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I wish I could eat cupcakes.

2 (4%)

Being hated because of what you are is still painful.

0 (0%)

It gives ALL of us hope that one day we will be fully accepted.

0 (0%)

We're still working on racism, sexism, homophobia....

0 (0%)

We are aware that "one day" may in fact be "another rung up the evolutionary ladder."

5 (10%)

Who knows what humanity will be like in 50 years?

1 (2%)

That is the beauty of being post-Singularity. We do not know!

1 (2%)

I hope when they finally invent hoverboards I'm not too old and decrepit to enjoy them.

4 (8%)

Momo, you're with me today. Marten, I have a special tast for you. (Huh?)

0 (0%)

Fresh crop of interns (including REDHEAD GIRL!)

2 (4%)

Tai is HIGH AS HELL right now.

3 (6%)

"Permission to get high as hell and go watch Adventure Time with Ms. Hubbert?"

10 (20%)

I'm, uh, I'm Marten and I guess I'll be... showing you around today?

1 (2%)

This is the front desk... a library computer...

1 (2%)

This is a bookshelf! (Is this some kind of weird hazing ritual?) (Shhh!)

4 (8%)

Redhead: "Um, we KNOW what a BOOKSHELF is. We're all graduate students."

2 (4%)

OH, uh, well I - I'm not really a LIBRARIAN. I - WHAT?

1 (2%)

I'm not a librarian! I just work here!

2 (4%)

Okay, this is DEFINITELY some sort of hazing ritual, and I do NOT appreciate it.

1 (2%)

Am I the one being hazed?

10 (20%)

Total Members Voted: 46

[JRDelirio]

Yes, Marten's personality is evolving but that does not mean that it's any less difficult for an anxiety-prone person to be placed in an uncomfortable position.

 

[...]

"There is a female Librarian that is as high as shit all the time, a MALE librarian with the education prowess of a street rat, and an AnthroPC that can throw testicles from it's vajay-jay. WHAT KINDA COLLEGE LIBRARY IS BEING RUN HERE?!?!"

The obvious answer is one that values the bottom line over most other considerations.  I'm betting that Marten and Momo are cheaper to hire.

However, the fact that Tai got high when she knew they were coming in and assigned Marten to them was probably a way of putting them off that library so that she can keep Marten and Momo on the payroll, and run the library the way she wants to (rather than be questioned all the time).  Furthermore, if the internship remains vacant and/or she can put someone she wants in it, there's less chance that the new person would replace Tai.

  You're right -- it could be a "weird hazing ritual", as in Tai making sure they're the "right" kind of people (or AIs) to work under her management style, or else be chased away and leave her to do what she likes.   And there are many RL offices with conventionally "normal" managers who feel that interns are a bloody nuisance that distracts them from running the place the way they normally do ("Dammit, we just lost the conference room we used as nap/gameroom just to have somewhere to sit these kids...").

[iduguphergrave]

Suddenly Marten reminds me of Jon Arbuckle.

[jwhouk]

My professor in library marketing is a chemist.

Is that the US version of the word, or the UK version?

[Throg]

Yes, you do need an MLS -- master's of library science -- to really run a library. 

These interns remind me of the grad student interns we've got in our own office. Ready to take on the world, stars in their eyes, not aware of the kitchen sink of humdrum boring office work about to fall on their heads. 

On a side note, though, MLS is an in-demand degree -- or rather MLIS, library and information science. What was used for shelving books is, apparently, broadly applicable to arranging information across quite a variety of fields; and these days it's all about Big Data. 

On a side side note: damn Jeph had a good time doing the shading on the redhead's hair in Panel 3. 

[SomeCanadianWeirdo]

It's just as likely Tai is sitting in her office, watching the security cameras and laughing her head off.

[El_Flesh]

the position of women in society are still true more than 40 years later.

I'm very surprised at this. I don't see how this can be true. Then I thought - 'maybe you need to ask which society? It's not like they're all the same!'

There is no way that the position of women in Canada is the same it was in 1972! No way in hell! It was different even in 1982!
Maybe some aspects are similar. But I'd really like some examples, and I'm sure you have references that would show the situation to be so dire?!? 

[Thrudd]

On the name issue, if we are going to go with weird names then we must avoid anything stereotypically expected.
East Asian would be names like Brigitte, Gwenhwyvar or Margred.
Our heavy-set lady could be named Thomasina, Zerlina or maybe Yvonne or Ephemeris Jansky
Our red hot red head could be named Anastasiya, Флорентина, or maybe Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim's Dotter.
Heck, just mix it up between any of them to give everyone the equivalent of a straight shot Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster .... on ice. 

