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Skip forward ten years and tell everyone to 'use your imagination to fill in the blanks'!

Jim proposes to Veronica!

Clairedad doth returneth! QC's answer to Amazi-Girl is born!

Angus's job flops and he comes crawling back to Faye!

Faye gets a new job!

Deathmøle demo tape is a hit! Stardom awaits!

Dora vs Sven, to the victor the family acceptance!

"Clin-ton... I'm... not a real girl!"

[ReindeerFlotilla]

As of now, in the comic, why wouldn't people think she's weird and random?  When was the last time she actually showed interest in someone else's views, tried to get to know someone, or made a connection with them, outside of Clinton?  Even when she had the big party, she spent a lot of it doing weird, random things, so it makes sense that the people around her see her that way.  Did she have any real conversations with anyone?

Claire, more than once. In fact, her interest in Claire as a person extends to the point that she wants to be like Claire and deeply admires her. Despite this, she manages not be creepy about it, except for one instance of excessive enthusiastic support when Claire came out to her.

Emily has shown a general interest in Marten's inner life, and been supportive of him as well (leading to the OMG She Kissed MY Cheek mini-arc). Emily has never been complex, but she's always had more than a single note and been willing to reach out, in her own way.

While I agree with those who don't call this personal development, it is revelation. Raven was a ditz. While she was aware of that, it was not something she embraced. Her way of relating to the world was same as anyone else's. Assume everything is like me. While Emily's POV is probably a retcon, it's noteworthy that she knows what she is. That's something we didn't know about the character. Not all character development requires change of character.

If fact I was just discussing this in relation to Sense8

(click to show/hide)

where, when we meet Sun Bak, she seems difficult, too sour, too dour. Not the kind of person you'd feel a lot of sympathy for. Someone dealing with a financial problem of the very rich, you suppose. Since most of us aren't rich, it's easy to dismiss this. Through successive revelation, we learn that Sun is treated as the black sheep by her father while her brother is the actual black sheep. That she has been fighting to save her father's company and reputation from her brother's misdeeds. That, from the moment we first met this distant woman, she has been contemplating going to prison to cover for her brother's crimes--not out of love or affection for either her brother or father, but because one the last things her mother told her was to take care of her brother and out of loyalty to her mother's husband.

Sun Bak did not change. Our understanding of Sun changed.

[Tova]

This new update made me so happy, that I was moved enough to actually register in the forums so I could post about it. So, here's my first post ever. Sorry it's so long, and hope it makes sense.

Thank you, Ellemar. I don't say this as much as I should, but I always find it rewarding and useful to read the perspective of someone who relates as closely to a character as you clearly have. It reminds me that these characters aren't just abstract ideas that Jeph has rattling round in his head.

[dexeron]

This new update made me so happy, that I was moved enough to actually register in the forums so I could post about it. So, here's my first post ever. Sorry it's so long, and hope it makes sense.

As someone else diagnosed with ADHD, thanks so much for posting this.  And welcome to the forums!

[CM_albion]

I'm....conflicted about this.

while part of me gets behind Emily for her stance, i find that her logic is also the logic used by total assholes to justifying being said assholes.

i know the whole thing about being yourself is important, but sometimes you have to give a little for the sake of those around you. of course it is a bit different in Emily's case since her behaviour doesn't HURT people, so its better there but..

gah.

i can't find the words for this.

i mean, its good and i approve for the sentiment but... something feels off to me, you know?

[CM_albion]

I Approve of the message, i really do.

so i don't get why this Comic makes me feel uncomfortable, but it does.

[Stanistani]

I Approve of the message, i really do.

so i don't get why this Comic makes me feel uncomfortable, but it does.

Possibly because the emotion expressed is so raw. We're not used to raw from Emily.

[cabbagehut]

Oops, you're right!  My mistake   It's been a while since those arcs, and I had forgotten.  She actually has shown interest in other people, and it seems like they have formed actual friendships.

So, I take it back!  Sorry!

[Deadcoder]

Am I the only one who wants to give Emily a hug after 2999?

[anahata]

Am I the only one who wants to give Emily a hug after 2999?

I was hoping Clinton would do that!
If Emily reciprocated enthusiastically, it would be quite the turning point for #3000.

[Thrudd]

Am I the only one who wants to give Emily a hug after 2999?

Hugz NOW!!! 

