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Incoming BYTES
contains highly variable subject matter including commentary on the mundane, the extraordinary and even controversial issues. At Incoming BYTES
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Monday, April 2, 2012

B is for BUNKER

B is for BUNKER.  No, not one of those secret concrete pillboxes where you hide from the enemy, the apocalypse, or  nuclear holocausts.  Oddly enough, those structures may come in handy for hiding from dangerous stuff like the mad spouse,  meteoric fireballs, or Incoming Bytes, but I digress It's not that kind of  Bunker. 
B is for Bunker,--Archie, that is;  Meathead's father-in-law, -a conservative, bigoted  'working-class' man  who inevitably said what he thought, no holds barred.   


 
Archie Bunker was  hilarious, if not politically correct.  The 1971 television sitcom  'All in the Family'  starring Carroll O'Connor both amused and  demonstrated bigoted contradictions and the paradoxical life of the  '70's working-class stiff.

Archie  was prone to 'bendification' of the English language and communicated in his unique, happily-quipped patriarchal arrogance.

He lived to tell Edith, his quaint, cloying but curiously wisdom-laden  wife, to 'stifle herself  '. 
 "awe, Edith, stifle yourself, will 'ya!? "




  Edith (Jean Stapleton)  and the beautiful, pragmatic daughter-child  Gloria (Sally Struthers)  loved "Daddy " in spite of himself and his errant ways.   

 Michael Stivic,  a.k.a. Meathead, (Rob Reiner)  the staid live-in son-in-law designated hippy-freeloader, disagreed with Bunker willfully,  elevating Archie's blood pressure daily -and was the recipient of  endless barbs and Bunkerfluffle.

 All in the Family was a hit show from 1971 to 1978 and enjoyed excellent sitcom ratings.
 
In hindsight there may even be much to be revived from the smug of Archie's intolerant and forthright foot-in-mouth Bunker-brain attitude.
Strangely, with the challenges of today's society and it's contemporary, annoying, foolishly-over-exaggerated political correctness, it appears there may have been more than a few truths and foresight sleeping  in those  bigoted Bunkerisms.  


Is that incoming I hear?



19 comments:

  1. Excellent Post Raymond. And words of wisdom to boot.

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    1. Thanks Mike, it's just observations on today's political correctness which has gone from sublime to ridiculous. Archie used to say what many viewers were thinking anyway ":)

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  2. Bringing back memories, Raymond. We used to watch All in the Family every Sunday night. Politically correct or not, it was very funny:)

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    1. It was funny, MJ--we used to laugh ourselves silly. Back in those days, there really wasn't much PC to worry about, was there....":) Thanks, MJ.

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    1. Mac, thanks for suggesting that, you are a very astute observer of humanity. "Debunker" is probably a better description of old Archie! ":))

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  4. I wasn't allowed to watch the show growing up, but learned to appreciate it in re-runs as an adult. Fun post!

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  5. Shiela, thank you for visiting IncomingBytes! I hope you enjoyed it and will visit again. Thanks again! ~R

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    1. And, of course that would be Sheila, not Shiela....sorry about that, but go figure huh, Sheila, the fingers get crossed at times, or is it the rusted brain-wires? Archie would probably say "learn to type, stupid". LOL ~R

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  6. I suppose it was a good thing there was no such thing as politically correct back then or it wouldn't have made it past the censors.

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  7. Glory, you got that right! It would have been squashed by bureaucratic prunes. Thanks for checking this for me! ~R ":)

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  8. I wonder if people would be more accountable/ polite/ interesting in the long run if they told the truth as often as they were PC...

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    1. Welcome,Doreeweller! I could not agree with you more. The 'polite' hypocrisy being practiced is, just that--hypocrisy--and certainly not necessarily the truth. It would be far better to be accountable, tell it like it is, and tell the truth, period. The truth is also easier to remember, and that's a bonus! Thank you for visiting and commenting--and do come again! ":)

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  9. great post! found you on the a to z, will be back to read more!

    stop by my blog if you get a chance, I am participating in the challenge too.

    best,
    MOV
    http://mothersofbrothersblog.blogspot.com

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  10. Hi, thank you, and welcome, MOV, I have been on your site, your writing is wonderful and hilarious! I am following you. Best to you too, and do come visit again! ~R

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  11. One of my all-time favorite shows, which I still love to catch in syndication (and on DVD). PC is for sissies. HOW did I miss this the first go around?

    Continue. Archie said what everyone was thinking and led us into the defiant places where we question when things are not as they seem. Indeed, there was a lot of wisdom, even if it was delivered in "Bunkerisms".

    Red.

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  12. Bang on, Red! PC is for sissies AND hypocrites... SO true. I always enjoyed Archie's attitude and buried wit. I wonder how much of that went over the heads of viewers? Your 'continue" is SO right on.
    Thanks for visiting, I appreciate your astute comments! You made me seriously smile here. ":) ~R

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  13. I believe the concept came from the British series "Till Death Us Do Part", set in east London and featuring one Alf Garnett, a bigoted and old-fashioned but oddly lovable character. Garnett's worst aspect was his racism, and he believed things I wouldn't for a moment agree were right, but there seemed to be no real malice in him and he did cut beneath a lot of hypocrisy, while owing unquestioning allegience to the monarchy and to West Ham United Football Club.

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    1. Siba, I was just reviewing comments and I was absolutely amazed to read what you have written here. I did not know about the concept coming from the British series "Till Death Us Do Part". Amazing! Thank you for that information! Much appreciated! ":) ~R

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