Comma + coordinate conjunction with imperative clauses

"Stand up like a man, and take the punishment you deserve!"

I'm pretty sure that the comma in this phrase is correct according to the rules I was taught 40 years ago.

I believe that most punctuation textbook writers say, one way or the other, that there should always be some kind of punctuation mark between coordinate clauses.

Yet it seems that most writers omit the comma in phrases like the one above - especially if the two coordinate clauses are short. But should it really make a difference if I say:

"Stand up like a man, and take the punishment you deserve!" or

"Stand, and take your punishment!" ?

Am I out of date, or is it just that so many more people who don't know how to punctuate get "published" on the Internet nowadays?

Somebody enlighten me, please!

And if you could recommend a good, comprehensive textbook on punctuation, I'd be very grateful. There are literally hundreds of them, and I don't like the prospect of ordering them from an end until I find the right one.

Thanks ... Bino

Hi, Bino. My grammar school days go back 60 years, so I know where you're coming from.  There's no shortage of rules in ESL, but I've never found them useful when it comes to commas.  The trend seems to be toward fewer commas.  If the meaning is clear, don't interrupt the flow unnecessarily.  At least, that's my approach.  But I would never hesitate to add one if it makes the sentence less ambiguous.

  - A.

Edit.  In your example, "Stand [,]  and take your punishment," I can imagine the line being delivered with and without a pause.  In my opinion, contextual considerations here would far outweigh grammatical ones.  The comma is a tool to be used.

Edit. Edit.  Sorry, A.S., I didn't see your post.