Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for July 09, 2023

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    BE THIS GUY  over 1 year ago

    I hope Rat uses them, and doesn’t destroy them.

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    BasilBruce  over 1 year ago

    I’m guessing Rat needs for a lot of people to “understand” him.

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    DanielRyanMulligan1  over 1 year ago

    How in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks could pig have gathered that information so she could show the correct level of empathy towards her fellow man?! Dan aka one(1) VERY shocked dude!!!!

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    ronaldspence  over 1 year ago

    i confess I am tearing up a little bit…we may not have a device to tell us all those things, but maybe we can start byimaging that we cannot imagine what other people are going through!

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    carlsonbob  over 1 year ago

    I wouldn’t trust Rat with it!

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    Bilan  over 1 year ago

    Echos of an episode of Big Bang Theory where Sheldon tried a device that showed what people’s facial expression really meant. Naturally, the results were the opposite.

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    Erse IS better  over 1 year ago

    They guy’s face looks like he’s wondering WTF caused her to say THAT.

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    Maizing  over 1 year ago

    This reminds me of a story I read once about a woman who went into an ice-cream store every day at the same time and bought a container of chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream. It’s been a long time since I read it, so I’m not sure if I have all the facts right, but I’ll do my best to tell it.

    The woman was always grumpy and no one wanted to serve her. Finally, they decided to have her order ready and waiting for her every day and whoever served her always greeted her with a big smile. They basically set out to kill her with kindness and refused to allow her to get any of them down.

    Then one day she came in at a different time and thanked the servers for what they’d done for her. She told them that her husband had spent the last several weeks in the hospital, dying from cancer and that he’d passed that day. Chocolate chip cookie dough was his favorite flavor of ice-cream. She told them that their kindness was greatly appreciated.

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    Yakety Sax  over 1 year ago

    https://cdn.suwalls.com/wallpapers/meme/shut-up-and-take-my-money-9299-2560×1600.jpg

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    DennisinSeattle  over 1 year ago

    Good try, Pig. I hope it is a big success.

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    Purple People Eater  over 1 year ago

    That would be a useful invention. We could start by giving one to every politician in the world.

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    andrew5  over 1 year ago

    What about those who cut you off because they’re jerks?

    Askin’ for a friend.

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    unclebob53703 Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Where do I order these?

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    Wizard4168  over 1 year ago

    I’d definitely throw a few bucks at that Kickstarter.

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    Nicolas LE DREFF  over 1 year ago

    Well, we’re gonna need 8 billions of these.

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    Updesh Dosanjh Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Everyone is going through something, even if you can’t see it

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    kaycstamper  over 1 year ago

    Sounds exactly like what the world needs now.

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    Gent  over 1 year ago

    Eh it not work when there be peoples who still pour drink on his head even after knowing everything.

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    LEOKEV  over 1 year ago

    It’s kind of like the “Point of View” gun from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.

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    newsbb  over 1 year ago

    Shows all the data being collected about people is for the good, it is what makes the UNDERSTANDERER possible.Sadly though, us in the EU will be domed as over here the UNDERSTANDERER will have to run on a much limited data set.

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    Hamady Sack Premium Member over 1 year ago

    I don’t get it.

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    Klink1949  over 1 year ago

    I have to say this is the most brilliant thing you have ever done Pastes

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    Huckleberry Hiroshima  over 1 year ago

    You got your ears wrong, Pig. Everything else seems pretty right though.

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    wrd2255  over 1 year ago

    Great to see Stefan include some warmth amidst the usual stream of cynicism. (Which of course has its place)

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    Ellis97  over 1 year ago

    I could use one of those.

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    aerotica69  over 1 year ago

    If it spares me from having to listen to the drama and soothe the psychopath……..

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    Plumbob Wilson  over 1 year ago

    Bad breaks doesn’t give you an excuse to drive like a sphincter, and if he’s that down on his luck, going to a bar isn’t the answer. I’d go with pouring the drink on his head.

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    MS72  over 1 year ago

    Pig stole the idea from AP Explainers.

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    Cary Rodda Premium Member over 1 year ago

    If only…

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    chris_o42  over 1 year ago

    Oh please make these mandatory for everyone. Especially heads of state!

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    tripwire45  over 1 year ago

    But what happens if the Understander" says, “That guy is a self-important jerk?”

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    anamchara42  over 1 year ago

    This is the first time ever that a comic strip brought tears to my eyes. Well done, Steph.

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    figuratively speaking  over 1 year ago

    Somebody please invent this for real.

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    wongo  over 1 year ago

    I don’t understand?

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    eric  over 1 year ago

    “Meanwhile, the poor Babel fish, by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation.” – Douglas Adams

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    Count Olaf Premium Member over 1 year ago

    From The Count and Rat Inc… The Misunderstander… push the button and it says “Put a few drops of Visine™ in his beer and lock the men’s room door”.

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    mfrasca  over 1 year ago

    Stephan Pastis must have watched the Netflix’s series “Beef” before creating this strip.

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    unfair.de  over 1 year ago

    How did Pig get access to the Meta® databases to train his Understanderer KI? And will Zuckerberg sue him?

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    Zebrastripes  over 1 year ago

    If only…..

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    Goat from PBS  over 1 year ago

    Where can I get one? I have so little patience with the entire human race…

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    jel354  over 1 year ago

    Rat wants them? Maybe there is some character depth.

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    kartis  over 1 year ago

    Pig is too good for this world.

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    Squoop  over 1 year ago

    Disclaimer: Doesn’t work for psychopaths.

