THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: Gyrre on 09 Jan 2021, 23:11
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Here's hoping Faye and Bubbles start making more money.
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I'm glad someone clocked that reference.
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Alas, I didn't get that reference (I assume you're talking about the 'nori sheets'?)
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Alas, I didn't get that reference (I assume you're talking about the 'nori sheets'?)
Yes.
If I remember to, I'll post a clip at the end of the week.
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Mugi from K-on, too.
I ALMOST want May's eyebrows to be removable.
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Comic's up!
I love Sam's dad
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D'awww!
I was worried there for a sec, but Jim came through :)
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Awwww.
Jim: "MILD cussing only!"
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They're all good dads, Bront.
well, maybe not Faye's
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Suddenly, a lot of Sam's background makes a bit more sense. Jim just wanted Sam to grow up to be a socially responsible girl who stays out of the grind and finds her own path, didn't he?
Also, May? No, it isn't okay. You need to learn to get that horse to walk the tightrope. You'll be a better person for it.
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Mugi from K-on, too.
I ALMOST want May's eyebrows to be removable.
I just watched the clip you posted for her on the new appearance thread, and it'd be hilarious to hear that VA voice some of May's lines.
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JIM IS PRECIOUS MUST PROTEC
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They're all good dads, Bront.
well, maybe not Faye's
Committing suicide in front of your daughter is not really what can be called a nice gift for life. But I refuse to judge. The pain and despair he must have been in were obviously unbearable.
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Suddenly, a lot of Sam's background makes a bit more sense. Jim just wanted Sam to grow up to be a socially responsible girl who stays out of the grind and finds her own path, didn't he?
Also, May? No, it isn't okay. You need to learn to get that horse to walk the tightrope. You'll be a better person for it.
I can't understand that awkwardness around cussing. But my favorite Matrix character is the Merovingian, so who am I to judge?
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Wonder if Jim's dad was in the service. Jim seems to be living the quote attributed most often to John Quincy Adams:
"I am a warrior so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet."
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We will now judge the cussing.
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Suddenly, a lot of Sam's background makes a bit more sense. Jim just wanted Sam to grow up to be a socially responsible girl who stays out of the grind and finds her own path, didn't he?
Also, May? No, it isn't okay. You need to learn to get that horse to walk the tightrope. You'll be a better person for it.
There is no teeth in this argument because this is a tiny tiny point, but...
1. Why would that make her a better person, just for not swearing in front of a child?
2. I should look up that study I heard about that found that people who swear more are more honest and trustworthy...
3. My parents tried to shield me from swearing and make me not swear also, but I always felt like it was a bit ridiculous because once I went to school, like... there are other children on the playground, and they know how to say 'fuck.'
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2. I should look up that study I heard about that found that people who swear more are more honest and trustworthy...
Was it written by an Australian by any chance? :laugh:
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:laugh: It looks like May and Faye are more alike than either are willing to admit...
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Suddenly, a lot of Sam's background makes a bit more sense. Jim just wanted Sam to grow up to be a socially responsible girl who stays out of the grind and finds her own path, didn't he?
Also, May? No, it isn't okay. You need to learn to get that horse to walk the tightrope. You'll be a better person for it.
There is no teeth in this argument because this is a tiny tiny point, but...
1. Why would that make her a better person, just for not swearing in front of a child?
2. I should look up that study I heard about that found that people who swear more are more honest and trustworthy...
3. My parents tried to shield me from swearing and make me not swear also, but I always felt like it was a bit ridiculous because once I went to school, like... there are other children on the playground, and they know how to say 'fuck.'
And some kid is bound to reverse engineer 'sugar honey ice tea' once they learn about abbreviations.
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New comic up!
SKULLGRANNY! That is all.
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Will the 39 year old Skullmaster then 'scull' her drink...?
I'll see myself out.
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32-year-old Skullmaster finally getting married to her significant other, DEATHSPEWER, SPEWER OF DEATH
Will the 39 year old Skullmaster then 'scull' her drink...?
