“There is a curious morality about this strip when the primary concern is not how far a woman goes to attract a man, but whether or not the man is going to respond with a marriage proposal.”
I think there is an interesting point in this. Ellie is viewing the situation from a very subjective POV. She has the best intentions of both her brother and friend at heart, but she is forgetting that her take on this is just that – hers. Connie is walking into the situation with her own agenda and Phil, well, we don’t have that much insight in this plot to his motivations; he could be playing the cad or having a good time with a friend on New Years Eve.
How often do we look at situations through our own perspective, believing that what we are seeing is absolutely objective, only to realize later that we are in the midst of our issues and stories?
this cartoon is soooo old-fashioned and sooooo Canadian and soooo boring. the only thing that keeps me coming back are the comments – y’all take this drivel waaaay to seriously, but in a good way, eh?
Hmph… I’ll be yelling at the TV screen while my Mizzou Tigers face Navy in the Texas Bowl… y’all mean they CAN’T hear me??? ;-)
I know the feeling! My husband and I will be yelling at the TV screen for our team, the Tennessee Vols, as they go up against Virginia Tech this evening in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Believe me, we could have guided them to a perfect season this year if only they had listened to our perfectly smart (no to mention right!) armchair coaching instead of ignoring us like they did!!!!!
I’ve been reading FBOFW pretty much from the beginning, and am pretty sure that I have every single collection they ever published. And… it seems to me this story (and some others in the last year) have more of a “men are scum, stupid, interested in only one thing” attitude do them than I remember from the first time I read it. Could just be the passage of time, or could be that as Lynn re-draws the old strips (she’s still doing that, right?) she’s expressing a more cynical attitude toward the Y chromosome.
If I recall, this is set in Ontario. So according to http://www.timeandddate.com, the time is (as of this writing) four-thirty in the afternoon. Happy New Year, “For Better or For Worse” readers, eh!
“Sooooo old-fashioned…….soooo Canadian………sooooo boring………….” Oh that we had a bit of that old-fashioned, boring, Canadian morality in the good old USA. Maybe there would be many more children living in a two parent family, where their needs and their upbrining is the top priority of the parents, instead of self-gratification. After all, no one insists that we become parents, but once we do….don’t we owe something to that new person?
WHAT A CHEAP, and I DO MEAN CHEAP, BRAZEN, HUSSY!!! And STUPID! Elly just told her the answer to the question. If he had ANYTHING good to say about her, why would Elly have just told her she’s only good for one thing as far as her brother’s concerned? S…L…U……………………………….
Don’t say she isn’t. She booked a room, and is probably paying for it herself, like a cheap, S…. L…. U…………………..
Ahem……
Look at little Farley’s face in panel 1! He’s so cute. I just love him.
The ‘rewrite’ has seemed somewhat different than the original strip was. With the original - I quite often felt that Lynn Johnson had a camera and microphone aimed in our house with the growing pains we all went through when our five children were growing up! Maybe she feel that by putting more of an ‘edge’ on the strip it is becoming more reflective of today’s society.
Vicki, are children in a one parent family at a disadvantage? Are you saying if a family goes through a divorce, the children will go into crime, and be in a worse spot than if the family they were in were to have stayed together.
this cartoon is soooo old-fashioned and sooooo Canadian and soooo boring. the only thing that keeps me coming back are the comments – y’all take this drivel waaaay to seriously, but in a good way, eh?
~~~
What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve lived in Canada for over a year now and I don’t find Canadians much different than Americans other than perhaps they’re a bit friendlier. Are you saying Canadians are old fashioned and boring? I don’t think so. After all I married one.
I’m saying just that… in some instances. Maybe not crime, that’s a bit much, but certainly in a worse spot. No longer the sole focus of the single parent. How can they be, when the one person they depend on is out most of the day earning a living, and tired to the bone at the end of the day. Not able to really focus on their needs outside of the basics….food, shelter, clean clothes, etc. Most children of single parents spend a great deal of time in front of the TV (great baby sitter) either watching or playing video games. Wonderful substitute for tossing a ball with dad or reading with mom.
Flintstoned over 14 years ago
You’re a big girl now.
ejcapulet over 14 years ago
Sigh, a big, desperate girl.
doggiehouser over 14 years ago
Maybe they just want to be “friends with benefits”. Isn’t that the new term for lust without commitment?
pearlandpeach over 14 years ago
folks, you are trying to hard to read things into this strip. Believe I’ll just read the ‘toon and skip the comments.
alondra over 14 years ago
But like many pointed out yesterday Elly will be the one to pick up the pieces when it doesn’t work out and Connie comes crying on her shoulder.
pksampso over 14 years ago
My grandmother used to shout advice at the screen when watching soap operas. FBOFW calls on those same instincts. Seems pretty harmless to me.
Takiniteasy over 14 years ago
PK,
My grandmother used to shout at the TV during the wrestling matches … still makes me smile to think of it.
coffeeturtle over 14 years ago
howtheduck makes some interesting points (things I never thought of…)
Can anyone point me to any links where I can get the background story of Pablo and Connie? I never knew all that intrigue was going on.
I feel like your grandma watching the soaps, pksampso! :-)
brewwitch over 14 years ago
howtheduck said,
“There is a curious morality about this strip when the primary concern is not how far a woman goes to attract a man, but whether or not the man is going to respond with a marriage proposal.”
