Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)

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Thrillho:

--- Quote from: snubnose on 26 Oct 2020, 02:14 ---After todays comic I have very serious doubts Brun is even able to ever have a relationship. If the criterion to decide if you want a relationship with somebody is thinking if you like the idea of having sex with them then, well, thats really not how you decide to have a relationship.
--- End quote ---

I'm not really comfortable with the terminology that's being used in these sentences. Primarily the word 'able.' Happy to elaborate further if you need more.

Frankly, Clinton's reaction, to me, reads like a fairly common human one and the same one that I would have, but also an indication that people place rather too much emphasis on their sexual appeal to others. Especially men. Of the people I know in person, at least half of them are people who would probably find the thought of having sex with me disgusting, and that's totally cool with me!

Please note, this is not referring to the sexuality-based disgust that a lot of people express, which is insulting and problematic as fuck.

It's not necessarily a nice thing to hear, obviously. But I think a lot of that upset comes from the insult of it, not just the 'it's true, but he shouldn't say it'


--- Quote from: Gus_Smedstad on 26 Oct 2020, 07:00 ---if I’m considering having a relationship with a woman, of course I visualize having sex with her. If that’s not arousing, I can’t imagine it working out.

--- End quote ---

If you're using this as a disqualifier, I strongly recommend reconsidering it. I have found that experence, context and bond have a huge effect on this kind of thing. I've found myself in some surprising situations and with some surprising crushes as a result.


--- Quote from: bright on 26 Oct 2020, 08:56 ---Whelp Elliot looks like you're second choice. Elliot deserves better than being a consolation prize.

--- End quote ---

So if Brun had said yes first because it had come up first, and then Elliot had said no, Brun would be the second choice?

SeaWoodStage:
@hedgie I think I agree, if I'm putting words in your mouth please say. It was slightly different for me, as when I was younger (in the 18-25 bracket) I was definitely above average in the 'pretty' sense, but also had no idea that that was the case. I tended to hang out with (and seek sexual and romantic partners in) a limited group. I'm wondering if Clinton is now experiencing the heady feeling of being found attractive.
Btw if Clinton and Elliot get it on, that's cool with me. But I can see Clinton having some issues (rightfully so)
Just to be clear, I didn't mean that Clinton's issues would be to do with sexual and/or romantic relations with another male. I mean that he's not a confident person in himself and I csn see him overthinking this.

Wow I really overthought this comment on an internet forum :)

flfederation:

--- Quote from: dutchrvl on 26 Oct 2020, 08:39 ---It is, and I'm also surprised that Brun would have such a limited idea of what constitutes 'being attracted to somebody'...
--- End quote ---

I suspect she was just trying to be honest and self-analytical, which is Brun's socially-naive sincerity. I realise it's the sort of answer that would creep some people out, but she wasn't soliciting it, she was just trying to answer the question she was asked by someone she thinks is alright as a person.


As to whether this is a cop-out, she would probably apologise as soon as someone informed her that it was a creepy answer.

I wouldn't be creeped out by it though. I can totally relate to Clinton's discomfort at the redundancy of the answer. She's thinking out loud, she doesn't get his reaction.


This is what I would expect of Brun, and I feel the same way about her that Clinton does. Her response is no surprise to me. Brun delights in reading people correctly and is frustrated when their responses are confusing.


The best thing about Brun is just how well she's written. Compare that with the film "Adam", which is cute enough at first and has its moments, though I thought the ending was a bit hateful. (Sadly) realistic in some ways, hateful in others-- like a romantic comedy about an interracial couple, who finally "come to their senses" and decide to "stay with their own kind". I wonder if the people who made it (not the actors, though I'd be willing to ask out of curiosity) ever feel ashamed, or wonder if they didn't do millions of people a great disservice. Nobody has to make film into propaganda, but I really wonder if they didn't end up doing exactly that anyway.



--- Quote ---Physical attractiveness is 1 specific form, sure, but there are so many others. You can also be mentally, or intellectually attracted to somebody but not physically.
--- End quote ---

Very true. But in her thinking that might be semantic, because even if she is attracted to Clinton on a different level, she might not think of that as "attraction" because her concept of it is based on more of what she's been told than what she's felt-- which is why she's naive about it. "I'm actually surprised" she says, could even imply that she is attracted in some other way, but doesn't file that under "attraction" which she assumes is physical.


