# If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset
If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset is an image macro from King of the Hill where Principal Moss dismisses Bobby's protest sign because his audience can't read English. The exploitable format took off in 2020, letting people mock groups for being oblivious to criticism directed at them.
## Overview
"If Those Kids Could Read, They'd Be Very Upset" is an exploitable image macro featuring Principal Moss from the animated sitcom King of the Hill. The format uses a screenshot of Moss delivering this dismissive line to Bobby Hill, who holds a protest sign. The humor comes from the irony that the target audience is incapable of comprehending the insult being directed at them[2].
The template works by replacing the text on Bobby's sign with any criticism aimed at a particular group, while Moss's response implies that group lacks the awareness to understand the jab. This makes it functionally similar to the "That Sign Can't Stop Me Because I Can't Read" meme, both playing on willful or actual ignorance[2]. The format is popular for inter-group rivalries, whether between sports fans, military branches, or internet communities.
## How It Spread
The exploitable format emerged on Facebook on May 7, 2020, when user EnlistedNineFightCompany posted a version with Bobby's sign edited to read "The Army exists because even Marines need heroes." The post gained over 9,900 shares and 4,600 reactions within a month[3]. This military-themed edit established the template's use for poking fun at rival groups.
The meme hit Reddit the following day when user Lone12WoLf posted a version to r/memes with the sign reading "TikToks aren't funny." It earned more than 30,000 upvotes and sparked widespread adoption on the platform[4]. By mid-May 2020, the format had spread to sports communities. On May 12, the Facebook page MEMES.of.the.NFL shared a version targeting Green Bay Packers fans, pulling in over 20,000 reactions and 10,000 shares[5].
The meme's versatility made it a staple across Facebook groups, Reddit communities, and Twitter. Its appeal lies in the double-layered insult: not only is the target being mocked, but they're also being called too oblivious to realize it.
## How to Use
To use this template, find or create a two-panel image. The top panel shows Bobby Hill holding a sign, with the original text replaced by a criticism aimed at a specific group. Common targets include rival sports teams, competing fandoms, or internet communities. The bottom panel shows Principal Moss with the caption "If those kids could read, they'd be very upset."
The format works best when the criticism is something the target group would stereotypically deny or not understand. The joke implies the audience is either too ignorant or too stubborn to process the insult. Variations sometimes omit the second panel entirely, with users simply captioning images of Bobby holding edited signs.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset?
It's an exploitable image macro from King of the Hill featuring Principal Moss dismissing Bobby Hill's protest sign because the kids inside the school can't read English[2].
### Where did If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset come from?
The scene is from the King of the Hill episode "Born Again on the Fourth of July," which aired on April 14, 2009[1]. The meme format went viral starting in May 2020[3].
### What does If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset mean?
The meme mocks a group's intelligence or awareness by implying they can't comprehend criticism being directed at them. It's used to call out perceived ignorance in a humorous way[2].
### How do you use If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset?
Edit Bobby's sign to display a criticism of a specific group, then pair it with Moss's dismissive caption. The joke is that the target group won't understand or acknowledge the insult[2].
### Is If Those Kids Could Read They'd Be Very Upset still popular?
The format saw peak popularity in mid-2020 when it spread across Facebook and Reddit[3][4]. It became a classic template for group rivalry jokes.
## References
1. [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405410/]()
2. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/if-those-kids-could-read-theyd-be-very-upset]()
3. [https://www.facebook.com/EnlistedNineFightCompany/]()
4. [https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/]()
5. [https://www.facebook.com/MEMES.of.the.NFL/]()
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Source: https://meme.com/memes/if-those-kids-could-read-theyd-be-very-upset
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