(click to show/hide)

[Neko_Ali]

I'm....conflicted about this.

while part of me gets behind Emily for her stance, i find that her logic is also the logic used by total assholes to justifying being said assholes.

i know the whole thing about being yourself is important, but sometimes you have to give a little for the sake of those around you. of course it is a bit different in Emily's case since her behaviour doesn't HURT people, so its better there but..

As you said though, it really isn't the same thing though. Emily being weird doesn't hurt anybody around her. And if it does and they point it out, she apologizes. An asshole does what they do because they want to hurt people. Intent really does matter. People don't get angry at assholes because they are different. They get angry because assholes set out to cause harm to others, or at least think it's funny when they unintentionally do so and refuse to apologies or change their behavior. It's the classic difference between being what you are and doing what you do. They are not analogous things.

[Omega Entity]

I'm....conflicted about this.

while part of me gets behind Emily for her stance, i find that her logic is also the logic used by total assholes to justifying being said assholes.

i know the whole thing about being yourself is important, but sometimes you have to give a little for the sake of those around you. of course it is a bit different in Emily's case since her behaviour doesn't HURT people, so its better there but..

gah.

i can't find the words for this.

i mean, its good and i approve for the sentiment but... something feels off to me, you know?

I totally get you on this. She accuses people of being lazy for not trying to see past the weird, and yet she's unwilling to put forth the effort to give any indication that there is anything beyond the weird, or, like she's doing here, explaining how she is.

People are often averse to people they don't understand, or people who aren't like them. You can't expect people to make an effort to understand you, if you aren't willing to -help- them understand you. And if that's the case, most people don't have the time or inclination to decrypt someone who doesn't give the appearance of wanting to be decrypted. Am I making any sense here?

[Neko_Ali]

That isn't what she is saying at all though. She's not saying people are lazy for looking past the weird. She admits there IS nothing past the weird. That it's not an act, she doesn't have hidden depths. She is what she is, and she shows it. She says people are lazy because they see the weird and instead of trying to accept that's the way she is, they just write her off. Kind of like people on the forums do. "Oh, she's just a one note wacky character". And then dismiss her. She just wants to be accepted for her weird, wacky self.

[CaptainFish]

I think the assertion that's she's always just been weird is false though. There were a lot of more 'normal' moments, the character has just jettisoned a lot of that aspect as the strip focuses on the other stuff going on and only goes to her for comic relief. I find this strip offputting, because it's clearly directed at the audience to stop interpreting Emily in a specific way, but that interpretation is based wholly on what moments are depicted. I would never reduce a real person by calling them random, but I might reduce a character that is a construction in that way. I feel like a good example is how the Emily kiss was dealt with. Even Marten, who took it seriously, still had a moment where he's imagining Emily bringing him a basket of mice because she's so unfathomable as person who might like someone else. In the end they never followed up with her, so I was left feeling like Emily was used as a device to inspire a bunch of "real talk" without ever having to deal with her motivations because it's acceptable to just treat her as "a weird person who does weird things."

I'm glad it resonated with people, and I like Emily fine, but I can't really do anything with this strip mentally without seeing what it will mean in the future.

Aside: my favourite Emily moments are her discussions with Momo about AI emulating human interaction, pretty much all her interactions with Claire (including the "giving peas a chance" strip) and the aforementioned nature walk with Marten and Sam.

[pwhodges]

She's saying it's other people's problem, not hers, if they misunderstand her (I feel the same, BTW); but then she's showing every sign of being annoyed about it, which is somewhat at variance with that.  I find what she's saying a bit confusing.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Speaking as someone who writes strips, if a strip does not say X and you state it is clearly saying X, you are wrong.

Speaking a someone who studies opportunities to advertise strips, Jeph pulls something 2.8 million uniques a month, summing to about 130,000 per day. Bear in mind these are just in terms of visitors who aren't using ad blockers. While he's certainly talked to fans via the strip in the past, not everything is a message to what happens here or over on reddit.

Since he's been less interest in dialogue, I'd be pretty disappointed in him if he went to all the trouble of nigh two weeks worth of strips, just set up a moment where Emily monologues to us.

But that's me.

[Undrneath]

As someone who also has ADD or more specifically ADHD I will echo the sentiment that Emily exhibits many of the earmarks of someone who is highly intelligent with attention deficit issues. I have also embraced my "weirdness" though it can come with social anxiety problems because I don't know how to interpret social cues.

[Ellemar]

Welcome, new person!

Also, how interesting that Jeph has never mentioned ADHD, but has managed to portray the behaviour (and the reactions of others to it)  so accurately that it can be easily recognised by someone who knows.