So this could easily be a situation where she's trying to figure out her feelings (when put on the spot) but she doesn't have the dictionary for it-- or she only read the first definition of each word.

The fact that she's even willing to contemplate this for Clinton, when we've seen her usual responses to advances is telling, IMO.

What I get from Brun is a lot of selective alexithymia. People think of alexithymia as in inability (which is even similar to how Brun has a limited concept of attraction) but like so many things, alexithymia is really on a spectrum. So the underlying thing here is that Brun has a stunted (but not necessarily permanently stunted, sometimes just delayed-developing) understanding of her own feelings. And while she normally responds to things with "go away", for Clinton she just stands there (after saying she was busy, which is true) trying to figure it out.

I've also had friends who were aces, and while I've wondered for a while if Brun is one, it's possible she is just discovering now that she isn't physically attracted to anybody. Clinton should find (small) comfort in her surprise, because I really think she likes him more than average on some level. If he really loves Brun (I'm not saying he does or doesn't) then he should really appreciate that. It wouldn't be easy, but he's learning a lot these days. Clinton used to act more entitled, and lately (like Renee) he's been allowing himself to be more vulnerable. That's basically a leap forward for any person that manages it.

When you consider the likelihood of this, all this, I think the situation is romantic, in a clumsy and bashful way.

Obviously I'm not reading Jeph's mind and I don't assume I'm right. But I've known enough real people like Brun to be able to hypothesise.

--- Quote from: bright on 26 Oct 2020, 08:56 ---Whelp Elliot looks like you're second choice. Elliot deserves better than being a consolation prize.
--- End quote ---

Doesn't everybody? But who gave Clinton the advice to check out his options?
"Second choice" applies more firmly to monogamy. Going back in the story, a monogamous relationship (or whatever you want to call what Clinton is trying to do) wasn't necessarily the goal here.


These are people exploring their feelings-- possibly by getting into serious relationships, possibly by messing around.

Go back to when Martin had that fling with that hippie girl. Casual sex is a thing in this comic.

Clinton doesn't have a much better idea of what he's doing (but how else would he learn?) than Elliot. And Elliot might not mind :)
Wait, wait, wait--


I was trying to think about how Renee would have advised Clinton to talk to BOTH Elliot and Brun.

But that's because he's interested in both. It was actually Renee who advised Elliot to talk to both Clinton and Brun.

Clinton and Elliot are doing pretty much exactly the same thing, and not with bad intentions. Renee is pushing one into this, gently, and Clinton didn't even initiate this.Clinton at least, is exploring feelings he never explored before. I'm not sure it's fair to expect him to be as enthused about something he's nervous about, even if he's interested. Either way, I won't hold him to a higher standard than Elliot.

I'll give them all a pass on this. Even Renee, who I'm typically not eager to defend. But she's been trying lately, and showing she cares. I think she's earned a little slack.

Love is non-linear. You can think someone is the hottest person in the world, and a year later find out that the sort of dorky person you didn't pay enough attention to at first is the love of your life. Who wants to disqualify that, if it turns out that way? What matters is that both parties care, and that people are happy. If their love starts out as two idiots with a silly crush, those people need love too. Unless you think all true love is at first sight. I would say that disqualifies most love that is real and long-lasting.

Elliot does deserve someone wonderful, but that could still be Clinton. After Brun, my favourite is Claire (they're really sort of tied) but I wouldn't get in the way of Marten's happiness for a million dollars. And Claire wouldn't let anybody, they might as well be Jim and Pam (sorry, Jeph! Unless that's what you were going for.) EDIT: I've spelled Marten's name wrong for years. TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY TILLY...

Farideh:
Poll answer:

I live on the Southern Hemisphere. We're moving towards summer now. No snow in the forecast atm.

hedgie:
Although I'm in the northern hemisphere, I'm in California, so we maybe get snow once every 30 years or so at my elevation.

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