Bumper stickers display a wide range of humorous quips, political opinions, and statements of personal identity. One humorous quip on a bumper sticker reads, "Driver carries no cash: he's married!" The warrant or message underlying this statement implies that wives spend most of their husband's money. In fact, the sticker makes a broader social commentary on gender stereotypes. The warrant on which this sticker is based might be valid on certain occasions but its implication is inherently biased and essentially invalid. Most American families today probably consist of two working parents; the days of the stay-at-home housewife are pretty much over. Most women either choose to work or have to work to help pay the household bills. Moreover, men are just as responsible for spending and squandering money as women are: many men in fact spend more money than their wives. Therefore, "Driver carries no cash: he's married!" deserves a chuckle but the sticker rests on shadowy presumptions.
Another humorous bumper sticker exhibits few of these biases. It reads: "Bipartisanship: I'll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass." The elephant of course refers to the symbol of the Republican Party while the ass refers to the symbol of the Democratic Party. However, the word "ass" has a double meaning as does the phrase "kiss my ass." Ass is another word for donkey, the Democrat's icon. However, ass also means rear end. To "kiss ass" means to brown nose or otherwise surrender one's dignity. When a person says, "Kiss my ass" he or she usually uses it in a derogatory manner. Interestingly, although the sticker hints at American politics, the statement does not actually make a political opinion statement. Rather, it merely pokes fun at the English language by using a clever pun. The warrant underlying this bumper sticker is actually not political at all, and therefore the humor of the phrase is more valid than the previous sticker, which also contains a humorous quip but which rests on questionable sociological warrants.
You’re 100% through this paper. Sign up to read the full paper.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.