Back in the UK, I remember that at the baptisms, the audience were told not to applaud until the last candidate had been dunked. This, we were informed, gave the occassion a proper sense of dignity and decorum. In general, clapping was restrained at assemblies. Sometimes even not occuring at the end of speakers parts (everyone asleep?).
When I moved to Canada, one of the things that suprised me was how each and every candidate was applauded during the baptism (these were back in the heady days when there was more then 2 baptisms per assembly). Whatever happened to dignity? Damn colonists have no idea of decorum!
Over the past five years or so, the applause thing has reached new heights of sheer ridiculousness. Let the speaker take a breath, and the entire stadium rings with applause. And if it's a visiting bigwig from bethel or the gb, he can hardly get a word in between the clapping! Of course, this may be the point.....
I guess part of this has been caused by all the reports we would get forced down our throats about the witnesses in eastern europe clapping for three hours after the assembly ended. "What appreciation, brothers!" Everyone here felt that they had to show appreciation too.
I found it extremely annoying. The sessions tended to go overtime as it was. Introducing extra clap time only made it worse.
Another pet theory: the assemblies are so boring, the parts on it just the same dull rehashed browbeating crap that is heard every week at the meetings, that the rank and file have to applaud for hours on end to create an atmosphere so that they can maintain their delusion about being in a richly fed spiritual paradise.
That's it. No real point to this thread, just musing.
Expatbrit