I'll see myself out.
And I will close the door behind you, because that was terrible. I am in mental pain.
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And some kid is bound to reverse engineer 'sugar honey ice tea' once they learn about abbreviations.
Yeah, hi, that would have been me... figured it out before I really knew about them, I'm autistic. I'm weirdly good at pattern analysis.
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I didn't know about 'sugar honey ice tea' until I watched 'History of swear words' on Netflix (recommended, it's pretty funny). Probably has to do with the fact that I wasn't raised in an English speaking country.
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I don't know if it's good or bad that I can actually see Sam doing all of those things ad enjoying it.
The good news is she at least got to enjoy motherhood and grandmotherhood and continue her legacy through her grandchild
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Hmm, I wonder if there's another one in there:
30-something Skullmaster moping alone at a bar, wondering which dates are worse:
those who take one look at the Skull and make excuses to leave, or
those who decide she's "troubled" and get all "understanding" :-P
At least those who laugh at her are easy to deal with - that's why she carries the Obsidian Femur of Grobulax... :-D
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1. Why would that make her a better person, just for not swearing in front of a child?
May very much needs to learn some self-control. And to be aware of how other people feel about what she's saying.
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I, personally, would not use a valuable artifact like the Obsidian Femur of Grobulax on something as fetid as the dumpster of Ew'Gross. Though I strongly suspect that Skullmaster may be speaking figuratively, and she didn't actually use it as a shovel.
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Hmm, I wonder if there's another one in there:
30-something Skullmaster moping alone at a bar, wondering which dates are worse:
those who take one look at the Skull and make excuses to leave, or
those who decide she's "troubled" and get all "understanding" :-P
At least those who laugh at her are easy to deal with - that's why she carries the Obsidian Femur of Grobulax... :-D
Wait- wouldn't the ones who laugh be the ones that are compatible with her? They share a sense of humor and "get" her...it seems wrong to harm someone who actually enjoyed her quirkiness
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There is a difference between laughing at someone and laughing with someone.
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May should get a big ol' Skullmaster spray right on her arm. I think it would be a good look for her.
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I honestly think that this is the most 'classic' QC strip that I've seen in a while. It's silly, completely unrealistic and non-narrative but it is funny and you see what Jeph's saying: It would be a shame to see Sam lose that exuberance, imagination and unique approach to the world. She may stop wearing the mask after a while, but you hope that she never loses the spark that makes Skullmaster a thing!
Meanwhile, am I the only one who hopes that we see Sam start down the road to being 27-year-old Skullmaster (sans silly mask) in the strip? Just to prove that May and Faye have a significant influence on her aesthetic!
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GOD i needed SKULLMASTER, MASTER OF SKULLS tonight
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mmm... I am picturing.
Dr Skullmaster MD. Orthopedic Surgeon, specialising in Cybernetic Replacement surgery.
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Looking again at panel 3, May's fantasy failed boyfriend for Sam looks a lot like Sven. Is there a significance to this? When May thinks 'boyfriend', does she immediately default to him? Or specifically does her mind default to him for 'former boyfriend'?
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mmm... I am picturing.
Dr Skullmaster MD. Orthopedic Surgeon, specialising in Cybernetic Replacement surgery.
Surely she would have an M.Skull degree?
Looking again at panel 3, May's fantasy failed boyfriend for Sam looks a lot like Sven. Is there a significance to this? When May thinks 'boyfriend', does she immediately default to him? Or specifically does her mind default to him for 'former boyfriend'?
Is this still May’s imagination? I thought it was following on from Bubbles’s like and so still hers?
Edit: no, you’re right. The last three panels are directly below their narrators.
So… maybe?
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2. I should look up that study I heard about that found that people who swear more are more honest and trustworthy...
Hrr, hrr.
I really have to wonder now, how exactly would one end up with such a conclusion ?!? How exactly do you measure the honesty and trustworthiness of a person ?
