Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT: 2756-2760 (28 July-1 August 2014) Weekly Comic Discussion Thread
Neko_Ali:
That is actually less than I would have expected. I was thinking at least $5000.
anahata:
That last panel: I've revisited the page several times today, and I'm now quite comfortable with the idea that it's Marten's imagination. It's too weird to be real even for Emily, and it's not quite the sort of thing Hanners would have dreamed up except in a nightmare.
(preparing to be shot down in flames by whatever's revealed in the next comic...)
HeavyP:
--- Quote from: Barmymoo on 29 Jul 2014, 08:18 ---Why should he have higher ambitions? We've never heard him express a desire to do a particular job (not a realistic one anyway). All he really wants to do is play music, and a higher-pressure job would reduce his opportunity to do that, not increase it. Everything that he's said he wants to change about his life can be achieved as easily or more easily in his current job.
--- End quote ---
I respect people's choices in life, but realistically, his situation is not tenable long term. The points aren't really touched on in-comic, but we can extrapolate several things:
First, his job isn't secure. As others have pointed out, he only got it because Tai offered it and he will likely only hold it as long as she's employed there. It's questionable as to whether the library needs to pay someone to do what Marten does, or if interns/student workers/volunteers could do it just as well.
Second, he has no room to advance. He does not have a degree in Library Science or anything remotely related, and is, on paper, unqualified to do much of the running of the library. There's no way he would ever be promoted, even if he *does* manage to survive past Tai graduating.
Third, the job is just barely meeting his needs. As others pointed out, he lives frugally and doesn't require much, but that could change at any point, and any major life or medical crisis is going to be catastrophic. He mentioned wiping out his savings and then some to buy the 8-string; it's unknown if the job allows him to save any significant amount, but I doubt it, even with his lifestyle. In addition, he likely has no retirement package or means of investing in one (a serious consideration, even for someone in their 20's), and if he has any kind of health or life insurance with the job (unlikely, but possible), it's going to be the most bare bones package available. As a subset of that, he may be able to subsist on that himself, but if he ever wants a wife or child, he's going to need to seek out more gainful employment to be able to support a family in any meaningful way (I'm aware that his wife could work as well to support a family, and I'm not espousing a 50's housewife view, but if she does work at a more meaningful job with better compensation, resentment is definitely going to grow if Marten were to choose to keep drifting as he has).
Fourth, he's being left behind. I know he has a music degree of some sort, but any other skills/knowledge/certifications he may have gained through college are growing increasingly out of date. The longer he spends drifting in the library, the harder he's going to have to work to catch up if and when he's no longer employed there.
In short, I'm not espousing the view that everyone should be rich or pursue massive goals. People should pursue what makes them happy. But Marten is going to have to realize at some point that even if he just wants to make music and hang out, he needs to strive for at least a little better employment to build and maintain the infrastructure that allows him to chill out and play his guitar. It's hard to relax and play your guitar when you had to sell it to make rent.
T:
--- Quote from: Zebediah on 29 Jul 2014, 06:00 ---How much longer can Northampton's endless summer last?
--- End quote ---
A summer can last for 595 years. We just need to find out which loop they are in.
quix0te:
--- Quote from: Jazzmaster on 28 Jul 2014, 22:29 ---
--- Quote from: Nyithra on 28 Jul 2014, 21:57 ---I suspect that Marten does like her, but isn't quite sure how to feel about it.
--- End quote ---
Really?
He sounds indiferent to me. I mean, if I really liked a girl, the last thing I would think was "oh shit, well she's an intern so I guess I can't date her. Oh well!" I'd think, "just another obstacle...I WILL make this work".
But that's me, and not Marten, so yeah.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, but you aren't Jeph's walking punchline. I think Marten at least finds her interesting. She appears to be pretty (her face is in proportion and her body proportions are in the 'attractive' range). She's not a mundie by any stretch of the imagination, so he doesn't have to worry about finding out she's into scrapbooking, The View, and her bible study group. And he hasn't had a steady relationship pretty much since Dora and He imploded. He doesn't have to explain his job state, which can be a deal-breaker for goal-setting women in their late 20's. But he's drifting into the "I can't win, why even try" mindset that leaves many of us paralyzed.
I'm kind of hoping the last panel is real life (its the same shirt he's wearing), but probably not.
Hah. I just realized I called it 'real life'. Anyway. I think an Emily/Marten ship would be cute as baby salamanders.
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