Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for November 26, 2014

I guess, she’s going to leave work early.

I wasn’t reading the comic at the time that this ran. Sort of glad I wasn’t. Sad.

Looking at it now, I wonder if this wasn’t Joan, Jr.’s first piece of “Performance Art.”

This may have been J.J.‘s first appearance — April 22, 1973.

Trudeau originally presented Joanie’s abandonment of her marriage and family as the smart thing to do. I’ve stated before that this represented the point of view of a single 24 year-old man. As he got older and had children, he realized the impact such behavior could have on the children involved.

What’s the problem??? It isn’t like she was trapping him into marriage to support her daughter.

Common problem. Songwriters et it as well. Whatever a writer has a character say or do- why it just absolutely MUST be autobiographical, and the writer is condoning and promoting it. Some people seem to need lessons on how to listen, read and get past their own snap judgments.

It’s amazing how many of us have and how much we’ve changed. I remember first reading this and thinking “All right Joannie, break those shackles, go, you’re free” Now I look at it and think, how dare you abandon your child. lol

What’s the problem??If life gets hard, just abandon those who depend on you..If they survive — although possibly damaged — blame it on the times.!Nothing to it.

> I remember ecstatically cheering Joanie on…

> “All right Joannie, break those shackles, go, you’re free”

The most destructive force in history was the Romantic movement. It taught people to make decisions with their feelings.

The plot of any classic “romantic” book/play/movie: two people meet and act on their mutual attraction, although circumstances make it almost impossible; in the end, the ruin their lives and those of everyone around them.

I too cheered Joanie on. There were many women who felt trapped in traditional, oppressive marriages, without any economic alternatives for them at that time.

I love the running commentary. Today, this selfishness is promoted as profit-making, which is not necessarily bad, only when it is done to excess and exclusion of compassion. Just as self-love is.

Nobody recalls “My wife, I think I’ll keep her?” Clinton was a complete jerk and Joanie was desperate, intelligent and tortured. I always felt that she had to leave, that perhaps even, Clinton was abusing her.

Being in a good mood and inclined to give GT (and everyone else) the benefit of the doubt, I think he’s an astute observer of humans (more or less the definition of a writer worth reading), and he may have been trying to point this out, gently enough that people wouldn’t stop reading it. Too gently, perhaps…

Remember that one of the defining characteristics of this strip, almost from its inception (in the 60’s) was that GT tried to make it a force for good. Even when I (often enough) disagreed with him, I admired him for it.

That last panel is a priceless menage of raw emotion. Talk about “Talking Pictures”. There are no words. CLASSIC.

Somehow, I don’t really think you meant to say “since men are sometimes irresponsible jerks, women should, too.”

Maybe, rather: men are sometimes irresponsible jerks; they should shape up their act before women start learning from their bad example.

@Charley007If anyone was physically abusive in the marriage, it was Joanie.

There used to be a show in the 1970s called “One Day at a Time.”The opening credits of the first season began with the main character jumping for joy as she walked out of her marital home. At least, she took her daughters with her. Over the years, we watched the father fade from picture, to the point that the building superintendent gave the oldest daughter away at her wedding.

For all those who just can’t “forgive” Joanie — I had an aunt who was abused for years and almost kept from attending her own mother’s funeral by an obnoxious husband. There was no divorce in her southern state at the time, so she was forced to just leave him, the house and everything she owned. They had an adopted daughter who never was able to understand or forgive, but luckily there was a grand-daughter who rose above it and did forgive. Women are often put in positions where they have to leave simply to live another day. And those who can’t forgive her would be the first to ask “why doesn’t she leave” if she turned up black and blue with broken bones. So which is it?

Methinks Ayn Rand was off.

“The most destructive force in history was the Romantic movement. It taught people to make decisions with their feelings.”“The plot of any classic “romantic” book/play/movie: two people meet and act on their mutual attraction, although circumstances make it almost impossible; in the end, the ruin their lives and those of everyone around them.”.Writers wrote what sold.Movie makers made what sold.They did not force others to buy into the idea.In fact, they may have helped by allowing people to imagine a happier life without ruining the one they had..It also taught people what others like..Further, please name any other society which is better, with more happiness and freedom with personal responsibility..For better or worse, I can’t think of any.It sounds like the dreams of one who wishes he didn’t have to win the favor of another. I’m probably wrong, but it definitely reads that way.