This woman was in front of me on the escalator as I came home from my Christmas lights expedition on Tuesday night. Someone's been to IKEA!
Now, you know I usually run a family-friendly blog here at Shadows & Light. I try to keep profanity to a minimum, not because I don't use it in real life (I do) but because I'm a believer in being polite. Some people are bothered by four-letter language, and I generally tend to think it's best to try to avoid offending my readers. Or anyone, for that matter.
This is one reason why I'm so mystified by the right-wing's refusal to respect gender identity, for example. If someone says they're a woman or a man, who am I to argue? Isn't it a simple kindness to acknowledge their truth? At a bare minimum, human rights considerations aside, it's the polite thing to do.
And this is one reason I just can't tolerate Donald Trump. He relishes angering people; he draws power from it. A disturbing number of his followers do too. A huge amount of public policy is being made just to "own the libs" and infuriate Democrats. How is that the way to run a country? How is it acceptable to have a leader who declares any segment of the population "garbage"? (Which, by the way, is Nazi-speak in its rawest form.)
So yes, I like to be polite. That ability is part of what makes us human.
But having said all that, I found the funniest thing on my walk to work yesterday morning:
So yes, I like to be polite. That ability is part of what makes us human.
But having said all that, I found the funniest thing on my walk to work yesterday morning:
I'm trying to imagine the circumstances that led to this mug being discarded on the street. Was it a gag gift at a "hen do"? Regardless, I sent Dave a picture immediately and we both had a good laugh.
Reader, I kept it.
Probably not something I can use "in polite society," as my mother would have said.


I am not sure if you noticed, but I recently posted a photo of a quite attractive young white guy wearing a tee saying, I love black cock. I think you are right about it being something from a hen's night.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes, I found that post. Very funny. I wonder if that message was superimposed on the shirt in Photoshop, though. :)
DeleteOh, I say!! ... (clutching pearls in horror) ...
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, I like to tread lightly on people's sensibilities. :)
DeleteI’m glad you kept it.
ReplyDeleteFor when polite society ends.
DeleteWhich is right about now, I think!
DeleteUnfortunately some transgender people weren't very polite in female only places.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not sure which specific incident you may be referring to, but in my experience when people are treated respectfully they respond in kind.
DeleteHere in Australia a few transgender "women" have been in women's prisons and are now being charged with sexually assaulting other women.
DeleteDisplay your mug with pride.
ReplyDeleteIt could only have been better with a rainbow flag background!
DeleteOf course you kept it! Even I might have.
ReplyDeleteIt's too good to pass up!
DeleteWhy not give that mug to Big Boss Woman as a Christmas gift? You could fill it with something beforehand - maybe nuts.
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, I wouldn't want to waste a perfectly good mug.
DeleteTsk tsk tsk. What's the history behind the American obsession of not using swear or so-called rude words, omitting, bleeping, replacing letters with symbols, all to draw attention to it? Is it religion, shame, or a class thing or fear of all things sexual? I was told about being polite, but swearing had a place and telling someone off with a rude word - whether appropriate or not - was not a disgrace. My Irish catholic in-laws would never use the words god or Jesus or heavens - took me years to realise it - but had a wide range of curse words, often in Irish, that would make their US visitors blush, and they knew it.
ReplyDeleteHold on to that mug.
It probably is rooted in Protestant "niceness," for better or worse. I was raised by Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists who would not have thought of swearing in public.
DeleteI'd have kept the mug too! lol
ReplyDeleteIt really did make me laugh and it was so unexpected!
DeleteI would hold on to that mug! What you wrote about tRump encapsulates why I despise the man so much.
ReplyDeleteI don't like his policies either, but it really is his personality that makes him so repugnant, and I'm hardly the first person to think so.
DeleteI love the cup. When we were last in Oregon closing my father's estate, I found a cup in a small shop that read:
ReplyDeleteShuh
Duh
Fuh
Cup.
It's my favorite.
I love that! I'm in Portland, OR, I'd like to find one (doesn't surprise me here in "war-torn, on fire" PDX
DeleteHa! That IS a great cup. Inquiring minds want a picture. :)
DeleteYou certainly find some unusual things on your walks!
ReplyDeleteThis may be the most unusual of all!
DeleteI'm a user of profanity and I have to really watch myself on Thursdays when I volunteer among all those churchy people. But, you know, they are just words that have been designated as rude. Why? Why is poop ok and shit is not. Same stuff. Fuck is bad but boink is ok or any of the other euphemisms for having sex. As for Trump and the MAGAts, not reacting or ignoring them is the worst thing you can do to them, deprives them of their endorphin rush. Nice cup but hey, maybe it was meant for people who love roosters?
ReplyDeleteIt IS all very arbitrary when you think about it. But it's also true of racist or insulting language or a lot of other things -- some words are worse than others, for whatever reason.
DeleteAs for roosters, I think they'd make that clear. LOL
DeleteAlthough I can't say with certainty, my impression is that the right fears gender identity issues because they interfere with their set of moral values. They feel their government is dictating to them how they need to label or identify people and that it is an over reach of the government. I personally don't care one iota how someone wants to refer to themselves. I never refer to a person to their face using any pronouns anyway. I use their given name and I've never had someone come up to me and state their gender identify. To me, it has always been a non-issue in my life but my government seems to want to make it an issue for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're right about the source of the moral fear, but I find it interesting that thoughts of blame are automatically directed toward the government. I'm talking more about how individuals speak to and treat each other directly, never mind what the government says or even what country they're in.