My money, all two cents (1.25 u$), is on Tai watching all this on the closed circuit. 

[Is it cold in here?]

Redhead's grounds for a complaint against Tai would be neglect of duty, failure to provide required training, and leaving them in the hands of someone who could trivially be portrayed as insulting ("this is a bookshelf").

[Is it cold in here?]

the position of women in society are still true more than 40 years later.

I'm very surprised at this. I don't see how this can be true. Then I thought - 'maybe you need to ask which society? It's not like they're all the same!'

There is no way that the position of women in Canada is the same it was in 1972! No way in hell! It was different even in 1982!
Maybe some aspects are similar. But I'd really like some examples, and I'm sure you have references that would show the situation to be so dire?!?

Akima writes with precision. "So many of the things it said" we can take to mean the logical meaning: "a proper subset of statements made in that book about the position of women in society". The position of women in society can change radically and still leave many problems behind.

This could be a good thread in Discuss, in fact.

[Mr. Doctor]

Also, Ginger needs to get laid asap so she can chill the f- out.

I wanted to say that but I wasn't sure if someone was going to be offended by that or not... It seems like it's cool so I will say it with you:

Ginger needs to chill the f- out.

[Barmymoo]

Also, Ginger needs to get laid asap so she can chill the f- out.

She may need to chill (dude, it's an internship in a library, it is not running the Pentagon) but why do people always assume that sex will stop women having strong opinions?

[TinPenguin]

because she is clearly a sexually-frustrated bag of pent-up desire can't you tell

i expect she will become hysterical soon

[Throg]

because she is clearly a sexually-frustrated bag of pent-up desire can't you tell

i expect she will become hysterical soon

Well, if she does become hysterical, then the Smif College library does have that exhaustive catalog of Victorian-era porn; she's come to the right place. 

[Is it cold in here?]

Is the contention here that her complaint was unfounded, or that it was expressed with disproportionate intensity?

A mellower response would be appropriate if she realizes she's in a webcomic, but she probably thinks this is important to her career and that she should be treated with respect at work.

[helloandgoodbye]

Aw, look how moe Marten is. :3

[Throg]

Is the contention here that her complaint was unfounded, or that it was expressed with disproportionate intensity?

A mellower response would be appropriate if she realizes she's in a webcomic, but [Jeph never breaks the fourth wall, so] she probably thinks this is important to her career and that she should be treated with respect at work.

...

Is that what you're sayin'?

Also, it's not quite uncommon for starry-eyed overqualified young  interns to be somewhat disappointed by humdrum reality. 

[Blood-Tree]

On the name issue, if we are going to go with weird names then we must avoid anything stereotypically expected.
East Asian would be names like Brigitte, Gwenhwyvar or Margred.
Our heavy-set lady could be named Thomasina, Zerlina or maybe Yvonne or Ephemeris Jansky
Our red hot red head could be named Anastasiya, Флорентина, or maybe Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim's Dotter.

Dude, this is some real truth here. However, you appear to have neglected an even greater truth; these girls are a trio, so their names must complement each other.

Consider this situation holistically and the answer becomes obvious. Clearly, they must be named Moe, Larry, and Curly.

All that remains is to decide who is who.

[DSL]

Larry, her brother-sister Darryl and her sister-brother Darryl.

Who said only one had to be transgender?

[cvcharger]

The Unscientific Poll We Haven't Done In A While - Your Favorite Character?

Hannelore    38 (35.5%) <-- Raise your hand if you saw this coming a mile away. I thought so.
Faye    13 (12.1%)
Marigold    12 (11.2%)
Marten    11 (10.3%)
Raven    8 (7.5%)
Momo    8 (7.5%)
Pintsize    2 (1.9%)
Sven    2 (1.9%)
Angus    2 (1.9%)
Winslow    2 (1.9%)
Dora    1 (0.9%)
Tai    1 (0.9%)
Penelope    1 (0.9%)
Steve    0 (0%)

Other (Specify)    6 (5.6%)

Total Members Voted: 107

Hand is raised.

[iduguphergrave]

I agree but I think it's a little harsh to call Marten incompetent. I mean come on, he had no idea this was happening and has had zero time to prepare; if I were him I'd be on the verge of a panic attack. He could probably teach them something once he stops being flustered, but redhead's shrieking isn't really helping that situation.

[Drake]

Not to mention he wasn't told what they'd be doing. He and Tai can run the library just fine during the school year, I'm not sure what a trio of graduate students when there's less people on campus is supposed to accomplish.
On that note, graduate students doing a summer internship? I might be disconnected from the liberal arts but that's a time for hard research as I understand it.