Thanks! Yeah, it's something that's not portrayed as nearly often as it should be. Since I love comics so much, I've been trying to find some with ADHD characters or even discussion, but the only ones that I've found
are like, one shot newspaper funnies, and those are always pretty derogatory and misinformed. Nice to kind of find it here though!

This new update made me so happy, that I was moved enough to actually register in the forums so I could post about it. So, here's my first post ever. Sorry it's so long, and hope it makes sense.

Thank you, Ellemar. I don't say this as much as I should, but I always find it rewarding and useful to read the perspective of someone who relates as closely to a character as you clearly have. It reminds me that these characters aren't just abstract ideas that Jeph has rattling round in his head.

Yeah, it's something that he really excels at. As a long time fan of Jeph's comic, it means so much to me to have a character that I can at least somewhat relate to. I know it wasn't his intention, but this new portrayal of Emily made me love it even more.

This new update made me so happy, that I was moved enough to actually register in the forums so I could post about it. So, here's my first post ever. Sorry it's so long, and hope it makes sense.

As someone else diagnosed with ADHD, thanks so much for posting this.  And welcome to the forums!

You're very welcome! Folks like us have got to stick together I almost didn't post it at all, because I was worried that it sounded dumb, but I figured there might be someone out there who would potentially benefit from it. And thanks! I'm a bit of a nervous poster, so I'll try and stick around!

As someone who also has ADD or more specifically ADHD I will echo the sentiment that Emily exhibits many of the earmarks of someone who is highly intelligent with attention deficit issues. I have also embraced my "weirdness" though it can come with social anxiety problems because I don't know how to interpret social cues.

Hahaha we're all starting to come out of the woodwork now! I know what you mean about the social anxiety problems. That's huge part of the ADHD package for me as well.

[Undrneath]

I have found that ADHD is both wildly over diagnosed and poorly understood in those of us that actually have it. It seems to me that every kid under the age of ten has at least been considered having ADD. While those of us that are legitimately diagnosed just have one prescription after another thrown at us, most of which are at ridiculous doses that turn us into zombies.

[pwhodges]

Hahaha we're all starting to come out of the woodwork now! I know what you mean about the social anxiety problems.

Being supportive of people peering nervously over the parapet is something we try hard to do well in this forum.  Welcome, both!

[Ellemar]

I have found that ADHD is both wildly over diagnosed and poorly understood in those of us that actually have it. It seems to me that every kid under the age of ten has at least been considered having ADD. While those of us that are legitimately diagnosed just have one prescription after another thrown at us, most of which are at ridiculous doses that turn us into zombies.

Yeah, I feel like the overdiagnosis is a problem because people mostly focus on Hyperactivity as the main sign of ADHD, when it's such just one of many others. I find that most people I talk to know little to nothing about what ADHD actually is, and say things like "Well, I mean, everyone has trouble paying attention sometimes, so doesn't that mean we ALL have ADHD?" Hahaha, incorrect. Also, a huge problem is that most of the diagnosis standards are based on how boys and men experience ADHD, meaning that girls and women are woefully underdiagnosed. This is part of the reason why it took me so long to be diagnosed. I haven't tried medication yet actually, but planning on giving it a go this month, just to see what it feels like. I've heard it can be a huge pain though :/

[Tova]

She's saying it's other people's problem, not hers, if they misunderstand her (I feel the same, BTW); but then she's showing every sign of being annoyed about it, which is somewhat at variance with that.  I find what she's saying a bit confusing.

To sum up what might otherwise be a rambling post, I think the clue to your confusion is that her stated value is probably an aspirational one rather than a successfully lived one.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

She's saying it's other people's problem, not hers, if they misunderstand her (I feel the same, BTW); but then she's showing every sign of being annoyed about it, which is somewhat at variance with that.  I find what she's saying a bit confusing.

To sum up what might otherwise be a rambling post, I think the clue to your confusion is that her stated value is probably an aspirational one rather than a successfully lived one.

She's saying it's other people's problem if they can't accept her.

Important distinction from understanding, acceptance is.

It sucks being rejected, even if it's rejection because of someone else's issues, even if it is rejection that proves you're better off without that person in your life.

Emily is weird, and she knows it. Emily labels herself weird. She doesn't mean people just using the label are bad, hurtful, or rejecting. She's actually saying that people use weird and random as terms specifically to minimize, distance and other her.

"They hurt me, then I realized," are the words that describe a coping mechanism. We often say and mean them in the past tense, but the truth is it often means "they hurt me every time but I remind myself."

