Friday, June 27, 2014

Yes, I Know This Is Just a Cartoon

I like to think that I don’t waste energy getting offended.  I once owned three volumes of Truly Tasteless Jokes and I love South Park.

So I was a little surprised when I felt uncomfortable and almost angry at a religious cartoon in Episcopalians on Facebook, so much so that to try to figure out my feelings I am writing a post (Or is it a rant?) about it.
 
 

I have always been told that it was rude to ask what a person “did”, but I never agreed with it, even in the sense of asking about someone’s job.  Since you probably spend eight hours a day at it, you should have some opinions or stories to share.
But the last two panels seem rude.  There is a condescending smugness as the tie guy (Let’s call him Ty) corrects the other person (We can’t tell if it’s male or female, so he or she can be Pat):  “Oh, I didn’t mean what you do for money.”  (You get the feeling that he wants to add, “Stupid.”)  Then he sounds like the Pharisee who gave thanks that he was not like “that pitiful tax collector” (Luke 18:9-14, my paraphrase) as he explains “I mean what do you do for the world?”
Why did he have to know?  It may be all right for a pastor to ask that question, but Ty is not wearing a collar.  It seems that he is setting Pat up to be the object of his criticism.
The fact Pat is a cashier adds to the discomfort.  Would Ty have asked the question of a pastor or doctor or teacher?  To Ty, a person who works in a store, living off America’s obsession with consumption and who did not need a degree to get the job needs to be made aware that there are more important things than making money.  This is insulting.  We could even call it classist and politically incorrect, but I'd rather just complain about rudeness.
We can and many of us do do things for the world.  We can treat people kindly.  We can do charitable or political work.  We can pray.  In fact, we can offer our work as an unceasing prayer.  But we don’t need or want to be quizzed about it.
How long would Ty last as a cashier on Black Friday or even a regular Friday night?
If this is Ty’s first date conversation, I don’t think he gets many second dates. 


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