And even if its was true, there is a difference between statistics and the individual. I wouldnt conclude somebody is honest and trustworthy just because they swear a lot.
Not that I actually mind swearing. Especially not if its done well, i.e. original and funny.
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I didn't know about 'sugar honey ice tea' until I watched 'History of swear words' on Netflix (recommended, it's pretty funny). Probably has to do with the fact that I wasn't raised in an English speaking country.
I was raised in an English speaking country and had to reverse-engineer "sugar honey iced tea" real quick to know what Gyrre was talking about.
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30-something Skullmaster moping alone at a bar, wondering which dates are worse:
Why would she be at a bar when there's sword practice to go to?
At least those who laugh at her are easy to deal with - that's why she carries the Obsidian Femur of Grobulax... :-D
A knock on the knob with the OFoG does make it easy. I could use one myself, but I've no place to store it between uses.
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How exactly do you measure the honesty and trustworthiness of a person ?
There’s a scientific scale. It runs “Liar, Dishonest, sometimes honest, usually honest, goddamned honest, super fucking honest.”
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Panel 1: Three cool ladies who are smiling at Sam's enthusiasm (and about to become a wallpaper).
( wants almost 74 hat )
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Looking again at panel 3, May's fantasy failed boyfriend for Sam looks a lot like Sven. Is there a significance to this? When May thinks 'boyfriend', does she immediately default to him? Or specifically does her mind default to him for 'former boyfriend'?
I find him to be a mix between Sven and Angus, personally.
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Comic's up.
Union Robotics could potentially hire May for a couple of unpaid hours a week. It'll give May some more work experience for her resumé, and UR could act as a reference for any future employers.
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"Penny for your thoughts, Sam--"
"YOUR PITIFUL CURRENCY IS WORTHLESS TO ME. SKULLMASTER, MASTER OF SKULLS DEALS ONLY USING THE BONES OF SKULLMASTER'S SLAIN FOES."
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Or in Charon's obol (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charon%27s_obol) (money for the ferryman).
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I just have to point out that on a rice-and-beans diet, you're going to get scurvy anyway. Apparently soy beans have a moderate amount of vitamin C (I had to look that one up), but just about everything else is just trace amounts. As in, a normal serving gives you about 5% of the vitamin C you need.
Of course, since Faye is not in fact an 18th century sailor, should could always take vitamin C tablets. And probably should if that's really her diet.
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I'm pretty sure it was mentioned in a previous comic that Faye takes supplements.
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Also, I’m sure she gets free food/drinks at the coffee shop. It’s not great eating but she’s probably not getting scurvy.
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Okay, so that confirms that Faye and Bubbles are in serious problems as to their cash flow. The point that Bubbles is making to Faye here is that they can't really help May when they're in a position where they seriously need help themselves!
Maybe the time has come to start reaching out to build up a customer base and maybe to get a regular retainer fee. Could the Advocacy Group maybe send clients their way? UR has low enough margins to be able to underbid most large maintenance providers and is local. GP offices near me are always on the look out for local care services to recommend to their patients so why shouldn't synthetics needing help require the same?
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Or in Charon's obol (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charon%27s_obol) (money for the ferryman).
Don't pay the ferry man! ;-)
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kNwvIEQsg0
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Wonder if they could get funding for an apprenticeship program for reformed robots.
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Wonder if they could get funding for an apprenticeship program for reformed robots.
Yes, if they and May all complete applications and assessments that are thiiis high (Points at Freedom Tower, NY). The actual process would take a few years to complete too.
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Under her hardened shell, Faye has a golden heart.
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I would think that Marten etc etc are helping make sure Faye isn't JUST eating beans & rice...
I would also suspect Mr Noodle is in there too.
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If you cut out the beans, your farts will lose their ... impact.
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Under her hardened shell, Faye has a golden heart.
She also appears to be learning that it's usually better to be nice and think of others carefully than to be a caustic, self-centered PITA.
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Comic's up.