People can (I think) rightfully carry a bit of bitter over having to have coping mechanisms, even long after they've truly reached the point of "doesn't hurt anymore."

Emily, I think, is a sociable person and the general reactions of people to who she is reduces her opportunities to connect. Knowing that it is, in fact, okay to be you doesn't make being you less lonely.

[Y]

I thought being random is usually considered cute. I suppose humans generally try to be random or unpredictable to appear more human and less robot like. Then there is the weirdness appeal or how did the song go again "...I think you're crazy. Just like me.". Well I hope that didn't sound too random, as usually I carefully reflect about what I'm saying until a point it's too late to say it. Then if it's online chances are high once you post something you're going to offend at least one person, which is also the reason I barely post anything on Facebook since I don't like making enemies.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Emily is not really crazy like anyone, though.

Random is a catch all term for things people don't grok. Emily's comment "whatever that means" sums that up nicely. Like most adjectives, what one person means by random might be completely different than what another means, at least in terms of whether it is a good thing. Emily seems to be suggesting that she has some bad experiences with that label, and that's rather important in real life (if not so important to this QC arc). It doesn't matter if random usually = cute. For Emily, random = insult.

It's kind of like how for the majority lobster = delicacy but for me lobster = giant sea bug and BY THE HOLY BEARD WHY ARE YOU EATING THE GIANT SEA BUG?

It doesn't mean you can't think of lobster as a good thing. It just means that if you want to be my friend, you shouldn't serve me lobster.

[amykathleen]

1. I love Emily's facial expression in the last panel.  She's all sassy and it's great.

2. I'm happy to see a text-heavy strip in the new format.  I've missed the text-heavy style of QC since the format change.

[Kugai]

Emily is Emily

And we wouldn't have her any other way

[CM_albion]

Ok, didn't want to bring this up, since i don't like doing so. people all to readily assume i'm using it to excuse things when i do. I a have Autism, not severely, just the Aspergers side on things, but it does affect me in certain areas, mostly social. despite my best efforts, i am terrible with the body language of others, and i used to be a heck of a lot worse. when i was in Secondary school and early College, without hyperbole i was Emily level nutball because i just didn't get a read on the appropriate/inappropriate scale of social behaviours.

In time, i have learned that i have my quirks and that i can accept them, and so can others. but i also learned restraint. because that's the most important thing.   while the world does need to accept you, you also need to accept the world. you give a little, you play down your differences, you make the effort to act polite and respectable and with dignity, because if you don't you're like a immature child screaming that the world is not exactly how you want it.  it's fine to be yourself around friends, its the best place to be yourself, but generally, you need to make the effort to overcome your flaws. you do not say, "my flaws are a part of my positives, it's a complete package, take it or leave it."

I'm a mere 22 years old . But even then, i didn't get into the internet proper until i was 17-18. and all over the place i found people who insisted, Insisted, the world cater to them because they were special, and unique, and everyone should be themselves. it really rubbed me the wrong way. you don't sit back and demand the world come to you, you bloody well climb down of your high horse and meet the world half way!

ok.. i'm sure i got off topic in there somewhere, but my god i needed to vent that, i think it's been pent up a while.

[danuis]

Page 3000: Cerebrus enters the room. War is beginning. Hanner's orbiting space station comes down. Economy gets bad. AI revolts in earnest. And the dog gets strung.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

it's fine to be yourself around friends, its the best place to be yourself, but generally, you need to make the effort to overcome your flaws. you do not say, "my flaws are a part of my positives, it's a complete package, take it or leave it."

Why, exactly?

I'm 42 years old, and I've spent longer than you've been alive trying to overcome my flaws. I might even be a better person for it. It's done jack shit for my relations with others. If that's the goal, and it seems to be in this context, I can tell you straight up, it's not worth it.

Take me with my flaws or GTFO. If you insist on staying and rejecting my flaws, I'm leaving. I will burn that bridge and salt the earth around it so that nothing may grow there because it is a damned sight better than swallowing all the pain of a pretense of a relationship.

I'm not saying my way is the best way. I am saying yours isn't either. We all have different needs and different tolerances. I thought the road to happiness involved other people. For me, it does not. If it does for you, cool beans. No problem at all. But why should anyone, real or Emily, have to do it your way?

