Discuss your favorite Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey.
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Thursday, November 29, 2007
Have you experienced this?
Laurie got offended that I used the word "puke." But to me, that's what her dinner tasted like.
–Jack Handey
7 comments:
Anonymous
said...
This same thing happened to me last week over Thanksgiving Holiday. I still can't understand why my Great Aunt Norma is so upset. Isn't "Dog Poop" a good way to describe the appearance of a Pumpkin Dessert. I was just trying to use good descriptive words ???
Dearest Gertrude! Polite honesty is a matter of creative description. That is the underlying message of Mr. Handey. He challenges us to seek a better way. For instance, instead of "Pu..." (I'm sorry. That's just not part of my vocabulary) ...instead of saying that, perhaps a more gentle phrase would less apt to be rejected. For instance... "Whew, Laurie, that meal was so flavorful, I'll be able to enjoy it a second time!", or "They might as well rip that page out of the recipe book, Laurie, cause they'll never be able to fix that dish like you can!" Then you excuse yourself to visit the wash room for a little heart to heart conversation with Miss Listerene.
While i understand that there is always another way to phrase something, we have to remember that words are, after all, only words. They become offensive because we make them offensive, and in the end, do us no actual harm. We can't deny the existence of puke, and not saying the word isn't going to make the stuff go away. I think you are a little too uptight. Of course it's rude to flat out insult someone's meal, but the use of the word itself should not be offensive. I also belive that the phrases you chose were close to lies. And i firmly belive that the only point of that joke was to be funny.
Hey, maybe you'd prefer, "That dinner tasted like severe diarrhea". How about, "Great dinner hon, did you get the recipe from Fear Factor?" Or maybe, "This is great dear, but a little on the dry side. Could you get me a bottle of Swill to wash it down?" Whatever you say, say it with love.
Dear Gentlebloggers- There is so much to address here, it's difficult to know where to begin. Mr.Moe Ron perhaps says it best, when he suggests "whatever we say, say it with love." While the remainder of your text was, well, perhaps a bit coarse, you redeemed yourself at the end, which is where most redemption occurs. However, I must take issue with Miss Coco Nut. Words can and do create lasting impressions that can harm and tarnish. Please let me attempt to demonstrate: If someone called you, Miss Nut, "a crusty old wash woman", they may be absolutely correct! But how much more paletable it would be to be recognized as "an experienced fabric decontaminator". There! You've been properly acknowledged, and, as far as you know, your dignity left intact. A civilized tongue is the red carpet of civilized society, my neighbor Bertha always said, and she was a wash woman, too! So, you see, Miss Nut? Hold your head high! You still hold great promise as well!
7 comments:
This same thing happened to me last week over Thanksgiving Holiday. I still can't understand why my Great Aunt Norma is so upset. Isn't "Dog Poop" a good way to describe the appearance of a Pumpkin Dessert. I was just trying to use good descriptive words ???
Aah-hah! That must have been what my uncle Burt was referring to?!?
Dearest Gertrude!
Polite honesty is a matter of creative description. That is the underlying message of Mr. Handey. He challenges us to seek a better way.
For instance, instead of "Pu..." (I'm sorry. That's just not part of my vocabulary) ...instead of saying that, perhaps a more gentle phrase would less apt to be rejected. For instance... "Whew, Laurie, that meal was so flavorful, I'll be able to enjoy it a second time!", or "They might as well rip that page out of the recipe book, Laurie, cause they'll never be able to fix that dish like you can!"
Then you excuse yourself to visit the wash room for a little heart to heart conversation with Miss Listerene.
Dear Vera Carp,
While i understand that there is always another way to phrase something, we have to remember that words are, after all, only words. They become offensive because we make them offensive, and in the end, do us no actual harm. We can't deny the existence of puke, and not saying the word isn't going to make the stuff go away. I think you are a little too uptight.
Of course it's rude to flat out insult someone's meal, but the use of the word itself should not be offensive. I also belive that the phrases you chose were close to lies.
And i firmly belive that the only point of that joke was to be funny.
Don't let this go vera.... we are patient.... we wait.
Hey, maybe you'd prefer, "That dinner tasted like severe diarrhea".
How about, "Great dinner hon, did you get the recipe from Fear Factor?"
Or maybe, "This is great dear, but a little on the dry side. Could you get me a bottle of Swill to wash it down?"
Whatever you say, say it with love.
Dear Gentlebloggers-
There is so much to address here, it's difficult to know where to begin.
Mr.Moe Ron perhaps says it best, when he suggests "whatever we say, say it with love." While the remainder of your text was, well, perhaps a bit coarse, you redeemed yourself at the end, which is where most redemption occurs.
However, I must take issue with Miss Coco Nut. Words can and do create lasting impressions that can harm and tarnish. Please let me attempt to demonstrate:
If someone called you, Miss Nut, "a crusty old wash woman", they may be absolutely correct! But how much more paletable it would be to be recognized as "an experienced fabric decontaminator". There! You've been properly acknowledged, and, as far as you know, your dignity left intact.
A civilized tongue is the red carpet of civilized society, my neighbor Bertha always said, and she was a wash woman, too! So, you see, Miss Nut? Hold your head high! You still hold great promise as well!
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