# "I hate Mondays" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841 "2013-04-16T15:13:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/1 "2013-04-16T15:13:27Z")
This morning, while patronizing my local McDonald’s and waiting for my order, I was approached by a woman who apparently had an interest in idle chit-chat. As it happens, we are both black. I wasn’t really interested in being social at the moment, but I figured the encounter would be brief, so I did my best to be polite. She asked me how I was doing, and I mumbled something to the effect that at least it isn’t Monday anymore. At that point, her tone became conspiratorial. She lowered her voice and said to me, “Have you ever heard the phrase white people use, ‘I hate Mondays’?” Of course, I had been under the impression that _everyone_ used that phrase, but I nodded because I didn’t want to be left out of the conspiracy. She continued, “Well, my girlfriend sent me this in an email the other day. Did you know that when white people use that phrase, they’re actually saying they hate _ **US** _?” I registered what I believed to be the appropriate amount of shock and indignation\*, and I think it worked, because there followed a wink and a nod of understanding between us. We wished each other a good day and went our separate ways, with me now having been properly educated. Like a game of tag that our race’s very survival depended on, I had been charged with the unspoken-but-clear duty to pass it on. Now, I had been prepared to laugh it all off as an encounter with a crazy person, but since getting to my desk, I have learned that I have lived under a rock all of my life, as the use of this code phrase is apparently well known on the internet. I even ran across a story of [a cop being fired for using that phrase about a famous athlete](http://deadspin.com/5929465/cop-who-called-carl-crawford-a-monday-which-is-a-racial-slur-has-been-fired). So now I’d like to figure out who else, if anyone, has been living under a rock with me. Dopers, tell me about your familiarity (or lack thereof) with this apparently not-so-secret phrase. Poll to follow, but primarily for my own amusement, so please feel free to start discussing immediately. \*At some point, I’m going to work up the nerve to confront my wife about her use of this phrase, now that I understand she has been covertly harboring ill will toward me all these years. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/2 "2013-04-16T15:16:41Z")
Here I thought it was a “Garfield thing”… ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/3 "2013-04-16T15:20:09Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > \*At some point, I’m going to work up the nerve to confront my wife about her use of this phrase, now that I understand she has been covertly harboring ill will toward me all these years. I don’t even say I hate Mondays! (I hate every day. Fucking DAYS.) ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/4 "2013-04-16T15:24:21Z")
I thought “Canadians” was the secret code for black people, since no one really cares if you openly insult them. Never heard it about Mondays. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/5 "2013-04-16T15:31:53Z")
I’ve only ever thought of it as referring to the first day of the work week. Hmmm…This brings a whole new spin to the line, \*“Sounds like you’ve got a case of the Mondays!” \* ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/6 "2013-04-16T15:33:58Z")
This is the first time I’m in my life I’ve heard of a racial component to this phrase. Mondays are pretty much universally despised because they are the first day of the work week. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/7 "2013-04-16T15:41:04Z")
Is this really a thing? I thought everyone hated Mondays! (the day of the week, of course) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/8 "2013-04-16T15:44:24Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > As it happens, we are both black. Well then of course I’m not allowed to reveal the Secret White People Code to you. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/9 "2013-04-16T15:45:45Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Well then of course I’m not allowed to reveal the Secret White People Code to you. That is precisely why I married someone with inside information. Institutional knowledge, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/10 "2013-04-16T15:48:30Z")
White people have no problem openly declaring their dislike of black people. Do we really need a code? Especially one that overrides our actual dislike of Mondays! We’ve already got gems like “I’m not racist, but…” and “I have black friends, but…” ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/11 "2013-04-16T15:51:37Z")
That is one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever heard. I’ve never in my life known that there was a racial component to the almost universal hatred of Mondays. (I actually kinda like Mondays - fresh start to the week and all, unless you have a serious problem happen on a Monday. Then your week is crap.) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/12 "2013-04-16T15:51:39Z")
Sure seems like news to a lot of people, this poster included. Hope you got a good spacious rock there with plenty of room to share, **Asimovian**. Better get accustomed to being _very_ social, as you’ll be sharing your living space with a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/13 "2013-04-16T15:55:20Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Here I thought it was a “Garfield thing”… Garfield has always been a racist. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/14 "2013-04-16T16:01:49Z")
Damn, I wonder what hidden meaning lurks in “TGIF” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/15 "2013-04-16T16:07:27Z")
Karen Carpenter was a racist? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/16 "2013-04-16T16:07:41Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Damn, I wonder what hidden meaning lurks in “TGIF” How dare you! ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/17 "2013-04-16T16:10:17Z")
What? Canadians? Mondays? And white people think we talk in code. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/18 "2013-04-16T16:12:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Karen Carpenter was a racist? Alas, so is Bob Geldof. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/19 "2013-04-16T16:15:01Z")
I like mondays, both the week, and black people. I never heard it used as code for black people before though! Regardless, I voted “who could hate mondays?” ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841/20 "2013-04-16T16:15:16Z")
If I hadn’t Googled it, I’d-a thought I’d been whooshed. Wow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-mondays/655841.md?page=2)