I certainly understand that you might have issue with people demanding special treatment, but Emily isn't doing that. I don't do that. Largely because I don't feel obligated to give anyone else special treatment, but also because it is futile. But experience has taught me that world doesn't give a damn what you do, so long as no one can prove it was a crime (sometimes they give you pass then too. Roman Polanski). Conform only to the minimum extent necessary, and immediately begin plans so that you can arrange to dispense with that, if possible. That's how I see it, simply because playing by the rules has generated nothing more than not playing.

Your fuel efficiency may vary.

[CM_albion]

it's fine to be yourself around friends, its the best place to be yourself, but generally, you need to make the effort to overcome your flaws. you do not say, "my flaws are a part of my positives, it's a complete package, take it or leave it."

Why, exactly?

I can respect your greater degree of life experience, and your stance. rather than debate which of us is objectively right, i will state my case in answer to your question.  who knows, maybe in 20 years i'll see it your way.

I take that veiw, because, in my opinion, Flaws are just that, flaws. they are wrong things, abnormalities if you will. We as humans get only one life in this world, so what other use do we have for it beyond trying to be the best person we can, and achieving the most we can? a central part of that is overcoming ones flaws.  It behooves every one of us to strive to overcome any and all obstacles towards being the best you possibly can, be those in your life, or in your own head.  Autism is one such obstacle, perhaps the largest in my life, but i will be damned if i allow myself to be weak enough to let it rule over me. there is No handicap it can force upon me that will not endeavor to force away from myself to be the best i possibly can.  I've seen all the naive propaganda about how being Autistic makes you "special" from groups like the British NAS, and i can't bring myself to buy into it. It is nothing more complicated and a malign curse thrust on me by chance and i will not let it dictate what i am capable of.  We get one singlar shot at life before it all ends forever, and i refuse to accept that MY chance, and ANYONE'S single chance should be corrupted from the very moment of birth, By any form of mental disability.
Striving with one's every waking moment to overcome is the only option. 

that being said, if any of the faithful in the world are right and we meet some kind of supreme being after death, i'm punching him in the face.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

Introspective Emily bends my suspension of disbelief. I mean, have we ever heard Raven talk like that?
Part of being cutely chirpy and weird is never wondering why you're cutely chirpy and weird.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

I can respect your greater degree of life experience, and your stance. rather than debate which of us is objectively right, i will state my case in answer to your question.  who knows, maybe in 20 years i'll see it your way.

I take that veiw, because, in my opinion, Flaws are just that, flaws. they are wrong things, abnormalities if you will. We as humans get only one life in this world, so what other use do we have for it beyond trying to be the best person we can, and achieving the most we can? a central part of that is overcoming ones flaws.  It behooves every one of us to strive to overcome any and all obstacles towards being the best you possibly can, be those in your life, or in your own head.  Autism is one such obstacle, perhaps the largest in my life, but i will be damned if i allow myself to be weak enough to let it rule over me. there is No handicap it can force upon me that will not endeavor to force away from myself to be the best i possibly can.  I've seen all the naive propaganda about how being Autistic makes you "special" from groups like the British NAS, and i can't bring myself to buy into it. It is nothing more complicated and a malign curse thrust on me by chance and i will not let it dictate what i am capable of.  We get one singlar shot at life before it all ends forever, and i refuse to accept that MY chance, and ANYONE'S single chance should be corrupted from the very moment of birth, By any form of mental disability.
Striving with one's every waking moment to overcome is the only option. 

that being said, if any of the faithful in the world are right and we meet some kind of supreme being after death, i'm punching him in the face.

Perhaps. Perhaps.

OTOH, flaws may not be wrong things. They may, instead be value judgments. Just because the majority assigns a value to a thing, it doesn't follow that everyone should or that the value is reasonable.

Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the United States Constitution says I'm only .6 human. Is that flaw on my part?

We're all flawed. We're all broken in our own, beautiful, unique snowflake way. We do only get one shot, and we aren't boilogically capable of living long enough to correct all the flaws. The idea that I should improve myself, I guess it bore some fruit, but it was also the single most destructive, time wasting, and futile idea anyone ever put in my head.

Sometimes I wonder about it. I certainly benefit, even today, from some of that, but at what cost. My art method works so well that I have to continually remind people how I do it, lest they feel cheated finding out from someone else. That's the curse of excessive perfectionism. But if I'd been willing to act earlier, rather than waiting years trying to actually reach perfect, I'd probably be happier.

Too many times, I've put myself aside to accommodate friends, and it has never worked out. It just leads to them taking for granted. I had to give that up. For my sanity. Help people, sure. No problem. Stop being who I am for their comfort? No.

