This is almost too grim to be funny, particularly as it follows the train of thought I’ve had over the past couple days, reflecting on the attitudes of some people I wish I could count as ‘good friends’ but whose self-preservation drowns every other instinct. There are times when realism feels quite a bit like clinical depression.
Flip it for just a moment. Who’s saying what? In my experience, the only thing that distinguishes clinical depression from realism is friends and family. I guess it’s up to you to figure out which way that gesture needs to go!
Yeah, Dorothy, must be pretty awful living in a structured society where soap and warm water are readily available, people are relatively civil to each other, and you don’t have to worry about shit like drug cartels and landmines on a daily basis.
Better feel sorry for yourself very vocally some more.
the fact that massive systemic injustice and inequality exists throughout the world; that many smart, clever, and right people will get nowhere or will be deprived of a chance at a decent life because of contingent circumstances about their birth; that force tends to win out over thoughtful, measured compassion in nearly every circumstance; that whatever privilege our dear comic creator may have is not because she deserves it but because she lives in a world in which it is a condition of her existence that benefit is funnelled up to her on the backs of her suffering fellow humans– yes, considering these things I am sure will make Dorothy stop feeling so “sorry” and make her feel much more able to constructively provide assistance where she can.
I have never understood this argument and never will.
I don’t know what Jinmen’s argument or target really is, but I think that:
“the fact that massive systemic injustice and inequality exists” SHOULD “make [one] stop feeling so “sorry” and … feel much more able to constructively provide assistance where she can.”
The cause of much ennui (I’m assuming) is caused by thinking that there are no worthwhile goals that one could possibly pursue (e.g. nothing much to do other than contribute to the needless consumption of others and gain more to consume yourself). Recognising that most people in the world could have huge differences to how well their lives are going (lifting them from awful to not awful) with minimal investment in foreign development, is a worthwhile and motivating realisation IF you recognise that stopping some-one from starving to death is a worthwhile goal, unlike the typical goals adopted by the consumer in the developed world.
It’s basically the realisation that stops people who’ve concluded that “everything I could do is objectively meaningless, I may as well devote myself to some arbitrary goal” from devoting themselves to some ephemeral, aesthetic goal of self-realisation and instead devote themselves to reducing massive human suffering and increasing human wellbeing.
@kat @ben: You guys have renewed my faith in the civility and intelligence of Cat & Girl comments. I will, henceforth, stop capitalizing my name in your honor.
It was confusing having two capital-B-Brians commenting anyway.
I think that Dorothy and Cat & Girl are doing something constructive.
And why would you read a comic that bores you? and then comment on its boring you? isn’t that trolling? i think that’s trolling.
Pretty sure I’m preceded by a capital-B Ben as well, brian. I might switch to rubyben to further non-confusion if commenting here becomes a thing i do.
*ben
*slow clap*
The last horse crossed the finish line. Eloquent use of internet vernacular.
I read this because Cat and Girl has gone from an interesting webcomic to a journal of imminent self destruction.
This comic and conversation is a depressing outlook on existence (i.e. @kat’s comments). I’ve always appreciated my free will and resulting opportunity to exert some influence on the world, regardless of my station in life. I’ve known people discontent with many resources and people content with essentially no resources.
Isn’t a perfect state of equality the end goal of entropy?
Is this Cat and Girl’s first instance of proper trolling? And if so, is it wrong to think ‘awww’ in response? Contemporary milestones in the evolution of an artist…
It seems that the bottom right panel has been ignored: «we make our own point, pretend it’s important, march on!» Go read some Satre people, this is a most excellent state to be in! ^_^ (Although as is pointed out there are one or two problematic points ¬_¬)
Rereading comments here, and I must say, it is those “poor unfortunate souls” that are the least concerned with “lifting others out of their sorry existence.” (I’m paraphrasing, so sue me.)
It’s not like imperialists were the first to practice imperialism or the systemic eradication of “other” people, either. Are you going to apologize for what you/we/they have done to the third-world and then assume they can’t think/act for themselves and make them do what you want? Just a liiitle hypocritical, but I couldn’t tell you how. Is it the way you assume poverty precludes all ability to think freely and every individual outside your economic class must be a hippie’s stereotype of perfected culture? Or is it the knowledge that some people will easily bend to your will with sweets and consumerism rather than a lash and superior numbers?
May 24, 2011
I approve.
May 24, 2011
At least we’ve still got the radio.
May 24, 2011
Lovely :-)
May 24, 2011
worship thought and stay stagnant
May 24, 2011
This is almost too grim to be funny, particularly as it follows the train of thought I’ve had over the past couple days, reflecting on the attitudes of some people I wish I could count as ‘good friends’ but whose self-preservation drowns every other instinct. There are times when realism feels quite a bit like clinical depression.
May 24, 2011
Flip it for just a moment. Who’s saying what? In my experience, the only thing that distinguishes clinical depression from realism is friends and family. I guess it’s up to you to figure out which way that gesture needs to go!
May 24, 2011
Of course there’s no point. But there’s a point to YOU. :)
That’s the ethos I live by.
May 24, 2011
I don’t wholly see what the point of this is.
