2014-06-25

XKCD Is Stupid - #1386 - PEOPLE ARE STUPID


In the early days of this blog, back when I was averaging half a view a post and typed up things in Word instead of using blogger like a normal person, I said this, regarding #1314:

"Hey guys, do you know what’s HI-LARE-E-OUS? Preachiness! Truly, nothing is more amazingly humorous than a strawman being smacked down by an author avatar.


The thing I find interesting about this comic is that I’m managing to hate it despite it aligning with my views on the subject rather neatly. "
I also said some more words, but since they were Early Blog type-words, they weren't that relevant to the topic at hand. Had I possessed the same practice that I do now, I would have clarified:
The way this argument is phrased makes me not want to be on the same side as it. I don't want to be identified as siding with someone that mistakes passive-aggressive sarcasm for comedy.
It didn't have to be this way. This comic could have made fun of both sides, or played dumb and chosen a terrible third option, but no. Randy chose to phrase his argument as obnoxiously and masturbatorily as possible. Maybe he thought it would be funny. It wasn't. It was self-satisfied "I'm better than you." blather portrayed in the most biased way possible.
Just look at it. White Hat gets his one line before Randy's self-insert brings out this prepared song and dance, and White Hat just stands there and takes it. He's essentially a punching bag, meant to eat up the abuse in exactly the way that any actual debater wouldn't.
Sometimes, as a very small child, when I was frustrated or angry, I would punch my stuffed animals, because I knew I couldn't punch my parents, or my bedtime, or my broccoli (well, the last one I could, but my mom would wash it off and make me eat it anyway). This looks like almost the same thing. Randy's frustrated with people saying "People are stupid.", so he draws up White Hat again and draws another stick figure to beat him up.
That's worthy of a comic, right? That's good enough to feed to all his fans that came here expecting a funny joke, yeah, totally. After all, they're only the reason you're able to call this your job.
Making everything even worse is the hypocrisy of the whole thing. "If you say people are stupid, it's only because you think you're smarter than them.", but the way the argument is phrased, the way the entire comic is executed screams "I'm smarter than you.". Especially that last line: "May you continue to grace our Internet with your wisdom.".
Well, Randy, you seem to be doing it, I don't see why he can't.

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