In Defense of Joseph

Joseph is an ancient and powerful name.

Jesus' dad.

The Heads of both the Kennedy and Jackson clans.

Joltin' Joe.

In recent years, two terms have risen in popularity, to my dismay.

1) Average Joe

This one slays me. Who knows where it originated.

Who is the Average Joe? He's the star of your nightly sitcom. He's whipped by his wife, he's a middle class American chump, and he gets no respect. He's a joke. He's the joke.

2) Joe Schmoe

This term is generally used in anger, a term of degradation.

"Who was that?"

"Oh, nobody... just some Joe Schmoe..."

This guy is dumber than Average Joe, has a worse job, an uglier wife, a smaller house and his children burn things, regularly. Joe Schmoe is occasionally known by his alias, Joe Six Pack. Joe Schmoe only drinks beer.

My name is Joe and I'm neither of those guys. I'm not Homer Simpson nor Doug Heffernan. I do not wish to preach at you, The Reader, I think you're a wonderful person, I simply ask that the next time you wish to label someone an Average Joe or Joe Schmoe, you first pause and consider the Josephs in your life, and if they are deserving of the analogy you're about to make.