There are two ways to get ahead in life. Start ahead and cheat. Starting ahead is obvious. As for cheating, that starts with recognizing that one person's pleasure is another's poison. Flaws are just value judgments. It's better to look past that and figure out what you can use, what can be exploited, and what you can live with. Self-improvement is meaningless unless you've looked inward and built your own meter. Trying to use society's won't work because that goal post is always in motion.

Playing by the rules, as opposed to cheating, will only grind you down, because that is their purpose. To stifle dissent, to effect control over the masses.

Emily isn't struggling with non-function, beyond a worrying habit of summoning elder gods.  She's not fighting an inner demon (unless she secretly is an elder god). I do respect your struggle. As I said before, it may be the best, most right choice for you. But, and I say this as a guy whose only qualification is "hasn't died yet," it will serve you well (especially in that capacity of social function) to keep an open mind as far as how others muddle through from birth to telomere depletion.

[hedgie]

1. I love Emily's facial expression in the last panel.  She's all sassy and it's great.

2. I'm happy to see a text-heavy strip in the new format.  I've missed the text-heavy style of QC since the format change.

I think that the text needed to be rather heavy here, just for what Emily is trying to communicate.  Jeph seems to always hate his art style, or other things about his work, which I think makes him a better creator in some ways, since it means that even if something "works" well, he'll question it. 

The thing about this strip that I have found most interesting is the contrast betwixt Emily and Clin-ton.  They both have problems dealing with social interaction, but have reacted to them in different ways. 

[Heranje]

In time, i have learned that i have my quirks and that i can accept them, and so can others. but i also learned restraint. because that's the most important thing.   while the world does need to accept you, you also need to accept the world. you give a little, you play down your differences, you make the effort to act polite and respectable and with dignity, because if you don't you're like a immature child screaming that the world is not exactly how you want it.  it's fine to be yourself around friends, its the best place to be yourself, but generally, you need to make the effort to overcome your flaws. you do not say, "my flaws are a part of my positives, it's a complete package, take it or leave it."

I logged in for the first time in years (just look at my av, I think I made that when I was 16 - all of 9 yrs ago) to say that I think you're right about a lot of this - but there needs to be a middle ground. And somehow I've launched into a big explanation of my life story to explain that so pls bear with me.

I've always been kind of a weird person. As a kid, I was targeted by my classmates because of that - I always refused peer pressure and never made an effort to fit in with the crowd or even compromise ("I don't want to play that game and I don't care that you all want to play it, I won't"), I would forget other kids' birthday parties because I was caught up in a book, I used "weird", "too big" vocabulary, I was the nerdy girl in class who would tell our teacher if she forgot to give us an assignment (much to the anger, of course, of the other kids). This all led to bullying, and not having many friends (actually, precisely 1 friend) - which in turn led me to take a very defensive "take me or leave me" attitude, where I basically thought "I am who I am, if people don't like me that's too bad for them, I'm just going to keep being me." And the thing is, as a kid who had anyway been singled out by my peers as "the one we don't like/bully", that was a very healthy attitude for me. It enabled me to still love and accept myself and live in my own way without worrying about how I was perceived by my peers because I'd decided their opinion didn't matter to me.

But when I went out into the other schools and contexts, it was with a defensive attitude assuming at the get-go that people weren't going to like me, still refusing to compromise or do anything to fit in/go along with the crowd which at some point became an excuse for not trying new experiences. I made friends, but was still very shut-in, and it took a friendship with social butterfly extrovert and moving to another country to finally teach me that no, everyone wasn't going to automatically dislike me the second we met, and assuming they would only led me to self-sabotage; and that it's not a terrible thing and betrayal of your own identity to make some effort to fit in, to downplay some of your eccentricities for "public consumption" and sometimes just go along with the crowd instead of always taking your own path. When I started being willing to compromise, my quality of life drastically improved - I suddenly was making lots of friends, and they liked me precisely because I had that hard core of owning and being comfortable and confident in who I was, even with a bit of "softening."

But the thing is, you can compromise and you can "soften" your oddities and flaws to make interactions with other people easier - I agree that stubbornly going your own way no matter what is not a good thing - but at the end, it is still very healthy to keep a core of "take me or leave me." Otherwise, you run the risk of basing your self-worth too much on the perception of others, and the truth is that no matter how much you try to bend and compromise, there are some people who just won't like you. The truth is that no matter how much you work on your flaws (working on your flaws is a good thing!), you're never going to eliminate them all - nobody manages to be a perfect person, everyone has flaws. And you have to be able to look at those flaws you can't eliminate, and the people that can't accept you for them, and the people that see something that you see as an asset and a part of yourself you don't want to lose as a crucial flaw, and say "hey, that's who I am, take me or leave me." You have to not let those people's opinions, or those "flaws" you can't get rid of, ruin your self-worth and make you feel like you need to keep changing until you're "perfect". Because you will never be perfect - none of us will.

