Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for May 10, 2022

Calvin was forced to allow himself be a doormat.

Bullies aren’t very philosophical.

Next one will say “work out and get stronger.”

Good thing Moe doesn’t golf.

They CALL them “advice columns” but at least in the presence of bullies, they are indeed “dumb advice columns”.

We’ve been having a spate of bullying in the local schools. Administrators are doing the classic “We teach them to keep their hands and feet to themselves” and “If we ever see something happen, we immediately intervene” recording while parents are stuck looking for alternatives to sending their kid to the local school. I’ve never found a good answer for folks in Calvin’s position except the ones that look like PTSD or advice to young women: Travel in packs, in the daylight and carry mace. The correct answers aren’t easy either, but they ARE possible. Sometimes.

And my brother looked at his wife and asked “What kind of doormat would you like me to be”

IIRC Calvin himself once said about Moe, something to the effect of, “Never argue with a fifth grader who shaves.”

We all have our choices in life. Unfortunately, that was the other choice.

Don’t worry, Calvin, you weren’t so much a doormat as a springboard to further bullying.

Betcha Moe grew up to be a #1 criminal!!

Bill Watterson has claimed that this strip is based (partly) on his own childhood.

I wonder if he was victimized by a playground bully.

Read more closely. The column was called “Dumb Advice from Caroline Huh? ”

Is Moe wearing a merkin on his head?

This strip is for all the commenters who say the bully strips have been pulled from the reruns.

One learns early – Watch out – stay away from the ass holes of the world. Then we get ultimately controlled by the real power manipulators.

Might makes right. It’s the golden rule: those with the gold make the rules.

Or make Moe read them, if he can.

Calvin did fine, to a point. Next time, anticipate the shove, fall and roll into his legs. Moe will never see it coming. Moe, being off balance to begin with, will literally shove himself to the ground, giving Calvin plenty of time to make a hasty retreat.

So, if one were to politicize this, which one would be POTUS and Putin?

Interestingly this was done by Mr. Hyde to a little girl in the original novella. Interpreters have suggested that’s the action of a sociopath.

As long as you don’t accept your doormat status in your mind, you win. ..you have mud just under your ear, just there.

The advice columns are as useless as the horoscope ones.

kick him the gonads – it’s self defense

Hello Matt.

When did it become humerous to see a child being bullied? I experienced Calvin’s situation first hand during elementary school. I wasn’t laughing. Bullies are terrifying.

Calvin is like Poland in WWII. The doormat of Europe

That didn’t go as planned…

Pictured: Life.

Moving out of the way of a bully is not being a doormat. It is the smartest thing to do.

There’s always that one kid in class whose hormones are a few years ahead of everyone elses, as far as growth goes.

Went to a country school. One recess the big boys tied me up to a stake, piled some sticks around my feet and said they were going to burn me at the stake. They got out some matches and that was when I freed myself . They laughed and said they weren’t really going to do it. Never did like those guys.

What the advice columns leave out is that “the enemy gets a vote”.

I remember when the prevailing advice was “Just stand up to a bully. They’ll always back down.” The problem is that not all bullies are insecure people who are just putting up a puffed-up front. A lot of bullies really are tough guys who can and will beat you up. In many cases, the best course of action is to make the strong people in your life aware of the problem. Sometimes, all the bully needs to see is a big, tough guy escort you to school just once, and he’ll get the message. Especially if your big, tough escort looks right at the bully. Message received! You don’t have to handle everything alone.

Win some, loose some.

Too many big words there, Calvin.

lol

Dang you, Moe!