Clinton... What? Did you forget about the first part of the evening or something? I'm hoping that Elliot will set the record straight with him, but I doubt it.
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Elliot just needs to tell him what's up. Yes, it will be awkward, but you know Clinton's not going to argue it, and it would be seriously beneficial to both of them.
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That would be beneficial, yes. However, Elliot being Elliot...
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What a bunch of dorks. :-D
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I am Clinton's Complete Lack of Empathy.
I'd like to think that Clinton would learn from the experience if Elliot spelled out what he did wrong, but I'm not really comprehending how Clinton is missing the obvious in the first place.
Spelling it out would be good for Elliot, too, since Elliot needs to learn some assertiveness.
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Oi vey, Clinton.
Under her hardened shell, Faye has a golden heart.
She also appears to be learning that it's usually better to be nice and think of others carefully than to be a caustic, self-centered PITA.
What's unlevened Greek flatbread got to do with Faye? :clairedoge:
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Oh Dear... :facepalm:
I can understand this, actually: I suspect that Clinton is someone who has to concentrate to exercise awareness of other people's feelings - and what goes first when you get drunk? Besides the ability to control one's bladder, that is :-D
Well, he's learning , at least - and I reckon someone like Elliot has the patience to deal with the on-going learning process.
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I think that Elliot is beginning to realise that he has had a lucky escape on this one. Clinton isn't necessarily a bad guy but his social awareness and his awareness of others' feelings is pretty weak. Given how sensitive Elliot is to these sort of things, that is probably not a very good combination.
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Oh nooo, that definitely got worse in the second half.. Hope Clinton get's his head outside of his ass.
Then there's to hoping that Elliot is going to tell him, but yeah.. he's Elliot. Communication problems are always hard to look at.
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[Coldplay voice]
When you try your best but you don't succeed
Seriously though, I feel like people are going to dump on Clinton a lot and like, yes, fair, he's messing up a lot. But his heart's two steps ahead of his head here. He's going to have to deal with consequences he's doing his best to avoid. He's probably started from the worst place of a cast that includes Marigold in it.
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Under her hardened shell, Faye has a golden heart.
She also appears to be learning that it's usually better to be nice and think of others carefully than to be a caustic, self-centered PITA.
What's unlevened Greek flatbread got to do with Faye? :clairedoge:
Ooops! Misplaced referent, mea culpa. I was thinking about May, not Faye. Bubbles still needs to beat Faye's brains in on a couple points. May seems to be figuring it out.
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The problem in this situation, in my opinion, isn't a lack of empathy, it is a fundamentally different viewpoint. Clinton doesn't see what upset Elliot because it is not a thing that would upset him, nor is it a thing he would think about being potentially upsetting, it is just too outside his reference frame. And without Elliot telling him what upset him, there is no way for Clinton to know. I honestly think that if Elliot would just tell him and explain why it was upsetting, Clinton would understand and apologise, but until Elliot learns to communicate his feelings instead of just expecting other people to read his mind, this kind of thing will keep happening.
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I love that no one's hating on Clinton at this point.
The problem in this situation, in my opinion, isn't a lack of empathy, it is a fundamentally different viewpoint...
So the thing is, that's what a lack of empathy is, the inability to see and analyze the situation from another's viewpoint. I know the phrase "lack of empathy" gets thrown around a lot with terrible connotations, but in reality empathy is an ability that widely varies between people. Lacking empathy doesn't necessarily make you a bad person, though it can very easily contribute to making you a bad person if you never even try to understand another person's point of view. Clinton has made giant strides in developing his sense of empathy, but he is definitely not a natural empath. You're completely correct that the best solution for this is for Elliot to be open and honest, which is basically his kryptonite.
Honestly, I love the Clinton/Elliot dynamic if only because it's so good for each of their character growth. Clinton gets help becoming more empathetic while Elliot gets to learn that expressing his feelings can be good with the right person. Specifically with a person who is willing to listen and do their best to understand. Don't know how long this fledgling relationship will last, but if they each get that little something out of it, it'll be great!