May 24, 2011
i want a poster of panel 8
May 25, 2011
Cheer up, Dorothy… things have been worse. Probably.
May 25, 2011
The point is to feel good about being alive.
May 25, 2011
Making up your own point seems kinda like… cheating.
May 25, 2011
@lcrl: ditto
@BenK: I feel like you don’t get it, but then I feel kind of ridiculous for thinking that I get it.
May 25, 2011
Yeah, Dorothy, must be pretty awful living in a structured society where soap and warm water are readily available, people are relatively civil to each other, and you don’t have to worry about shit like drug cartels and landmines on a daily basis.
Better feel sorry for yourself very vocally some more.
May 25, 2011
Oh and don’t forget promoting not making any effort to make people happier or life better.
Ayn Rand would be proud.
May 26, 2011
@jinmen
the fact that massive systemic injustice and inequality exists throughout the world; that many smart, clever, and right people will get nowhere or will be deprived of a chance at a decent life because of contingent circumstances about their birth; that force tends to win out over thoughtful, measured compassion in nearly every circumstance; that whatever privilege our dear comic creator may have is not because she deserves it but because she lives in a world in which it is a condition of her existence that benefit is funnelled up to her on the backs of her suffering fellow humans– yes, considering these things I am sure will make Dorothy stop feeling so “sorry” and make her feel much more able to constructively provide assistance where she can.
I have never understood this argument and never will.
May 26, 2011
Dorothy, I think you should move to France
May 26, 2011
@Kat
That doesn’t give you, or Dorothy an excuse for being such a BORE.
May 26, 2011
Two lovely puns there and no one is laughing
Talking of bon mots and puns try googling Simon Drew Motheaten
May 26, 2011
@Kat
I don’t know what Jinmen’s argument or target really is, but I think that:
“the fact that massive systemic injustice and inequality exists” SHOULD “make [one] stop feeling so “sorry” and … feel much more able to constructively provide assistance where she can.”
The cause of much ennui (I’m assuming) is caused by thinking that there are no worthwhile goals that one could possibly pursue (e.g. nothing much to do other than contribute to the needless consumption of others and gain more to consume yourself). Recognising that most people in the world could have huge differences to how well their lives are going (lifting them from awful to not awful) with minimal investment in foreign development, is a worthwhile and motivating realisation IF you recognise that stopping some-one from starving to death is a worthwhile goal, unlike the typical goals adopted by the consumer in the developed world.
It’s basically the realisation that stops people who’ve concluded that “everything I could do is objectively meaningless, I may as well devote myself to some arbitrary goal” from devoting themselves to some ephemeral, aesthetic goal of self-realisation and instead devote themselves to reducing massive human suffering and increasing human wellbeing.
May 26, 2011
@kat @ben: You guys have renewed my faith in the civility and intelligence of Cat & Girl comments. I will, henceforth, stop capitalizing my name in your honor.
It was confusing having two capital-B-Brians commenting anyway.
May 26, 2011
I think that Dorothy and Cat & Girl are doing something constructive.
And why would you read a comic that bores you? and then comment on its boring you? isn’t that trolling? i think that’s trolling.
Pretty sure I’m preceded by a capital-B Ben as well, brian. I might switch to rubyben to further non-confusion if commenting here becomes a thing i do.
May 26, 2011
*ben
*slow clap*
The last horse crossed the finish line. Eloquent use of internet vernacular.
I read this because Cat and Girl has gone from an interesting webcomic to a journal of imminent self destruction.
May 26, 2011
are those conjoined speech bubbles in panel four??
May 26, 2011
@DavidMoss: Agree with most of your points
This comic and conversation is a depressing outlook on existence (i.e. @kat’s comments). I’ve always appreciated my free will and resulting opportunity to exert some influence on the world, regardless of my station in life. I’ve known people discontent with many resources and people content with essentially no resources.
Isn’t a perfect state of equality the end goal of entropy?
May 27, 2011
@Jinmen: The most depressing thing on this whole page is that you think you’re correct.
June 3, 2011
Is this Cat and Girl’s first instance of proper trolling? And if so, is it wrong to think ‘awww’ in response? Contemporary milestones in the evolution of an artist…
June 5, 2011
It seems that the bottom right panel has been ignored: «we make our own point, pretend it’s important, march on!» Go read some Satre people, this is a most excellent state to be in! ^_^ (Although as is pointed out there are one or two problematic points ¬_¬)
October 20, 2011
Rereading comments here, and I must say, it is those “poor unfortunate souls” that are the least concerned with “lifting others out of their sorry existence.” (I’m paraphrasing, so sue me.)
It’s not like imperialists were the first to practice imperialism or the systemic eradication of “other” people, either. Are you going to apologize for what you/we/they have done to the third-world and then assume they can’t think/act for themselves and make them do what you want? Just a liiitle hypocritical, but I couldn’t tell you how. Is it the way you assume poverty precludes all ability to think freely and every individual outside your economic class must be a hippie’s stereotype of perfected culture? Or is it the knowledge that some people will easily bend to your will with sweets and consumerism rather than a lash and superior numbers?