Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

An odd thought...

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TheEvilDog:

--- Quote from: IanClark on 03 Jan 2011, 19:07 --- In the second case, he ended up getting what he wanted anyway, and far from being mocking his boss was supportive and said that he could do way better than that place anyway (whether or not that actually happened...).

--- End quote ---

Did he really? Its one thing to go from one job to a slightly better one when you're fired. It's something else to make the conscious decision to leave the job you hate, prepare yourself for that "confrontation", go into work and find out you've been fired. That opportunity was taken away from him. Yes, the immediate end result was the same, Marten was no longer the office bitch, but was it the same result overall? No. Some people need to assert themselves, otherwise they end up in the same repetative cycle. And Marten is still in that cycle because he didn't get the chance to take that risk. Sure, he has a slightly better job, a slightly better wage (which I doubt is anywhere near the typical $50,000 a year an actual librarian makes), but its still the same monotonous, weary work he was doing before, just with more books and less paperclips.

Because he didn't quit like he wanted to, instead having the decision taken away from him, has Marten really grown? Self-assertion is vital, it allows people to be proactive, in that you don't see limits, but opportunities. I once did a course when I had gotten out of college, about helping you find work, being confident in interviews, etc. A lot of it carries over into the rest of your life. I remember the instructor once said that "Self-assertion is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger you become." Corny? Oh hell yes it is, but its true. So Marten has failed to be assertive like he wanted to be and is still pretty much in the same boat in strip 1831 as he was in strip 1 (albeit more hungover and a larger pool of friends).

IanClark:
I see your point, but I'm not really arguing that it still worked out great for him, or that it wouldn't be better if he'd gotten to assert himself by quitting; I'm arguing that he wasn't really "punished" for it. Ultimately, it was more or less a wash, and I don't think it was a denial of closure because I don't think it mattered that way to him. It was more "work sucks" than "I'm sick of being oppressed."

tomart:

--- Quote from: Blackjoker on 03 Jan 2011, 01:35 --- each time Marten tries to be assertive the universe seems to actively punish him.
--- End quote ---

Yes, i agree - but it's the classic Everyman existential archetype, from Charlie Chaplin through a long series of excellent tragicomedic (anti-)heroes. (Many could be mentioned; my faves include Charlie Brown and Daffy Duck.) 

I've found that over time, Jeph has a good balancing tendency to reward his core character*, but when we're following his travails day by day it can seem way too much sometimes: when it rains, it fucking pours.

 * Look how long Marten enjoyed perhaps the best couple relationship in QC. 

muffin_of_chaos:

--- Quote from: tomart on 05 Jan 2011, 16:33 --- * Look how long Marten enjoyed perhaps the best couple relationship in QC. 

--- End quote ---

Yikes.  Depressing.

Blackjoker:
And judging by the January 7th comic, it is possible that his mother has CONDITIONED him to not be assertive, yeesh. I am suddenly developing some hate for her.

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