[Is it cold in here?]

I really didn't perceive it as "shrieking".

[cesariojpn]

an AnthroPC that can throw testicles from it's vajay-jay

I think that you meant to type "tentacles," but the mental image of an AnthroPC firing testicles from its crotch is traumatizing hilarious.

Also, Ginger needs to get laid asap so she can chill the f- out.

Damn autospell on smartphone.....

[DonInKansas]

It's a library tour.  What else did she expect besides books and shelves?

"Hang tight girls, we're almost to the PBS  video section.....then the party starts!!"

[cesariojpn]

Redhead's grounds for a complaint against Tai would be neglect of duty, failure to provide required training, and leaving them in the hands of someone who could trivially be portrayed as insulting ("this is a bookshelf").

Till Marten "reminds" some "people" of a certain event.....or Tai dredges up something more damning and manages to skirt the complaint.

[Kugai]

It's just as likely Tai is sitting in her office, watching the security cameras and laughing her head off.

I prefer the curtain theory

Jabba The Hutt would approve

[St.Clair]

"I know that laugh."

[iduguphergrave]

*Insert slave Leia costume joke here*

[Method of Madness]

So does this mean that Tai's definitely a grad student?  I don't think her major/year was ever said in comic.

[cesariojpn]

So does this mean that Tai's definitely a grad student?  I don't think her major/year was ever said in comic.

Liberal Arts, but no confirm over her graduate status that i've seen.

[Akima]

There is no way that the position of women in Canada is the same it was in 1972! No way in hell! It was different even in 1982! Maybe some aspects are similar. But I'd really like some examples, and I'm sure you have references that would show the situation to be so dire?!?

I'm sure people made misogynistic "jokes" like some in this thread in 1970, so that certainly hasn't changed   Yeah, if a woman has opinions and states them forcefully, there is something wrong with her and she needs a good dicking to fix her... Never mind 1970, this idea was popular in 1870, and it seems it's still alive, kicking and provoking sniggers today.

I never claimed that nothing had changed for women in forty years, but rather that many, probably most, of the issues that angered Germaine Greer in 1970 still face women today. I don't know what kind of carefully constructed obliviousness would be allow someone to feel that I needed to give them evidence of that.

[Near Lurker]

The heavyset black girl is Monique, the Asian East Asian tall girl Lana, and the curly one Curly (real name Josephine)?

[Barmymoo]

It is certainly possible to point to changes in certain aspects of society - for instance women's employment is more common, sexual freedom is more acceptable, there is legislation against gender discrimination. But the overarching issues are still the same: institutional sexism, systematic societal disadvantage against women, and a belief that women "should" behave in a certain way or are not proper women.

[DSL]

... and that she should be treated with respect at work.

God forbid. </sarcasm>

[Is it cold in here?]

So does this mean that Tai's definitely a grad student?  I don't think her major/year was ever said in comic.

She's a TA, for whatever that's worth.

[Omega Entity]

The heavyset black girl is Monique...

The facial structure isn't right for her to be black, I don't think - Jeph's (usually) pretty dang good at using common traits to help the viewer identify at least a general idea of what race someone is, instead of relying on the ambiguous nature of skin tone. We've already had a couple of Indian girls that have been notable characters (for a while, at least), so maybe he's going for a third?

[Sorflakne]

Redhead is a bitch, I can tell already.

Sure, Marten's kind of yammering incoherently and not really doing much OTJ training, but he's nervous as fuck.  Can you really blame him?

Since she doesn't know Marten, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but it's a one-strike system.

[Schmorgluck]

Redhead is a bitch, I can tell already.

Politely voicing her disapproval of how her time is being wasted makes her a bitch?

Good job proving Germaine Greer's works aren't outdated at all.

[pwhodges]

Also, Ginger needs to get laid asap so she can chill the f- out.

Redhead is a bitch, I can tell already.

Hey guys, I had hoped that sort of thing was getting left behind in the 20th century or earlier; please think before you type.

[Mr_Rose]

I believe you're gonna have to explain "thought" to them first, pwhodges….

[Mr. Doctor]

I felt CompSarge was merely joking around. Sorflakne on the other hand felt hostile.

[Is it cold in here?]

We can have a thoughtful conversation here, featuring questions such as "What would you consider healthy assertiveness on Redhead's part, and how would that be different from what she said?", or "What would have been your reaction if a man had spoken the same words, and if you see a difference, why?".

(moderator)
Bigotry, on the other hand, will not be tolerated.
(/moderator)

[helloandgoodbye]

The heavyset black girl is Monique...

