Dumbass Sayings: “Off Your Rocker”

When someone’s taking a dump on a public bus people say he’s “Off his rocker.” People know that this means “insane” but if you ask them what a “rocker” is and how that relates to the characterization of insanity, that’s when they stare at you with a blank face. The reason for their silence is because this saying just doesn’t make sense. However, just for fun let’s try to make sense of this. First we have to figure out what is meant by the word “rocker.” I would assume it means a rocking chair. Let’s just presume that’s what it means. Why does being off of a rocking chair make you insane? How are rocking chairs synonymous with sanity? Sure being in a rocking chair can be soothing and comfortable, but you don’t start tearing your hair out and making paintings with your feces once you stand up off it. Most people rarely sit on rocking chairs these days. Are we all insane? Maybe we’re not as level headed as we used to be as a society, but I’d like to think we’re relatively far off from taking a dump on the bus on any given day.

Maybe people were falling off their rockers and hitting the back of their heads causing brain damage and dementia.