Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT January 9-13, 2012 (2096-2100)
Vista:
--- Quote from: FrozenPeas on 12 Jan 2012, 12:04 ---The hilarious (@#$% terrifying) thing about this strip is that so many of us turn into that psychotic ex who overanalyzed every single thing as if we were ourselves living the lives of the characters. A testament to Jeph's talent, certainly, but also not healthy for anyone.
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It may be cathartic for some readers, who may have something they've always wanted to talk about--or rather, have always needed to hear an alternative perspective from a relative stranger whom they may see as relatively unbiased. But should this subforum be for that cause? (...Is there an alternative? Yes.)
--- Quote ---The problem with what we call overanalysis is that it really doesn't exist. Analysis is, by definition, breaking something down--once it can't be broken down anymore, further work reveals nothing more than what you already know. What we refer to as overanalysis is just misanalysis: the attempt to analyze the situation without having all the facts at hand (which is related to what Orson Welles said about acting: "what we call over-acting is really just false acting"), which results in greater misunderstandings and wild theories that serve no valid purpose (cf. any government on Earth).
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Analysis in its purest form, perhaps, but really, who's to judge what serves no purpose? Most people prefer not to break something down to its basic building blocks because it misses the inherent connection between ideas. I.e., we analyze ice and understand that it's hydrogen, oxygen and energy...skipping past the more important revelation that it's frozen water. On a planet, in a solar system, one of quadrillions created by an all-knowing dark matter dachshund.
We could "overanalyze" this strip to mean that Jeph was secretly fearing spending time on vacation, but that might be way more interesting to discuss than "oh, Marten said this in comic 1132, therefore he's still a douche." And interesting thoughts are a good, usually.
--- Quote ---Nobody's 'right' here. We've all got baggage (some more than others) and our ability to identify with the characters and/or situation is perhaps adding that baggage onto the comic's situation, where it doesn't belong.
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But isn't that sort of the entire point of literature? To engage in such behavior and then realize that maybe you shouldn't, and grow a little bit?
As for no one being 'right'...such would seem to be the case if one believes in moral relativism or that the characters--not being real people--cannot be right or wrong. Which I would disagree with.
--- Quote ---We haven't seen the last of Padma or this storyline, so, like when your best friend broke up with that stupid whore that no one really liked anyway, man (to whom he's now been married for eight years), it's probably best not to be making with the wild (and cruel) speculations.
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"If the world were good for nothing else, it is a fine subject for speculation."
I agree that people can go overboard, but often they don't, even if they seem to be sinking. Lamemetaphorlol
Tova:
--- Quote from: Boradis on 12 Jan 2012, 14:04 ---Contrary to Jeph's opinion, Marten did the right thing on both days.
For whatever reason, Padma not only avoided him during her last week there, she didn't even try to explain. Maybe she was feeling stressed, or sad, or crazy busy, or some other crises arose. It may be perfectly understandable and unavoidable, but the burden of explanation is on her.
She left him in the dark until the last possible minute, then she expected him to drop everything (including his self respect) and go see her.
Marten shouldn't do anything, and definitely needs to move on. I do think Padma owes him another phone call to apologize or explain, but in the long run it doesn't really matter.
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It's been said before, but it bears repeating -- why do some people assume that the only options for Marten are to either be a doormat or to totally shut her down? There are other options open to him.
For example, he could have stayed on the phone and and insisted on the full explanation which you yourself have claimed she owed her, in the same breath as you proclaimed that he did the right thing in blowing her off, no less. Or he could have gone over there and demanded it in person, which in my opinion would have been the best option of all.
You are insisting that he did the right thing even though he effectively refused to demand such an explanation.
Honestly, your position is quite confounding.
Forumgoers (well, a handful of you), Marten is not a "villian" here, nor is Padma some kind of a horrible person. They are both perfectly normal, good people who were placed in an emotional, even stressful, situation and did arguably dumb things. I can understand how this story would have touched a nerve for some people who may have been in a similar situation. But I am trying to separate the sin from the sinner.
MrJangles:
--- Quote from: pwhodges on 12 Jan 2012, 14:20 ---
--- Quote from: Boradis on 12 Jan 2012, 14:04 ---then she expected him to drop everything (including his self respect) and go see her.
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Why would seeing her again have meant losing his self respect? Has he not actually lost self respect by doing something which he himself thinks was wrong?
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It's the "Come when I call" mentality. Going to her when she called, but her not responding to his calls is pretty much a puppy dog response. Had she shown any interest in that missing week of getting in touch with him, it wouldn't be cause for loss of self-respect. She only wants to deal with him on her terms and to accept that without showing her that there is a price to pay for her actions smacks of meekness and a lack of self-respect.
He may not like what he did and wonders why he did it, but I imagine that he did not lose respect for himself.
haikupoet:
Coming soon: screaming long-distance rant from a very, VERY angry Padma's grandmother. Because I expect her to be just about as awesome as Marten's mom, even on death's doorstep.
Tova:
--- Quote from: MrJangles on 12 Jan 2012, 16:06 ---He may not like what he did and wonders why he did it, but I imagine that he did not lose respect for himself.
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I imagine that he might have, because the way he dealt with the issue was spineless.
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