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How can he be expected to analyse the situation from a perspective he isn't even aware exists? I don't think be unaware is the same as being unempathetic. Like I said, if he was made aware of how Elliot interpreted the situation, he would totally be able to empathise. But no one, no matter how empathic they are can imagine every possible human response to every possible stimuli.
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Wonder if they could get funding for an apprenticeship program for reformed robots.
Welcome, new person with a good idea!
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How can he be expected to analyse the situation from a perspective he isn't even aware exists?
I think Christophelous's point is that it requires empathy to know the perspective exists. To us, it was evident early that Elliot did not have a positive reaction, but Clinton just missed it. This was an honest mistake, and he deserves no hate for it, but an increased sense of empathy probably would have allowed him to notice that perspective, and thus react more effectively to it.
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And, like I said, no matter how empathic you are you can't be aware of every possible perspective. Empathy is the ability imagine how another person feels when made aware of it, it doesn't give you the ability to imagine all possibilities.
I agree that he missed the nonverbal cues at the time that Elliot was upset, partially due to being intoxicated and partially because Elliot was being actively evasive about his feelings. But that is a different issue entirely.
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Okay, I can agree with all that.
That said, your definition of empathy doesn't cover Clinton missing the social cues. What would your term for the ability to do that consistently be? I feel like it extends beyond awareness, because it does require some amount of conscious thought to decide what those cues mean.
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I think the ability to read cues is wholly separate from empathy. Plenty of psychopaths are very good at reading people and picking up nonverbal communication, but one could hardly call them empathetic. And plenty of people have difficulty understanding or noticing social cues while still having a lot of empathy for others.
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It sounds to me like the conversation here is about the distinction between capacity and exercize. To say that Clinton lacks empathy, it implies that he lacks the capacity to empathize with Elliot. And that just isn't true. He may be failing to demonstrate empathy for Elliot, but that's because Elliot isn't communicating with him.
It's also important to remember that we have a perspective that Clinton doesn't. Just because we see things doesn't mean Clinton does or that he should have been expected to.
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That is true. It's easy to forget that we are basically omniscient when we are reading the comic (and even then we get into plenty of discussions about what something 'means').
It's the same for watching movies/series/reading books as well. Many is the time that I've yelled 'just talk to each other!' at the TV screen ;D
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I think the ability to read cues is wholly separate from empathy. Plenty of psychopaths are very good at reading people and picking up nonverbal communication, but one could hardly call them empathetic. And plenty of people have difficulty understanding or noticing social cues while still having a lot of empathy for others.
I can concede that. Closest terminology I could find was "social cognition". Helps me make sense of myself, too. I'm super empathetic, to the point that watching awkward movies and shows makes me physically uncomfortable, but I miss a lot of social cues. But I still think that both empathy and social cognition are difficult skills for Clinton, and that his interactions with Elliot are primed to help continue his progress with these skills.
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On top of everything else Clinton was also drunk.
And he's definitely not the heightened-inhibitors type of drunk.
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Comic's up.
Well done Elliot! Clinton: this is the part where you apologize.
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Can we all take a quick moment to appreciate how much character progression this is for Elliot?
Ok, thanks, you may proceed.
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So this might be me just being stupid, but I went back and checked the pages when Clinton asked Brun about to whom else she might be attracted to (page 4382) and he specifically asks "...are there any guys you are attracted to right now?", in other words he doesn't mention Elliot in any way. When he informs Elliot about this (page 4384), he also specifically says that he asked and she replied "...she's not 'tracted to any dudes right now!", once again, not mentioning Elliot in the statement. So Clinton didn't put Elliot out in any way as far as I can tell, instead he asked a generic question, and informed Elliot about the answer he received to said generic question without Brun having any knowledge that he could have been asking for Elliot. I'm trying to figure out how that is making Elliot upset and drawing a blank, but again, I could just be stupid.