This has nothing to do with QC directly I guess but I think Emily and what she's saying here are awesome. Own yourself and your weirdness, Emily. You go girl.

[Neko_Ali]

Oh lordy. Clinton is going to turn into an endorphin junkie. He's been stung by the needle and there's no going back.

[Is it cold in here?]

I think they just made a genuine game-free personal connection.

[Rghfrgl]

Oh lordy. Clinton is going to turn into an endorphin junkie. He's been stung by the needle and there's no going back.

Soon they will become a family of bikers.

[Omega Entity]

One of my friends did always say that tattoos were addictive.

[Gladstone]

Oh lordy. Clinton is going to turn into an endorphin junkie. He's been stung by the needle and there's no going back.

Soon they will become a family of bikers.

Ha, forgot about that!  I can almost imagine Clinton and Claire egging each other on, too, to see which sibling is the most bad-ass.  With Marten and Emily looking on, respectively horrified and gleeful, in the background.

[MrNumbers]

That third panel

[Energia]

Emily faces a relationship headwind because other peoples' social autopilots don't have a well-practiced routine for how to deal with Emily-style interactions.  New migrants are caught out at the supermarket checkout when asked "How are you doing?"  The well practiced routine of answering "fine thanks" takes a while to embed.  So I would suggest that her "lazy" comment would rank with those of frustrated parents who don't really think their kids are little sh*ts, but who say it to a companion at the end of a long day.  Every day Emily sees things with her own eyes and interests, she wants to engage in conversations that are either off-key or off-script with those around her.

Given the above, I don't see her as a candidate for ADHD  - the core ADD bit seems to be missing.  Her executive function seems fine.

To those debating the "softening" of your individuality v "strongly being yourself," I refer you back to my headwind analogy.  When she conforms, she flies into the headwind and that will be tiring for her, but allows ease of interactions.  When she runs with the wind, she will feel better in herself, but at reputational cost.  Only Emily can decide where her balance sits.  She's going to have to fight the headwind every day without fail if she wants to follow a traditional career; so she is far more likely  to burn out and fail in the long run.  If she goes along with the wind, she'll eventually be dependent on others to support her in daily life - whether the others are friends, family or social services.  I think she's tacking in and out of the wind rather well at this stage in her life.

[Undrneath]

Given the above, I don't see her as a candidate for ADHD  - the core ADD bit seems to be missing.  Her executive function seems fine.

The thing is ADD manifests itself in many different ways but most include what would be considered a lot of mental background noise and we usually have impulse control problems which is why we are seen as random or weird.

[CompSarge]

I'm with Clinton on this one. I got a tattoo back in 2011, and while I haven't gotten one since I've been considering what I want to get next. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up getting several more before I die.

[BenRG]

Y'know, I think that they've going to be okay. Whether or not they're going to ultimately be a romantic couple, there's enough acceptance there for close friendship, maybe for life. They're willing to accept eachother and that's a big thing.

So, not a wham for strip 3000 but significant for all it is subtle. Clinton and Emily have decided that, actually, they are going to be friends and who knows what will follow that?

[ReindeerFlotilla]

The technological singularity is past in QC. I don't think Emily need really concern herself about a future career to conform to.

The singularity is the "point" where the rate of change become so fast that it exceeds baseline human comprehension. Think of it this way. 15 years ago, the idea of "Community Manager" as a career was strange. 10 years ago, carrying your music collection in your pocket was a new thing, not really that easy, and why would you want use your phone for it.

The Tesla Model S can control its speed in all environments and will obey the posted limits without further user input, if told to. If there's a car in front of it, it will even stop for you.

That's our reality.

What does this mean for QC? Well, it's a really easy way for Jeph to explain why technology keeps pace with the real world, despite the fact that it's about 2006 in comic. But aside from that, it means that, if he's doing that, technology in the comic has advanced 6 months in past 2 to 3 weeks.

Basically, everything Emily learned in CompSci is already obsolete. Fortunately, for her, there's probably some use for people who can code elder gods. I actually doubt QC will last so long as to need to follow Emily into the workforce, but should that happen, in a post singularity world, being the odd one is probably a strong advantage.

