People often use ‘self-indulgence’ as a criticism, which I think is unfair because all self-indulgence does is accentuate the good or bad quality of a work. If someone has no skill (I was going to use the word ‘talent’ but I don’t like that word because it implies some kind of natural superiority that only some people have) then being self-indulgent is only going to make your work that much worse. On the other hand, self-indulgence can make the work of a capable person brilliant. Except then we don’t call it ‘self-indulgence’ any more because that has negative connotations.
Likewise, Girl shouldn’t delete her novel just because she encountered an example of self-expression that disheartened her. Self-expression can communicate things that ordinary communication doesn’t have words for. That’s why people listen to music and not public radio.
Congratulations!!!
(and that’s extra exclamation marks to express extra emphasis, but of a communicative not just self-expressive nature)
Less parenthetically: maybe rather than deleting it, Girl could unwrite and, to some extent, anti-write some of the novel? Add some more non-verbal elements, particularly for self-expressive portions? Exclamation marks aside, there’s always a lot to be said for ellipsis, and sounds, like moans and groans.
January 31, 2011
Cat and Girl cartoon #1000.
January 31, 2011
Congratulations on 1000! And a good strip with which to honor the occasion – instant favorite.
January 31, 2011
That is the most creative sound effect I have ever seen.
(congrats on strip 1000)
January 31, 2011
Congratulations!
Very good one here.
You begin to understand why some great artists and writers destroyed their last works.
January 31, 2011
People often use ‘self-indulgence’ as a criticism, which I think is unfair because all self-indulgence does is accentuate the good or bad quality of a work. If someone has no skill (I was going to use the word ‘talent’ but I don’t like that word because it implies some kind of natural superiority that only some people have) then being self-indulgent is only going to make your work that much worse. On the other hand, self-indulgence can make the work of a capable person brilliant. Except then we don’t call it ‘self-indulgence’ any more because that has negative connotations.
Likewise, Girl shouldn’t delete her novel just because she encountered an example of self-expression that disheartened her. Self-expression can communicate things that ordinary communication doesn’t have words for. That’s why people listen to music and not public radio.
January 31, 2011
Congratulations on the milestone!
January 31, 2011
I am going to delete my webcomic.
January 31, 2011
Eiya! Eiya! Cthulu f’tagn!
January 31, 2011
Congratulations!!!
(and that’s extra exclamation marks to express extra emphasis, but of a communicative not just self-expressive nature)
Less parenthetically: maybe rather than deleting it, Girl could unwrite and, to some extent, anti-write some of the novel? Add some more non-verbal elements, particularly for self-expressive portions? Exclamation marks aside, there’s always a lot to be said for ellipsis, and sounds, like moans and groans.
January 31, 2011
This calls for grocery store cookies and punch. Maybe there could also be slide show and a stack of pamphlets.
January 31, 2011
And every one of them a self-expressive gem. Mazel Tov on the 1K mark Dorothy!
January 31, 2011
Yay times 1000!
And, on the subject of today’s comic, ouch.
January 31, 2011
Oh my god. I’m going to delete my facebook account!!!
Happy 1000 cartoons.
January 31, 2011
I wish you were still selling prints of all individual comics.
Because this one, right here, yeah.
Yeah.
January 31, 2011
Thanks for 1000 comics! I agree that this is an interesting one… What is any communication but the attempt to put your thoughts in others’ heads?
January 31, 2011
Have I seen that one in Spirited Away? Given enough room and attention, it can learn to be in the world.
February 1, 2011
Holy mackerel! 1000! And that milestone has this for a comic (so, so much irony)! Geez, only you can pull this off, Dorothy. (Congrats!)
February 1, 2011
Oh Cat and Girl fight a Shoggoth!
Happy 1000, Dottie! :)
February 1, 2011
Strip one thousand is a commentary on self expression as another word for ego?
God I love this comic.
I hope to see a thousand more!
February 2, 2011
Well then, here’s to 1000 more ego trips/communication attempts. I’ll be in the front row.
February 4, 2011
Thanks for making me notice the great joke, Dreaming Pixel.
Who’s not to love this comic?
February 13, 2011
I find most things are expressions of somebody’s ego.