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So this might be me just being stupid, but I went back and checked the pages when Clinton asked Brun about to whom else she might be attracted to (page 4382) and he specifically asks "...are there any guys you are attracted to right now?", in other words he doesn't mention Elliot in any way. When he informs Elliot about this (page 4384), he also specifically says that he asked and she replied "...she's not 'tracted to any dudes right now!", once again, not mentioning Elliot in the statement. So Clinton didn't put Elliot out in any way as far as I can tell, instead he asked a generic question, and informed Elliot about the answer he received to said generic question without Brun having any knowledge that he could have been asking for Elliot. I'm trying to figure out how that is making Elliot upset and drawing a blank, but again, I could just be stupid.
I think Elliot didn't want to know whether or not Brun was attracted to him. (Take that with a grain of salt, though, because I don't really understand why he didn't want to know, so much that he was upset/offended[?] when someone told him. This whole storyline has been a little confusing for me, especially because most forum-goers seem to empathize/align with Elliot's view more than Clinton's in this situation.)
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Ah, Renee, still sorta a jerk at times.
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I forgot who that guy in panel 5 is.
Also, going back to Sam, my favorite Sam moment was when she walked it to Chad, when he was a dick to her about buying the Blue Yeti mic.
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Love the awkwardness that is three not-quite-bystanders to Elliot's character progression of talking about FEELINGS!!
I forgot who that guy in panel 5 is.
That is Hot Dan, who was Sh**ty Dan, Renee's new friend with benefits or maybe boyfriend
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To me, the last panel is the best in this strip. Basically, Renee telling Brun that she want to be in the middle of this emotional moment, either because she'll make it worse or because she really, really doesn't want to become a bit player in a romcom. In response, Dan essentially whines: "But I'm hungry!"
Clinton has been inducted into one of Jeph's key themes in the entire history of this strip, in my opinion at least. You might think you are helping but do ask the person you're trying to help first. You might not be helping after all!
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Renee: "I'm not going into that Swamp of Sorrows."
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Uggggggggghhhhhhhh [angrily]GOO~GLE!!!
Couldn't find a clip on YT or DailyMotion, so here's the wiki entry (https://flcl.fandom.com/wiki/Commander_Amarao) explaining the nori eyebrows poll option.
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So this might be me just being stupid, but I went back and checked the pages when Clinton asked Brun about to whom else she might be attracted to (page 4382) and he specifically asks "...are there any guys you are attracted to right now?", in other words he doesn't mention Elliot in any way. When he informs Elliot about this (page 4384), he also specifically says that he asked and she replied "...she's not 'tracted to any dudes right now!", once again, not mentioning Elliot in the statement. So Clinton didn't put Elliot out in any way as far as I can tell, instead he asked a generic question, and informed Elliot about the answer he received to said generic question without Brun having any knowledge that he could have been asking for Elliot. I'm trying to figure out how that is making Elliot upset and drawing a blank, but again, I could just be stupid.
Have a read through this WCDT thread (https://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,34755.0.html), it was discussed into the ground when the comics were published.
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Much respect for Dan, his logic there is actually really good as neither knows him except possibly by reputation so he could go in there, get the croissants, then leave quickly so the ladies don't get dragged into a potentially explosive and likely horrific cringe-worthy levels of dancing around a foursome of crushes
dangit, now I want croissants! gotta find a cheap bakery that sells them :(
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dangit, now I want croissants!
To paraphrase Bruce Banner: that's my secret. I *always* want croissants.
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Ah, Renee, still sorta a jerk at times.
How is she being a jerk? She’s not interrupting them and resisting going into Mom mode by not getting sucked into their bog of feelings. Plus she’s also low key protecting Brun from getting sucked in as well.
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Welcome, new people!
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I think Elliot did kind of a half-assed job of explaining the problem. No mention of "when you asked Brun about how she felt about you, it made me feel like you weren't interested in me, and that hurt."
Which Clinton should have been able to figure out without prompting. Elliot's made pretty clear that he has no confidence in this area, and is easily hurt.