Show v Why We Do What We Doby Do by M K i THOMSON Ph D WHY THE MOTHER LAW MOTHER IN W JOKE IS POPULAR WE UL ALL ha e highest respect for mother Iso o o one dares to ridicule her e e a wouldn t stand for tor It And yet et we all laugh at the mother mother- mother mother-In In law despite the fact tact that she Is somebody smother s mother There must be a reason for tor queer situation e Ve respect and re- re revere ere re vere ere our own 0 D mothers but an occasional occa- occa jest at the expense of or the mother of or our wife or husband husban Is quite proper hat Is b so funny about a mother In laOr law la Or Is It the e extreme serIousness of or the situation that Is Isso isso Isso so humorous here there is so much smoke there must be some fire The great lanty of or the mother In law v Joke johe pro pro es how unpopular the mother In law v really ise is e e usually poke fun tun at those whom horn we cannot reach In any other wayBy wayBy way wayBy By virtue of or her age and posItion the mother In law lass is a rather dignified fied fled person And a n joke jobe at the ex et expense et pense of or dignity lg is alwa always s humorous especIally If It the dignity and po er that go with Ith It are used against us us mild mishap such is as the e exposure ot of the person of or a village prig Is a lot funnIer than If It the accident occurred to some little flapper It Is a well known fact that the mother in law is very ery hard to please She Is naturally prejudiced In favor fa or ot of her lier 0 own n children and ond no one Is good enough for tor her James or Jane Mothers are especially partial to theIr sons This makes it hard for the daughter In law Iso Imo matter what hat the younger oung-er oung woman oman does it Is not old fash loved enough to suit the woman or of another generation A tenseness or of feeling It If not open conflict Is in- in inevitable In Inevitable e evitable The joke johe Is the safest means ot of satisfying the desire to get g-et even eHn the most harmless outlet for tor the pent up feelings of ot repartee The mother In law v Joke Is popular for tor the same reason that a joke at the expense of ot the teacher Is popular with school children Both have a dignity and authority that rankle rid E by McClure Y ew t aDer er Syndicate t |