I think there is an interesting point in this. Ellie is viewing the situation from a very subjective POV. She has the best intentions of both her brother and friend at heart, but she is forgetting that her take on this is just that – hers. Connie is walking into the situation with her own agenda and Phil, well, we don’t have that much insight in this plot to his motivations; he could be playing the cad or having a good time with a friend on New Years Eve.
How often do we look at situations through our own perspective, believing that what we are seeing is absolutely objective, only to realize later that we are in the midst of our issues and stories?
lightenup Premium Member over 14 years ago
Okay, Elly tried. It seems that Connie is flinging herself full speed ahead. Oh well, you did what you could. Now just watch the train wreck.
Happy New Year, all!
ecrae over 14 years ago
Connie could become a very” BIG “girl ,indeed!
The_Ol_Goaler over 14 years ago
Hmph… I’ll be yelling at the TV screen while my Mizzou Tigers face Navy in the Texas Bowl… y’all mean they CAN’T hear me??? ;-)
coffeeturtle over 14 years ago
@howtheduck - You Da Man!… um –Duck! Thank you!
–> will this adventure be coming up again soon, I wonder?
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
Like some are saying, Elly will have to pick up the pieces if this doesnt work out.
Happy New Year.
billdi Premium Member over 14 years ago
this cartoon is soooo old-fashioned and sooooo Canadian and soooo boring. the only thing that keeps me coming back are the comments – y’all take this drivel waaaay to seriously, but in a good way, eh?
Gretchen's Mom over 14 years ago
The_Ol_Goaler said, about 4 hours ago
Hmph… I’ll be yelling at the TV screen while my Mizzou Tigers face Navy in the Texas Bowl… y’all mean they CAN’T hear me??? ;-)
I know the feeling! My husband and I will be yelling at the TV screen for our team, the Tennessee Vols, as they go up against Virginia Tech this evening in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Believe me, we could have guided them to a perfect season this year if only they had listened to our perfectly smart (no to mention right!) armchair coaching instead of ignoring us like they did!!!!!
puddleglum1066 over 14 years ago
I’ve been reading FBOFW pretty much from the beginning, and am pretty sure that I have every single collection they ever published. And… it seems to me this story (and some others in the last year) have more of a “men are scum, stupid, interested in only one thing” attitude do them than I remember from the first time I read it. Could just be the passage of time, or could be that as Lynn re-draws the old strips (she’s still doing that, right?) she’s expressing a more cynical attitude toward the Y chromosome.
Anybody else noticing something like this?
Templo S.U.D. over 14 years ago
Whate’er you say, Connie.
If I recall, this is set in Ontario. So according to http://www.timeandddate.com, the time is (as of this writing) four-thirty in the afternoon. Happy New Year, “For Better or For Worse” readers, eh!
vickimarme over 14 years ago
“Sooooo old-fashioned…….soooo Canadian………sooooo boring………….” Oh that we had a bit of that old-fashioned, boring, Canadian morality in the good old USA. Maybe there would be many more children living in a two parent family, where their needs and their upbrining is the top priority of the parents, instead of self-gratification. After all, no one insists that we become parents, but once we do….don’t we owe something to that new person?
mrslukeskywalker over 14 years ago
WHAT A CHEAP, and I DO MEAN CHEAP, BRAZEN, HUSSY!!! And STUPID! Elly just told her the answer to the question. If he had ANYTHING good to say about her, why would Elly have just told her she’s only good for one thing as far as her brother’s concerned? S…L…U……………………………….
Don’t say she isn’t. She booked a room, and is probably paying for it herself, like a cheap, S…. L…. U…………………..
Ahem……
Look at little Farley’s face in panel 1! He’s so cute. I just love him.
JP Steve Premium Member over 14 years ago
Nice thought Vicki, but unfortunately most of us Canadians are just as self-centered as you Americans.
FunnyVicky over 14 years ago
The ‘rewrite’ has seemed somewhat different than the original strip was. With the original - I quite often felt that Lynn Johnson had a camera and microphone aimed in our house with the growing pains we all went through when our five children were growing up! Maybe she feel that by putting more of an ‘edge’ on the strip it is becoming more reflective of today’s society.
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
Vicki, are children in a one parent family at a disadvantage? Are you saying if a family goes through a divorce, the children will go into crime, and be in a worse spot than if the family they were in were to have stayed together.
alondra over 14 years ago
billdi said,
this cartoon is soooo old-fashioned and sooooo Canadian and soooo boring. the only thing that keeps me coming back are the comments – y’all take this drivel waaaay to seriously, but in a good way, eh?
~~~
What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve lived in Canada for over a year now and I don’t find Canadians much different than Americans other than perhaps they’re a bit friendlier. Are you saying Canadians are old fashioned and boring? I don’t think so. After all I married one.
vickimarme over 14 years ago
mroberts88
I’m saying just that… in some instances. Maybe not crime, that’s a bit much, but certainly in a worse spot. No longer the sole focus of the single parent. How can they be, when the one person they depend on is out most of the day earning a living, and tired to the bone at the end of the day. Not able to really focus on their needs outside of the basics….food, shelter, clean clothes, etc. Most children of single parents spend a great deal of time in front of the TV (great baby sitter) either watching or playing video games. Wonderful substitute for tossing a ball with dad or reading with mom.