DeleteI have a lot more faith in my government than many of my more conservative friends, at least until recently. I'm not sure how the fear of our government got rooted among them. It does seem pervasive these days.
Delete'Oh, I say!' (Very English expression, covers a multitude of sins.)
ReplyDeleteHa! One of the many very useful English expressions!
DeleteI think you need a t-shirt with that! Did you ever see "Notting Hill"? One of the characters played by Rhys Ifans had the most inappropriate t-shirts and they were so funny. One of the shirts said "You're the most beautiful woman in the world" on the front and then when he turned to leave, it said, "Fancy a fuck".
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm fine with profanity:)
I saw "Notting Hill" many years ago -- in fact I think we re-watched it when we lived there, and we moved 11 years ago, so it's been that long anyway. I don't remember the shirt but I love a good rude shirt. I have a few that, like my mug, aren't for "polite society."
DeleteI had to LOL at the cup, as well! That cup is not gender-based as it can be a statement from either side!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! It works for any like-minded people!
DeleteOh you HAVE to take it to work! Maybe wait until your last day though...
ReplyDeleteHA! Can you imagine? I asked Dave if he showed his co-workers the picture and he said, "I showed my sixth-graders!" (He was kidding.)
DeleteWhat an awesome find! I would have kept it too.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you on you-know-who. What a despicable person he is. It makes me embarrassed to be an American.
It's really terrible when you think that traditionally, the president has been an important role model for young people. And now we have this horror show!
DeleteGoodness, you find the most unusual things! I can't believe the shit that comes out of the president's mouth. I swear more now that he is in office. ;(
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, yes, this is a time that lends itself to four-letter language.
DeleteCodex: I agree with you. Even if it's just a veneer of civilization, I prefer politeness. I swear at home but certain things are too vulgar. It's overused anyway. I don't like it and I expect people to respect it as I do.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know you're into roosters;)
There are words that I just would not use. I can't bring myself to say them. (Cock is not one of them!)
DeleteAll I can say to this is- excellent find. I will also add that the right seems to be entirely lacking in any sort of thinking which is not binary as well as possessing no true sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteThe only humor I see on the right is a mean-spirited mockery of others.
DeleteEverything About The Donald Is Phuc 'D Up , EVERYTHING - Nothing Quite Like A Cup Of C*ck In The Morning To Get You Going
ReplyDeleteBig Hugs Brother Man ,
Cheers
Ha! Well, that's one way to serve it!
DeleteThat's quite the mug. I discovered in my t-shirt acquisition that I was buying way too many from various pubs in my travels and I couldn't wear those to school, even on PD days. LOL
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I have plenty of shirts that I could never wear to school for a variety of reasons!
DeleteBest find on the street yet! As for colorful vocabulary- I endorse it! There are no "polite" words that can do the job! I find that I can trust a person whose words fit the situation - I used to view politeness as dishonesty. In England , for the most part, I enjoy politeness as an everyday way to be to one another-that said, however, when in the throws of what the world is at the moment - politeness has little validity. As for family friendly- what does that even mean? I hear third graders express themselves in vocabularies that would make Aunt Uppity clutch pearls ...they are either being honest or rebellious. Word! As for being offensive- .if one is offended I say " job well done". Weeding the garden! Can't please all of the people all of the time, I reckon. Bland or spicy- take your pick. anyway, your new mug is the best!
ReplyDeleteI suppose politeness can be dishonest, but I think a little bit of dishonesty as a social lubricant or mark of respect is perfectly fine. There's no rule that says we have to be 100 percent honest with eash other in every way all the time -- as long as we're not betraying deep truths.
DeleteThought provoking post and really readworthy comments - lots of 'wish I'd said that'. Something designed to shock isn't automatically a bad thing, and politeness can be nuanced into some of the most cutting put downs.
ReplyDeleteExactly -- polite language can be devastatingly effective!
DeleteThe mug looks brand new. Clearly someone was not pleased and tossed it.
ReplyDeleteMy experience in England (with relatives and others) is everybody acts with great care. Words are chosen carefully but also in a very meaningful way. Only in England can a person be dissed in a very polite way. It's amazing!
Listening to British Parliament debate is thrilling. They test, attack and question like nobody else. It is all very fascinating.
US street creed/gutter speck is common. Not always in the best of taste but the message is clear, and you know who you are dealing with.
Well, there are certainly rude people here too. Englishmen are not all David Niven! But you're right, there is a skill to the English put-down.
DeleteThat mug is great (I'm glad you kept it) and YP's comment just adds to the humor!
ReplyDeleteMany people just can't seem to be civil or polite anymore. Just agree to disagree and leave it at that.
Exactly! Why is that so hard?!
DeleteAll good points and great mug! I try not to think too often about DT, lest my head explode.
ReplyDeleteProbably a good approach!
DeleteYou DO wonder about how that landed in the street. As for DT, anythinig you say about him couldn't be worse than anything I have said -- and will again.
ReplyDeleteHa! I imagine a lot of us are saying similar things.
DeleteOf course you kept it! Fate put it there just for you to find. I haven't been to Ikea in years, I really should go again and see how they've rearranged the maze this time. It's different everytime I go.
ReplyDeleteOh, I didn't know they rearranged them! I thought the store "flow" was a permanent thing.
DeleteThe "flow" is almost always exactly the same, but the displays differ quite a lot.
DeleteThat cup is a keeper!
ReplyDeleteIt is!
DeleteDefinitely NOT one for the desk at work ... unless you stand a chicken next to it. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHa! Even then, probably not a good idea. LOL
Delete