Still, there is the fundamental question of being a good worker drone IRL. I'm going to say something crazy and radical to all those folks struggling  with that. Maybe you shouldn't do it.

I know, crazy, huh? Here's the thing: The system is rigged. The system works best for people who conform. Sure, it is a death by a thousand papercuts, even for them, but for you, the person who doesn't quite fit, it's a thousand papercuts and nice salt rub before being set on fire. Unless you get lucky, and master the faking being a normal human, you'll end up in the hole anyway. As long as you're in the hole, it might as well be on your terms. By all means, find a job. Fly a desk. Try to surf the social waves. But figure out what your personal brand of strange does for you, and try to figure out how to make that into something, so you get out of the game. You'll be happier.

It's better than waking up one day in your forties and realizing you should have done it 20 years ago. The worst that will happen is you'll fail.

Or, let's look at it another way. Star Trek predicted flip phones and 3.5 inch diskettes 30 years before they happened in the wider world, (20 to 25 years before they happened). Star Trek predicted transparent aluminum in 1986. 29 year later, it's a thing (beyond synthetic gems). Star Trek introduced the replicator in 1989.

If it was just Star Trek, I'd say you can't take it seriously, but you can now buy desktop 3d printers for under 3000 USD. A quick back of the envelope suggests that in 7 to 9 years, the current level of tech in those printers will cost about 45.50 USD. Odds are, they won't sell them that cheap. Capitalist economy hasn't adapted as fast as the rate of techno change. That's why Apple plans ways to make old hardware useless before it fails (and why I haven't updated my ipod for 2 years). But, in the next decade, expect replicators. Maybe just version 1.0, but replicators.

Imagine how that's going to change market and demand for skills. While you're imagining that, hope to whatever you believe it that it's Star Trek's replicators and not StarGate's.

[Storel]

Or, let's look at it another way. Star Trek predicted flip phones and 3.5 inch diskettes 30 years before they happened in the wider world, (20 to 25 years before they happened). Star Trek predicted transparent aluminum in 1986. 29 year later, it's a thing (beyond synthetic gems). Star Trek introduced the replicator in 1989.

If it was just Star Trek, I'd say you can't take it seriously, but you can now buy desktop 3d printers for under 3000 USD. A quick back of the envelope suggests that in 7 to 9 years, the current level of tech in those printers will cost about 45.50 USD. Odds are, they won't sell them that cheap. Capitalist economy hasn't adapted as fast as the rate of techno change. That's why Apple plans ways to make old hardware useless before it fails (and why I haven't updated my ipod for 2 years). But, in the next decade, expect replicators. Maybe just version 1.0, but replicators.

Actually, Star Trek: TOS had food replicators, but (as the name implies) they were only used for food and drinks -- they weren't general-purpose. And the food was considered mediocre, at least according to most of the novels; I can't remember if anyone ever commented on the food quality in the show. So TNG did introduce general-purpose replicators, yes. Interesting that in Star Trek, organic replication came before inorganic, whereas our 3D printers are starting with inorganic.

Oh, and transparent aluminum is a thing now? Cool! I hadn't heard that. What can they do with it?

Imagine how that's going to change market and demand for skills. While you're imagining that, hope to whatever you believe it that it's Star Trek's replicators and not StarGate's.

Sorry, I never watched enough StarGate to know about their replicators. How are theirs worse than Star Trek's?

[Pilchard123]

They destroyed everything they touched and made more of themselves.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

They use it for ballistic glass. Only on small objects because it's expensive.

StarGate's replicators are small robots that, well, replicate. Themselves. That's pretty much all they do. They will make more themselves out of anything they can acquire.

Also, if you think about Trek based on the result rather than the tech description (after all, flip phones couldn't actually call space, back in 1999) the food processors were boxes that you opened and got a hot meal out of. Which is a microwave oven. So Trek is actually not doing too bad on that front.

We have crude food 3d printers. So, really, "thing that makes stuff" is the minimum bar to clear to have a replicator.

[Energia]

Given the above, I don't see her as a candidate for ADHD  - the core ADD bit seems to be missing.  Her executive function seems fine.

The thing is ADD manifests itself in many different ways but most include what would be considered a lot of mental background noise and we usually have impulse control problems which is why we are seen as random or weird.

There is little evidence of impulse control problems with Emily, and her inner mental state isn't intruding into her daily functioning.  Her stimuli/interests are in question, not her attention.