postcard is perfect”.
I had this postcard, which I really didn’t like and the message was so awful too. I contemplated throwing it away too, but then I drew a profile and that person actually appreciated the postcard.
Yes, I have owned two cards that made me embarrassed. One I bought by accident before noticing it was very weird. It looked like retro advertisement, but there was a man having some kind of ribbon in his body part The other, a nude male, I bought intentionally, as many wish for male nudity. But I think many that kind of cards, the man looks angry or arrogant, but this one I bought, as it was a very normal man fully naked, in some kind of rocky terrain. Still, I hid it between other cards I bought because I was so embarrassed to buy it Even though I know they don’t care what I buy and it was a very neat.
I bought a book of postcards “Bad News with Baby Animals” at a used bookstore without looking at every card in the book. One of them is super transphobic. I don’t think I will ever send it.
I would have used that chance to send a card that challenges their type of sexism.
“Hur hur hur women belong in the kitchen” → they’re getting a male chef card, one of those Women in Science cards or a sarcastic vintage-style card that pokes fun at this mentality, etc.
“Men are too stupid to change a diaper/nappy, teehee” → a card of a man carrying his baby, a statistics card about modern parenting demographics, etc.
Bonus points if you write that you saw their profile and knew this was the perfect card for them
I have received cards I would have been embarrassed to send – probably-illegally downloaded photos badly glued onto paper and not properly credited come immediately to mind – but none that I have been embarrassed to receive.
I do own cards I would be embarrassed to send as Officials – handmade “fails,” free cards on really flimsy paper from the local pharmacy “postcard calendar,” things like that. I have some good penpals and I will write it out and send such cards to them as part of my letter. Also I will sometimes send them (written) as “extras” if I am sending in an envelope and the image matches their profile.
I know the exact card and book to which you’re referring. I was intrigued by the baby animals, and then instantly turned off to it. I don’t have time for lazy, dated clichés that tear people down.
@anon67142544, keep the virus card! There are microbiologists, virologists, epidemiologists, and just regular germ enthusiasts who would enjoy it! (Probably the same people who collect these soft, squishy, pathogenic friends!)
Unfortunately I didn’t keep the card with me now , but I’ll take all the comments as a reminder to myself.
btw @MostlyMess I like the way you deal with sexism
I’m actually a microbiologist, so I guess I would be the perfect person to send this card to. I know I just put down “scientist” in my profile, but I’m interested in anything that has to do with science–not just my own small niche, pun intended–and I don’t want to unnecessarily restrict people who are wondering what to send me.
As for what would embarrass me–well, in terms of subject matter almost nothing really embarrasses me. I might be embarrassed by sending a handmade postcard, though, because I don’t really have any talent for crafting things like that.
When we used to have in person conferences, the company I work for would give these out to help advertise our medical devices and you won’t believe the crazy lines that result from the giveaway. Among people who work with infectious diseases, these are collector’s items.
I haven’t received or owned such card yet but I would have appreciated the virus card, even though I can’t say I like weird stuff. I would have kept it until I draw someone who would appreciate it.
I would get rid of a card that represents some kind of violence towards people or animals, firearm or has a racist, sexist or homophobic message. I wouldn’t send anything that is wrong according to my belief system. Other than that, I’d just wait for the correct receiver to come around.
Yeah. I thought the cards would be good for those people that request odd, tacky cards, plus it was only like $3 for 30 cards. And I actually did send one from the book (not the transphobic one) to someone who asked for strange/offensive cards which you are afraid to send and they loved it .
The other, a nude male, I bought intentionally, as many wish for male nudity. But I think many that kind of cards, the man looks angry or arrogant, but this one I bought, as it was a very normal man fully naked, in some kind of rocky terrain. Still, I hid it between other cards I bought 
because I was so embarrassed to buy it 
Even though I know they don’t care what I buy and it was a very neat.
I don’t have time for lazy, dated clichés that tear people down. 
, but I’ll take all the comments as a reminder to myself.