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    ve5ra  over 1 year ago

    The Law of the Garbage Truck. http://www.davidpollay.com/book_the_law_of_the_garbage_truck.html

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    kappy.mrnustik Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Maybe send a quick prayer for peace up for the jerk who cuts you off, tailgates, gives you the bird, takes your parking space…And ask for a little peace for yourself at the same time. Effective on many levels, and less bulky than carrying around The Understanderer, so to speak.

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    ladykat  over 1 year ago

    I could use one of those, too.

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    leontineg22  over 1 year ago

    I wouldn’t really listen to a known cannibal.

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    i_am_the_jam  over 1 year ago

    I’ll take a few!!!

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    snowedin, now known as Missy's mom  over 1 year ago

    The Understanderer could change the world! Sold!

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    Linguist  over 1 year ago

    Empathy does not excuse bad behavior but it often allows us to understand such behavior and de-escalates any violent retaliation.

    I can understand and sympathize with a person whose economic and social misfortunes have led them to a life of crime, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be held accountable and punished for those crimes. However, the measure of punishment should be proportionate to the crime and the motivation for said crime.

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    WCraft Premium Member over 1 year ago

    And then the citizens in red states joined hands with the citizens of blue states and they all sang together , “ We are One!”

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    socalvillaguy Premium Member over 1 year ago

    “The Understanderer” (patent pending) is more likely to come before a world where people aren’t jerks to their fellow humans.

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    MeGoNow Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Attention venture capitalists. Seriously consider development. AI could likely conflate something like her brief complaint and produce a credible sounding scenario that the user should have considered before becoming enraged. It doesn’t have to be exactly accurate, since people would not be expected to bring it up with the person they were hating on. But having heard what might be going on, they could dissipate their rage and thus become mentally healthier and perhaps less likely to get shot acting it out.

    I have an idea for another versions. Pocket size, with electrodes attached to the user’s genitals. When they become angry, the device sends a jolt every three seconds until the user articulates a story that might explain why the target of their rage may have appeared to act badly. Should develp some fine reflexes.

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    MeGoNow Premium Member over 1 year ago

    I would also suggest that, if the Understanderer sounds like a good ides, you take a small box, label it UNDERSTANDERER, and put a dummy button on top. Mount one in your car and keep the other beside you when you watch TV news. Pushing the button reminds you to think that maybe rage isn’t the best response. (Not guaranteed for TV news use. For much of it, rage IS the appropriate response. )

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    FireAnt_Hater  over 1 year ago

    My world was shook when I saw Pig’s ears – but the last panel restored my equanimity.

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    LaughterIsJoyMuliplied  over 1 year ago

    Thanks Steph.

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    Cincoflex  over 1 year ago

    Actually . . . that button could be part of an entire Compassion Kit.

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    happyinvenice23  over 1 year ago

    Good Morning Steph, Great Story, keep it up.

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    mbourg63 Premium Member over 1 year ago

    “We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions.” – Stephen Covey

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    hooglah  over 1 year ago

    If only…………….

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    nostall  over 1 year ago

    “Were it so easy.” Arbiter

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    oldfunnyfacesmk Premium Member over 1 year ago

    I have a tee-shirt that says"Be Kind" on the front and on the back “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about”Very appropriate for this cartoon. (Available from “Til Valhalla Project”.)

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    mwksix  over 1 year ago

    How did Pig get dirty in the last frame?

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    Rick Hutchins Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Cartoon of the year, right here.

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    dlaemmerhirt999  over 1 year ago

    One can certainly ASSUME this of everyone to help the world, but there really are just bitter _ssholes too.

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    Rexlibris.rutgers  over 1 year ago

    What a really decent strip; as usual, the best comic out there!

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    pchemcat  over 1 year ago

    I wish it were that easy.

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    Spoonbone  over 1 year ago

    Sometimes, what looks like jerky behavior, is actually just a distracted lack of paying attention. If you understand that getting cut off may not be intentionally malicious, it’s a little easier to not be so angry as a reaction.

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    michael3114  over 1 year ago

    Sadly, some people are just arrogant jerks.

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    zeexenon  over 1 year ago

    Twelve? Yes, great detectives spot the odd one out.

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    _lounger_  over 1 year ago

    if Pig didn’t build at least 12 of them things are turning bad for Goat…

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    Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member over 1 year ago

    As long as Rat has one.

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    Anonamoose Premium Member over 1 year ago

    This should get a Pulitzer

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    AndromedaMike  over 1 year ago

    I think there are some people I don’t want to understand, I don’t want into their thinking. There are other people that I understand all too well, and I know what they are trying to pull off.

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    John Jorgensen  over 1 year ago

    Wow, even Rat is in!

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    swenbu Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Pastis showing his better side!

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    Otis Rufus Driftwood  over 1 year ago

    Rat wants one? That is something

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    Zyxian  over 1 year ago

    I’d buy one…

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    Ender.exe  over 1 year ago

    That really could change the world…Unless you use it against someone with no reason.

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    Sisyphos  over 1 year ago

    Sadly, it’s NOT going to save the World, Pig. And your gullible friends are buying into a fantasy….

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    chriscc63  over 1 year ago

    And the most beautiful strip of the year award goes to..

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    FrostbiteFalls  over 1 year ago

    It’s all about giving the benefit of the doubt, a phrase and a concept that goes “nyooowww” over the heads of too many people these days.

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    rossevrymn  over 1 year ago

    What about the situations, where we find out he’s just a selfish bleep…………………….Rat and the bat?:

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    love2cook  over 1 year ago

    This would be really great for many many people.

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    byamrcn  over 1 year ago

    It’s been two weeks and I cannot get this one out of my head. Well done Mr. Pastis.

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    Ceeg22 Premium Member over 1 year ago

    Oversharer

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