The facial structure isn't right for her to be black, I don't think - Jeph's (usually) pretty dang good at using common traits to help the viewer identify at least a general idea of what race someone is, instead of relying on the ambiguous nature of skin tone. We've already had a couple of Indian girls that have been notable characters (for a while, at least), so maybe he's going for a third?

...Maybe Jeph doesn't know how to draw black people? :/

[pwhodges]

Which doesn't cancel anything out, but rather is another thing to be corrected.

[cvcharger]

Also, Ginger needs to get laid asap so she can chill the f- out.

Redhead is a bitch, I can tell already.

Hey guys, I had hoped that sort of thing was getting left behind in the 20th century or earlier; please think before you type.

While I disagree that she is a 'bitch' per se, I think such situations can be handled better.  I mean sure she knows what all of this stuff is, and sure it would be obvious to anyone with a fully functioning brain, but to some extent, what kinda got me about her response was when she said, "we're all graduate students, we know the basics."  I've had to train new associates before, some with previous experience, some without.  I was never told the difference, and when introducing them to the layout of the store, previous experience doesn't make a difference if you're not sure where things are.  Of course, without a training guide, I've made up better shit than what Marten came up with.  Still, it seems like improper etiquette to say, "I already know this." when someone else is telling you something.  Plus, if person a tells person b something, then it should be expected that they 'know' about such after the fact, so saying "I know" is kinda redundant.

[cesariojpn]

The heavyset black girl is Monique...

Whatever her name is, I don't like her character design at all. Oof.

I don't like it either, but hey, different strokes for different folks. No harm, no foul.

[Omega Entity]

The heavyset black girl is Monique...

The facial structure isn't right for her to be black, I don't think - Jeph's (usually) pretty dang good at using common traits to help the viewer identify at least a general idea of what race someone is, instead of relying on the ambiguous nature of skin tone. We've already had a couple of Indian girls that have been notable characters (for a while, at least), so maybe he's going for a third?

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=972
...Maybe Jeph doesn't know how to draw black people? :/

[Sorflakne]

Hey guys, I had hoped that sort of thing was getting left behind in the 20th century or earlier; please think before you type.

"What would have been your reaction if a man had spoken the same words, and if you see a difference, why?".

Exact same words. *shrug*

Ok, so I was a tad hasty in my word choice, but the point is, she just automatically assumed she was being hazed because Marten's stammering all over the place and not really going into the process of working in a library.  So why exactly would she assume she was being hazed rather than, I don't know, ask Marten if he was just nervous for whatever reason or if he was also a recent hire?  She didn't bother to get info, she just jumped to conclusions and thought the worst (and in fairness, I did too). 

My original statement had nothing to do with hating on women, so knock that crap off.  I would've said the exact same thing had it been a heterosexual Anglo-Saxon male.  Misguided as the words were, the post would've been made without this current foresight.

[Omega Entity]

I see it less of her being a bitch, and more perhaps of it being a defense mechanism. She's pretty mousey-looking, and her posture was very closed for the most part - it could very well be that she was teased or harassed a lot in her life, and as such has just gotten to the point where rather than being a victim, she goes on the offensive instead. I myself can be a bit oversensitive, if I feel like something may be being said/done to me maliciously, and without any reason for it; it's one reason why I find a lot of those practical joke shows to be pretty mean-spirited.

[Tellusora]

I, for one, don't see anything wrong with what Ginger said. She reacted defensively, to be sure, but also assertively and politely. She didn't shriek like a banshee and beat Marten over the head with a broom. The only part you can see as being too intense is her 'WHAT?!', which I see as incredulity/shock rather than actual anger.  'and I do not appreciate it' strikes me as remarkably restrained and polite. Is it the emphatic use of capitalisation that some people are perceiving as 'bitchy'? Or is it her too-close close-up in panel 2?

For that matter, I think it's quite a sad state of affairs when your first reaction to an opinionated woman being assertive is to brand her a 'bitch'. I think we're all perfectly capable of describing someone's behaviour far more accurately (e.g: 'defensive, hostile, aggressive', what have you) without having to resort to gendered slurs.

Maybe some of us are forgetting that we're being sympathetic to Marten because we know him and his intentions, without considering the viewpoint of the girls. If some random 'librarian' tried to instruct me with:

"This is the front desk"
"Here we have a library computer"
"This is a bookshelf!"

You can bet I'd assume he/she was being condescending, and it wouldn't be too far of a leap to assume something like hazing was going on. Something's definitely off. Did Ginger leap to a conclusion? Yes. Would it be fair to expect her to give Marten the benefit of the doubt and assume that Marten merely doesn't know what he's doing? Not really, with the kind of bull he's (unintentionally) pulling.