I'm not a rat! - eviltoast
  • southsamurai@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    4 days ago

    Thing is, the whole threatening the victim has always been a part of the phrase. Don’t tattle, don’t snitch, it’s part of the built in bullshit of school, and even teachers and staff sometimes buy into it, indirectly penalizing students that report abuse from other students. Even more common is nothing at all being done to prevent retaliation, so the cycle of it continues.

    This is a joke, obviously. They’re turning the idea around, it’s just that the fact there’s an idea to turn around in the first place is so horrible that the joke kinda falls flat unless you have a dark sense of humor.

    • Lem Jukes@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      4 days ago

      Sub the kid for an injured mob guy and the parents for his mob guy friends and the question for ‘can you tell me what happened?’ And boom I think you got an alternate version of the joke that sidesteps the iffy framing

      • AugustWest@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        3 days ago

        I don’t think the framing is iffy at all. There is no distinction in the phrase limiting it to only conspirators. Snitching is snitching.

        You are latching onto the bullying aspect and adding emotional context to a simple comic with a straightforward pun.

        • Lem Jukes@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          3 days ago

          You’re the second person to use the lack of specificity in the joke as a means of mollifying what I’m calling iffy. I concede entirely that the joke doesn’t limit us to only interpreting it one way. I’m simply commenting on the text that is actually present.

          your whole second point

          Yes that’s exactly what I’m doing. Because that’s how opinions and discussion works. This isn’t challenging my position, this is challenging the fact that I have a position at all. Akin to saying ‘it’s just a joke, let it go.’

          I firmly believe there is a massive difference between confessing/divulging info about your co-conspirators, and accusing your abuser to authority. One is snitching, the other is how the concept justice is supposed to work.

          • AugustWest@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            2 days ago

            I firmly believe there is a massive difference between confessing/divulging info about your co-conspirators, and accusing your abuser to authority. One is snitching, the other is how the concept justice is supposed to work.

            In that case, I will simplify. Your opinion/position/belief is incorrect.

            “Snitching” is the act of telling an authority figure information that gets them into trouble. Telling an authority figure the name of a bully falls firmly under this category, as does telling mom your older brother smashed your toy, telling the cops you saw Jim Bob break into Joe Johnson’s car while driving by, and admitting to the DA that you and Bob shot the sheriff to avoid getting additional charges related to someone else’s murder of the deputy.

            Merriam Webster: To inform, tattle; to give information (as to the authorities) about another’s improper or unlawful activities

            Cambridge: to secretly tell someone in authority that someone else has done something bad, often in order to cause trouble

            Oxford LD: to tell a parent, teacher, etc. about something wrong that another child has done