Talk:1544: Margaret
I love how 'God' is referred to as an 'it' instead of the usual anthropomorphism. 108.162.219.52 00:59, 30 June 2015 (UTC)BK201
- That may be appropriate when god is uncapitalized, but it is ill-fitting for "God". Capitalized God is never genderless in regular speech or composition, so this sounds either like non-native writing (which is fine if it is later corrected) or someone making a statement (which is inappropriate unless the comic makes the same statement). 173.245.50.25 20:08, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
- Or thirdly i wrote "it" because this comic lacks any religious specificity or theological discussion, so it was left generic. This page does not speak to a specific religions interpretation of God, I highly doubt all monotheistic religions, historic and present, refer to God as male. If it is a Christian God it does not speak to the aspect, as the holy spirit is female in the original text. Yes if this was a theological discussion you might be right to impose a gender, but this comic that does not delve into any theological issues. As to "making a point" you are the one making a point, as to your own correctness, the nature of this God, and making false assumptions about the English language. As someone who is a native speaker I know that "it" can be used as impersonal or personal and is SUPPOSED to be used when the gender is unknown.108.162.238.155 21:16, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
- Historically, "he" was used for unknown gender. Today, it's "he or she". I don't know your gender, but I can't correctly call you "it". I also don't know the sex of South Africa's head of state, and I won't look that up until after posting this. Can I call him or her "it" because I am uncertain? For a generic god, lower-case god is fine. 108.162.221.87 23:40, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
- WRONG the use of it only as an impersonal pronoun is modern, he was never generic, and is not today http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/pronouns-personal-i-me-you-him-it-they-etc http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/it . Nextime someone challanges your preconseptions, check before calling them out. 00:10, 1 July 2015 (UTC)
- I don't mean to pick a fight, really. I just feel that using "it" to refer to a capitalized God is extremely unusual. So much so that both I and the initial commenter immediately noticed and commented on it. 108.162.221.87 23:41, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
- Historically, "he" was used for unknown gender. Today, it's "he or she". I don't know your gender, but I can't correctly call you "it". I also don't know the sex of South Africa's head of state, and I won't look that up until after posting this. Can I call him or her "it" because I am uncertain? For a generic god, lower-case god is fine. 108.162.221.87 23:40, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
- Or thirdly i wrote "it" because this comic lacks any religious specificity or theological discussion, so it was left generic. This page does not speak to a specific religions interpretation of God, I highly doubt all monotheistic religions, historic and present, refer to God as male. If it is a Christian God it does not speak to the aspect, as the holy spirit is female in the original text. Yes if this was a theological discussion you might be right to impose a gender, but this comic that does not delve into any theological issues. As to "making a point" you are the one making a point, as to your own correctness, the nature of this God, and making false assumptions about the English language. As someone who is a native speaker I know that "it" can be used as impersonal or personal and is SUPPOSED to be used when the gender is unknown.108.162.238.155 21:16, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
- Mister God, This Is Anna
I though it was Anna, not Margaret... but it turns out that Mister God, This Is Anna is a different book... --JakubNarebski (talk) 13:13, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Judy Blume
The text in the comic comprises titles of Judy Blume's novels:
- Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
- Then Again, Maybe I Won't
- The Pain and the Great One
- the the
Why the double "the the" in the Title text?{{unsigned ip| Maybe it's supposed to be "thee"? 141.101.99.115 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
- Look out! It's an anacoluthon! ImVeryAngryItsNotButter (talk) 15:30, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Maybe it's a typo? ;) 173.245.51.116 12:05, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Maybe it's supposed to be 'the The Great One' 108.162.219.122 14:55, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Another take on a rarely-used joke
I've seen this threat/insult God line used before, but rarely, and never in this manner.
In one episode of the sitcom One Foot In The Grave, the grumpy old man protagonist is incapacitated. Upon waking up in hospital he finds a bearded patient in a white gown looking down upon him, and for a few seconds believes himself to be dead. He speaks three lines: 'Oh, it's you.' Then in a much angrier tone 'I've been waiting to see you for a very long time.' He then proceeds to grab the patient around the neck and attempt to throttle him while screaming in anger about every misfortune and annoyance in life.
One episode of The Outer Limits features a very old man who has spent his entire life fighting to survive - with such determination and success that he almost overturns the supernatural structure of nature, which should prohibit immortality. At episode's end he finally loses, having resorted to every trick fair and foul in his quest to live another day. In the final shot a mysterious force approaches to collect his soul - and the ghost of the man is seen, readying himself for a fight as he speaks the final line at the oncoming form: "I'm ready for you. I hope you're ready for me."
The final (non-revival) episode of Red Dwarf ends with Death himself coming to collect the supreme coward Rimmer, incarnate as the traditional black-robed figure with a scythe. Rimmer knees him in the groin mid-sentence and flees.
141.101.98.185 15:31, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- hot
Margaret is kinda hot. Is it normal to be sexually attracted to an xkcd character ? 173.245.49.29 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
108.162.221.87 14:09, 29 June 2015 (UTC) See also title text of comic 1354: Heartbleed Explanation
- transformers
This is almost an exact quote from the end of transformers age of extinction... Optimus prime rhetorically asks his makers of they are scared, then follows with you should be because I'm coming for you 108.162.221.173 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
- stirring the pot
Ooh, ooh, let's say that the "second Megan" in 1496: Art Project was this Margaret girl! I'm sure everyone can agree to that!!! Djbrasier (talk) 15:24, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- No way. This Margaret has already been used once before as mentioned, and she has curly hair. The "other" Megan has straight hair like Megan!--Kynde (talk) 19:18, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Cut it out
Cut out the excessive use of topic headlines. On point, the description correlating to an action movie trailer is hard to read, lacks focus, and includes a synopsis of the comic. The synopsis should not remain as that's what the transcript is for. Also, the part describing the book titles should say that it was likely inspiration for the Title Text, not the comic. 173.245.48.154 17:32, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Margaret Downy Reference?
Could it be a reference to Margaret Downey, former President of Atheist Alliance International? (Would explain the "or not" in the mouseover text and the wry rephrasing of a traditional prayer.) 108.162.237.165 18:30, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Margaret - throwaway name?
I've noticed quite a few similarities between Margaret and "Danish" - i.e. the thick hair, the sadistic attitude... They the same person, or was Margaret just a throwaway name used for the purposes of satirizing Blume's novels? 141.101.99.22 17:57, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- No way should this be Danish. This Margaret has already been used once before as mentioned, and she has curly hair. Danish has long but straight hair, like Megan but longer!--Kynde (talk) 19:18, 29 June 2015 (UTC)
- Judy Blume is a current topic
Judy Blume, author of "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" just this month put out a new novel ("In The Unlikely Event"). I suppose a month's lead time is stretching a bit, but an episode of Commonwealth Forum from the 7th of this month just aired on KQED. It featured Judy Blume and Molly Ringwald talking about Judy's novels, new and otherwise. It seems slightly too coincidental to be coincidence, but that might just be me. Is this worth mentioning? 162.158.56.179 03:40, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
