2146: Waiting for the But

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Waiting for the But

Title text: Listen, I'm not a fan of the Spanish Inquisition OR predatory multi-level marketing schemes...

Explanation

This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect: Created by a BUT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon. If you can address this issue, please edit the page! Thanks.

Often arguments are made in the form of "I think X, but also Y", where Y is almost but not quite contradictory to X. More specifically, the argument would go "I am not [something generally considered despicable], but [a statement just a tiny bit less disgusting]". The first part of such a statement can sometimes be viewed as an apology or an excuse because the person talking knows that the second part might upset people. A common example would be "I'm not a racist, but I don't think we should let refugees from Africa into Europe." The idea of denying help to people from Africa will be seen as racist by many people, so the speaker tries to preempt that opinion of him. In this comic, Randall suggests that the longer the first part is, the worse the second part (after the but) will be. Since Ponytail lists several seemingly unrelated opinions held by many people it seems likely that her statement following the "but" will be outrageous and upsetting to many people, possibly for reasons related to arson, car accidents, and injuring animals.

In the title text, Randall gives another example of a sentence that will probably be followed by a but. It would appear that the person speaking in the title text is about to say that there is something involving predatory multi-level marketing schemes and the Spanish Inquisition that they agree with.

Transcript

[Ponytail is talking to Cueball, while holding her hands up with both palms up. Cueball is thinking as shown with a thought bubble.]

Ponytail: Listen, I'm all in favor of reducing car accidents, I think arson is a serious crime, and I'm a big fan of those "No Animals Were Harmed" disclaimers at the end of movies...

Cueball (thinking): Uh-oh.

[Caption below comic:]

The longer you have to wait for the "but",the worse whatever comes after it is going to be.

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Discussion

Added a basic backbone for explanation, but needs to be worked on more, definitely. Suggest all comments to use a but somewhere in them - 141.101.107.240 11:28, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

Done the transcript - please check as this is my first edit(s!) - 162.158.231.25 11:33, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

It was basically fine. I added a bit more description (no need for no wiki around a single [ ] brackets of those types... And some formatting details. Great work. I now completed it. --Kynde (talk) 12:45, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

"It was basically fine [but] I added a bit more description." 108.162.216.172 15:19, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

Expanded the explanation a bit. I'm new here and not trying to complain, but how many edits (or other criteria) do I have to meet before I can edit without solving the captcha each time? Or does that never go away?Bischoff (talk) 11:56, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

It will go away, but I have no idea when. I think it was not here when I began, and having made top 3 with most edits its been a while... ;-) We had some problems with bots posting I think... --Kynde (talk) 12:45, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

I think I never needed to fill the captcha since I created an account, so it must've changed since. Hmmmm ... did you tried confirming your email address? -- Hkmaly (talk) 22:09, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

Everything after "but" is horseshit. (Someone in GoT). -- Jkrstrt (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

It's "everything before but is horseshit" and Eddard Stark said it according to John Snow. Bischoff (talk) 14:03, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

Look, whenever a comment starts with "Listen," I know that no matter how long the disclaimer, what follows the "but" is going to be bad. (the same applies to comments starting with "Look," ;^) 162.158.214.34 13:20, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

Ponytail:"... but using Phoenix as flying cars could be cool." 172.69.54.69 15:38, 6 May 2019 (UTC)

"...but movie companies that add anything to the credits aside from actual credits should be tied to the middle of a highway and have their houses burned down." --Youforgotthisthing (talk) 00:11, 7 May 2019 (UTC)

Finally got around to making an edit for something here on the wiki for once! lol --JayRulesXKCD ^{what's up?} 10:58, 7 May 2019 (UTC)

(cartoon) but....Wouldn't it be cool to see a horde of elephants roasted to death in a horrific freeway accident where their truck is lit on fire by an arsonist that saves a town from starvation? Seebert (talk) 15:20, 7 May 2019 (UTC)

(tagline) but...we really need Amway salesmen to start pushing and enforcing scriptures against witchcraft.Seebert (talk) 15:20, 7 May 2019 (UTC)

Is it really smart to use a current sensitive political topic as example for "I don't wanna be racist, buuuut....." ? How about something along the lines of "I'm not saying you're stupid, but that was really dumb" or something more innocent like that ? There actually are some valid arguments against this migration wave, like overpopulation in europe or clashing cultures, and there are no easy answers here. 162.158.111.61 06:50, 8 May 2019 (UTC)

That's actually why I chose it. The "I'm not XXX" part can and is being used both by people trying to hide their bad ideas (like racism) as well as people actually making sure they're not mistaken as racists. Which of these scenarios applies to the scenario I chose depends on the reasoning behind not providing help. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear enough. Obviously I don't intend to use this platform for political discussions.Bischoff (talk) 07:37, 8 May 2019 (UTC)

To "No one expects..." in the current explanation: I get where the "No one expects the Spanish inquistion"-part comes from, BUT ( ;) ) can someoney explain the predatory multi-level part? I think I vaguely remember a connection to The Crimson Permanent Assurance. Might be mistaken, though... Elektrizikekswerk (talk) 12:14, 8 May 2019 (UTC)

You might want to watch this [1], if I did that link right. If I didn't, just go to youtube and search "Dragnet Pyramid Scheme". I personally think it should be REQUIRED for all high school students in America. But I think that rain is wet, so what do I know?Seebert (talk) 16:14, 8 May 2019 (UTC)

Thanks! So it wasn't a pop culture reference? (I know what pyramid schemes are, I just wondered if there was a reference I missed) :) Elektrizikekswerk (talk) 07:26, 9 May 2019 (UTC)

Since the reference has been removed, someone has to say it, so... "But I didn't expect a pyramid scheme." "NOBODY expects a pyramid scheme." Observer of the Absurd (talk) 04:51, 16 May 2019 (UTC)

Anybody reckon that the “but” won’t ever appear and that Cueball is waiting for nothing? 42.book.addict (talk) 20:58, 5 February 2024 (UTC)