Editing 1216: Sticks and Stones

{{w|Sticks and Stones (nursery rhyme)}}:

<blockquote>Sticks and stones may/will break my bones<br>

But words/names will never harm/hurt me.</blockquote>

is a nursery rhyme said, often by parents, to persuade an individual, usually a child, to ignore any name calling or mean taunts that were said by others in an attempt to hurt the individual's feelings.

The comic challenges this sentiment when the child responds that, although words can't harm you physically, they can change how you feel, and isn't that the most important thing of all? [[Cueball]] obviously sees the simple truth in this, but tries to deflect (or something) by claiming that the world really isn't that bad. The child refers again to the rhyme, observing that the physical world can be harsh enough, because there are things like sticks and stones that break your bones and presumably people who use them as weapons to do so. Upon reflection, Cueball agrees that this image is actually horrific.

The title text is rather dark, and is probably a reference to the currently active bullying and shaming culture. None of us deserves to be beaten or stoned, but words are powerful enough to make us think that we do.

In the long tradition of the science of the obvious, recent studies (for example: [http://www.pnas.org/content/108/15/6270.full?sid=758b38cc-b399-4d22-9c37-3c074cf321b Social rejection shares somatosensory representations with physical pain]) have shown that, in fact, the brain's reactions to physical pain and emotional rejection are somewhat similar and even feed into each other.

:Cueball: Well, remember: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words —

:Child: — can make someone else feel happy or sad, which is literally the only thing that matters in this stupid world?