Wait…how old is Agnes? I would have said like 10 or 11…way too old to be singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” in class at school.I’m with you, Agnes. I always hated “action songs”, even in kindergarten.
I’d put her closer to 8 (still too old for that song). Maybe 9. If you compare her apparent age to that of her coevals (Trout, Bob), it brings the estimate downwards.
I’m with Agnes on this one. I wasn’t always happy, so when singing that song, I would have to decline clapping. Enforced clapping will not make you happy!
There are two conditions that must be met in order to participate (i.e. clap her hands) with integrity. One must (a) be happy, and (b) know it. If Agnes does not meet either of these criteria, then she cannot clap in good faith; it is the teacher’s fault for putting Agnes in a no-win situation. We must also presume that other children in the class are clapping despite being unhappy, which makes them at best mindless conformists and at worst outright liars.
Of course, it’s an open question whether the song can cover all possibilities for compliance/non-compliance. I suppose it’s possible to be happy and not know it, in which case no clap would be performed. But is it possible to “know” one is happy yet not in truth “be” happy? If happiness is not present but BELIEF of happiness is, then that believer would no doubt clap, violating (however unwittingly) the underlying criteria.
On the other hand, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands”, stated as a syllogism, would not necessarily preclude a clapping response if one were not happy (or did not know it): “If A and B, then C” does not prove “If neither A nor B, then not C.” All we can deduce is “If not C, then not A or not B” (i.e. If you do not clap, either you are not happy or you do not know it).
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!If you’re UNHAPPY and you know it, open the window,Stick your head out, and shout“I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
Like Phineas and Ferb, you cannot judge Agnes by what she says or does…. I can only imagine a kindergarten theacher singing “If you’re happy and you know it,” yet Agnes (in a previous strip) is talking about her clavicle (???).
orinoco womble about 13 years ago
Wait…how old is Agnes? I would have said like 10 or 11…way too old to be singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” in class at school.I’m with you, Agnes. I always hated “action songs”, even in kindergarten.
fritzoid Premium Member about 13 years ago
I’d put her closer to 8 (still too old for that song). Maybe 9. If you compare her apparent age to that of her coevals (Trout, Bob), it brings the estimate downwards.
sfreader1 about 13 years ago
I’m with Agnes on this one. I wasn’t always happy, so when singing that song, I would have to decline clapping. Enforced clapping will not make you happy!
madmarge about 13 years ago
I wouldn’t sing that song either. School was one place I was definitly not happy.
gobblingup Premium Member about 13 years ago
I always thought that was a dumb song too.
fritzoid Premium Member about 13 years ago
There are two conditions that must be met in order to participate (i.e. clap her hands) with integrity. One must (a) be happy, and (b) know it. If Agnes does not meet either of these criteria, then she cannot clap in good faith; it is the teacher’s fault for putting Agnes in a no-win situation. We must also presume that other children in the class are clapping despite being unhappy, which makes them at best mindless conformists and at worst outright liars.
Of course, it’s an open question whether the song can cover all possibilities for compliance/non-compliance. I suppose it’s possible to be happy and not know it, in which case no clap would be performed. But is it possible to “know” one is happy yet not in truth “be” happy? If happiness is not present but BELIEF of happiness is, then that believer would no doubt clap, violating (however unwittingly) the underlying criteria.
On the other hand, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands”, stated as a syllogism, would not necessarily preclude a clapping response if one were not happy (or did not know it): “If A and B, then C” does not prove “If neither A nor B, then not C.” All we can deduce is “If not C, then not A or not B” (i.e. If you do not clap, either you are not happy or you do not know it).
fritzoid Premium Member about 13 years ago
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!If you’re UNHAPPY and you know it, open the window,Stick your head out, and shout“I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
SusanSunshine Premium Member about 13 years ago
Hey, Agnes was perfectly polite. She didnt refuse to sing, she asked for pertinent instructions.
Fritzoid just gave some but not to Agnes, who would be willing to participate if given proper direction.
lin4869 about 13 years ago
I think you need to take your meds, fritzoid. LOL
fritzoid Premium Member about 13 years ago
Nah, I’m all right. I’ve just been reading a book about Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell (“The World as I Found It”, by Bruce Duffy).
I’m nearly finished, and next on the list is “Watership Down”, so expect to see a lot of posts about rabbits…
jaygirl about 13 years ago
Like Phineas and Ferb, you cannot judge Agnes by what she says or does…. I can only imagine a kindergarten theacher singing “If you’re happy and you know it,” yet Agnes (in a previous strip) is talking about her clavicle (???).
fritzoid Premium Member about 13 years ago
The preternaturally-articulate child has been a comic strip staple at least since “Peanuts.”
But here’s a secret: When children in a comic strip speak like adults, the strip is not really about children…