Comments on: Does This Even BEGIN To Make Sense? http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/ I have no idea whether ''The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy'' is a good album, but I might have to buy it just on the basis of its awesome name Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:58:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Matthew http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15937 Matthew Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:16:48 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15937 No, Mel, Kevin, & Bill: As Karen (#2) & Elyrest (#9) said, when one generation’s women do well, they make it easier for the next generation’s women to do well. Val does NOT say that her daughter’s success depends on her success. She says that if she does well, then they will do well. The daughters could certainly do well even if Val doesn’t. Karen (#2) explained Val’s comment already. To say, “If women’s lot is improved” implies that it will happen w/out women doing the improving. Arvy, your statement is quite good, too. Val uses a nice synecdoche here. No, Mel, Kevin, & Bill: As Karen (#2) & Elyrest (#9) said, when one generation’s women do well, they make it easier for the next generation’s women to do well. Val does NOT say that her daughter’s success depends on her success. She says that if she does well, then they will do well. The daughters could certainly do well even if Val doesn’t. Karen (#2) explained Val’s comment already. To say, “If women’s lot is improved” implies that it will happen w/out women doing the improving.

Arvy, your statement is quite good, too. Val uses a nice synecdoche here.

]]> By: Elyrest http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15864 Elyrest Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:53:05 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15864 Powers - you just don't seem to get the meaning of imply and infer. The character Val (thanks fh) is a mother. She is using herself to explain to her children. You are inferring that because she uses herself as an example that IWD is just about mothers. Powers - you just don’t seem to get the meaning of imply and infer. The character Val (thanks fh) is a mother. She is using herself to explain to her children. You are inferring that because she uses herself as an example that IWD is just about mothers.

]]> By: fh http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15852 fh Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:07:49 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15852 The character Val is a mother. Jan is the cartoonist. The character Val is a mother. Jan is the cartoonist.

]]> By: Powers http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15846 Powers Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:18:40 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15846 No, but it implies that the meaning is intimately related to motherhood. Otherwise, she would have said "I am a woman; you are children; if I do well, you'll do well." Instead she emphasized her familial arrangement, implying that that's part of the meaning of IWD. No, but it implies that the meaning is intimately related to motherhood. Otherwise, she would have said “I am a woman; you are children; if I do well, you’ll do well.” Instead she emphasized her familial arrangement, implying that that’s part of the meaning of IWD.

]]> By: Elyrest http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15786 Elyrest Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:24:37 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15786 Powers, this strip isn't implying that "the meaning of International Women’s Day has to do with mothers providing opportunity for their children" - you are just inferring it does from your interpretation of the strip. The character, Jan, is a mother. That doesn't cancel out the woman it merely overlays a new function. Jan is explaining to her children that, as a woman, if she does well they will do well. That doesn't imply only mothers will do well. Powers, this strip isn’t implying that “the meaning of International Women’s Day has to do with mothers providing opportunity for their children” - you are just inferring it does from your interpretation of the strip.

The character, Jan, is a mother. That doesn’t cancel out the woman it merely overlays a new function. Jan is explaining to her children that, as a woman, if she does well they will do well. That doesn’t imply only mothers will do well.

]]> By: Powers http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15773 Powers Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:22:55 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15773 The problem, Elyrest, is this: If the meaning of International Women's Day has to do with mothers providing opportunity for their children -- as is implied by the character in this strip -- then what is the meaning of International Women's Day for women without children? The problem, Elyrest, is this: If the meaning of International Women’s Day has to do with mothers providing opportunity for their children — as is implied by the character in this strip — then what is the meaning of International Women’s Day for women without children?

]]> By: Todd http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15736 Todd Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:44:57 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15736 The red-haired woman has a blond and brunette child? Of course the probably colors her hair. The red-haired woman has a blond and brunette child? Of course the probably colors her hair.

]]> By: Elyrest http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15729 Elyrest Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:59:23 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15729 Kate C - I am a non-mother too. I frankly am rather confused by some of the comments dealing with feminism, women existing merely for their children and even attacks on men. The comic seems very simple to me and several people stated it very well. Your comments about choices adds to that in a very nice way. IWD was started to help all people. Everyone is better off if the lives of women (and men) everywhere is improved. Kate C - I am a non-mother too. I frankly am rather confused by some of the comments dealing with feminism, women existing merely for their children and even attacks on men. The comic seems very simple to me and several people stated it very well.
Your comments about choices adds to that in a very nice way. IWD was started to help all people. Everyone is better off if the lives of women (and men) everywhere is improved.

]]> By: Kate C http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15727 Kate C Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:40:09 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15727 As a non-mother, I don't feel the least bit insulted by the implication, as others claim, that woman = mommy. I recognize that I don't have children because I have special privledges in a western society--I wasn't forced into marriage at a young age; I have access to birth control, and a husband who doesn't force me not to use it; if I were to face an unwanted pregnancy, I have the right to an abortion. However, most women in the world aren't so lucky, and many, many, many are mothers not out of choice, but out of circumstances. As a non-mother, I don’t feel the least bit insulted by the implication, as others claim, that woman = mommy. I recognize that I don’t have children because I have special privledges in a western society–I wasn’t forced into marriage at a young age; I have access to birth control, and a husband who doesn’t force me not to use it; if I were to face an unwanted pregnancy, I have the right to an abortion. However, most women in the world aren’t so lucky, and many, many, many are mothers not out of choice, but out of circumstances.

]]> By: Chaz Larson http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15722 Chaz Larson Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:28:14 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/03/08/does-this-even-begin-to-make-sense/#comment-15722 When I talk to my kids about stuff I always personalize it. "If you practice hard and listen to your coaches you can do well in your baseball tryouts" is not a guarantee aimed specifically at Jack; it's a general truism that applies to Jack just as it does to all the other boys in town. I might say "I work hard to provide you kids with the opportunities you should have" I'm not in any way claiming that I am the only parent that does so or that this situation is unique in any way. Similarly, Jan's saying "If I do well, you do well" is a general truism, as Karen said, but she's personalizing it because she is an individual mother speaking to her daughters. If Jan had said something like "If all mothers do well, their daughters are more likely to have better opportunities in their lives" or some such other generalized statement, it would have sounded stilted. When I talk to my kids about stuff I always personalize it. “If you practice hard and listen to your coaches you can do well in your baseball tryouts” is not a guarantee aimed specifically at Jack; it’s a general truism that applies to Jack just as it does to all the other boys in town.

I might say “I work hard to provide you kids with the opportunities you should have” I’m not in any way claiming that I am the only parent that does so or that this situation is unique in any way.

Similarly, Jan’s saying “If I do well, you do well” is a general truism, as Karen said, but she’s personalizing it because she is an individual mother speaking to her daughters. If Jan had said something like “If all mothers do well, their daughters are more likely to have better opportunities in their lives” or some such other generalized statement, it would have sounded stilted.

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