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Momo

May

Bubbles

Faye

Pintsize

Station

Spookybot

Spathe Ham and Waffles

Purple Monkey Dishwashers

Mods, help me!

[miados]

Hanners pays her own way. She has a job. Even before starting to work at CoD, she had her own business.

True, she has a job. I don't believe there's even reason to believe she's entirely given up her counting business.

On the other hand, she's begun to realise that she does have some responsibility, on account of who her parents are. Last time it was mentioned, she was wondering how she would have to take that responsibility. This might be a good opportunity for her to be an agent for good, rather than the evil mastermind she dreads becoming if she follows in her mother's footsteps.

i remember her trying to help when martin got food poisoning and him basically doing the "no bad hanners. its bad to have your mom buy and put the employees of a restaurant out of work" or something like that.

[flondrix]

Except for the time she called her mother to buy out the restaurant that gave her friends food poisoning...

And she called her friend, the most powerful AI in official existence, to look into Bubbles' problem.

[Is it cold in here?]

Indeed I don't think we've ever seen something in the strip to indicate she's getting money from her parents.

Emotionally she likely needed and needs the independence that comes from not taking their money.

[Cornelius]

Well, that is, not without doing something to earn it. Her mother is one of her customers, after all.

But it makes sense that she should want that kind of independence.

On the other hand, she is quite willing to call in their help when needed, as the aforementioned instances show. Question is, would this kind of scenario warrant E-C corp intervention, according to Hannelore.

[miados]

Indeed I don't think we've ever seen something in the strip to indicate she's getting money from her parents.

Emotionally she likely needed and needs the independence that comes from not taking their money.

this. i mean heck she gets work from her mom on occasion but that put so much stress on her and it was so large (almost) no matter what they pay based on how much she had to go through combined with the stress of working with her mom I can't say she didn't earn what she was paid.

[blt]

Equally seriously, I'm wondering what Pintsize's reaction will be. Something like this?
(pic snip)

"So, why do you stop?"
"I think I lost an iron, boss"

?

A horseshoe.

Please see also reply #206, where I explained myself a bit better.

My bad.  I tend to skim when the forum seems to be going in circles on one topic and I didn't see your full response.

[Emperor Norton]

I don't know, it seems at the very least, the other characters in strip believe that she gets money from her parents. If not, they wouldn't say things like Winslow being able to afford to get a body because Hanners is the daughter of rich people.

[Reaver]

I've seen a lot of posts saying that what Winslow did was wrong - what was the right thing to do?

I think what people are objecting to is that Winslow showed off his new chassis in a way that may come off as bragging, even if he didn't intend it that way.

The correct way to go would have been to only casually, informatively tell people that it's his new body, without gushing so much (at least, not to everyone and not without testing the waters a bit). In his excitement, Winslow didn't think who he was talking to and didn't think about their problems. It's a bit like being super chipper about your new car when talking to a person who's currently so short on cash, they have to save up to get through the month. It's not EVIL maybe, but can test people's patience.

I have been in that scenario, living paycheck to paycheck, and had a friend pull up in his new car, and he was friggen ELATED! He had freedom to go where he wanted and wasn't dependent on someone else to get around anymore!

Obviously since he was more privileged than me I felt it perfectly okay to scream at him that he needed to check his and-

Oh wait, no I didn't I let him gush over his car, asked what his payment plan for it was, and then he took me for a ride in it, because he was so excited, and I was genuinely happy for him.

I like it when my friends get things, especially if it helps them gain independence.

[Cornelius]

My bad.  I tend to skim when the forum seems to be going in circles on one topic and I didn't see your full response.

No problem, I was just trying to keep the context together, without reposting.

[brasca]

Indeed I don't think we've ever seen something in the strip to indicate she's getting money from her parents.

Emotionally she likely needed and needs the independence that comes from not taking their money.

No, but she doesn't have a roommate and doesn't seem to have any struggles paying the rent and making ends meet which would be more expensive for someone who has to do things a particular way because of her anxieties.  That makes me think she gets some form of allowance or handing certain accounting tasks for her mother is a similar exchange.

[Reaver]

Indeed I don't think we've ever seen something in the strip to indicate she's getting money from her parents.

Emotionally she likely needed and needs the independence that comes from not taking their money.

No, but she doesn't have a roommate and doesn't seem to have any struggles paying the rent and making ends meet which would be more expensive for someone who has to do things a particular way because of her anxieties.  That makes me think she gets some form of allowance or handing certain accounting tasks for her mother is a similar exchange.

I think she just occasionally does one of those HUGE counting jobs for her mother, and that pretty much pays off her apartment, the job is HUGE, takes  days, and she's saved her mother  THOUSANDS and thousands of dollars.

I don't think she gets an allowance, I just think she gets paid really really well for a service, like how Marigold makes money by programing for her dad, parents that actually pay their kids what their skills are worth.

[Neko_Ali]

Nobody in the comic ever has real money problems. Hannelore has said she doesn't have to work, she chooses to help her deal with people. Marigold had some sort of vague computer job that we never have seen her do. But pays her enough to not only live but also afford an expensive new chassis for Momo. Marten works a low paying job, but could afford the apartment alone before Faye moved in and had enough money saved up to buy an expensive guitar on a whim.  So on an so forth. The only times jobs or money have been an issue in the comic were when Faye was fired, she got a new job right away. May was let out of prison and had to get a job for her parole, which Dale set her up with right away and when the robot arena was shut down. Everybody involved in that went to jail or has already been covered.

Dale works multiple jobs, but not because he needs to. Instead he's helping his mother out. Even the start of Union Robotics they were able to quickly and fairly painlessly get a loan, a place to set up and customers pretty much falling into their laps. Money stress has just rarely been a theme in the comic. And when it is, it's almost immediately solved.

[Tova]

Which actions are you talking about? The ones Momo still knows nothing about?

Momo isn't an idiot. She knows May. May just came and was ranting about it directly to Momo, still sounding angry and resentful seemingly a decent amount of time after it happened (as she had to finish up her shift, come over to the library, etc), do you really think she thinks that May was anything less than bite your head off with Winslow?

So what your are saying is that Momo should have made an assumption about how May acted, and been angry at her about it on that basis. Am I reading you correctly?

[flondrix]

I don't know, it seems at the very least, the other characters in strip believe that she gets money from her parents. If not, they wouldn't say things like Winslow being able to afford to get a body because Hanners is the daughter of rich people.

Wasn't there a strip not too long ago in which Hanners was talking with some of the other characters about her life options, and the fact that she didn't need to work at Coffee of Doom was mentioned?

Her earlier job has not been mentioned in a long time; I suspect that she took a big pay cut when she switched careers.

[ChipNoir]

I'm going to double down on my earlier post, actually.

Momo knows Winslow. She knows exactly what he's gone through prior to this new body, and what it would mean to have a full range of motion.

And then, I'm going to triple down.

Bubbles is in the wrong here.  She met Winslow, and had to have seen how hard getting around was for him. The fact that she's now criticizing him for being happy abot being able to move normally is appalling, and abhorrent to me.

I hope, dear GOD I hope, that Hanners stops being Hanners, and rips all three AI a structurally superfluous new behind as Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham.

See, this is a prime example of the over protectiveness I'm talking about.

1. "I do not think you are a jerk" Her exact words. She has already negated May's statement without outright villainous her, because it's impossible not to see her perspective on the matter, even if you don't agree with how she handled herself.
2. Winslow DOES have privilege. It's not a criticism, it's a fact. Everyone has a privilege of some sort, and it's up to each individual to make the best use of it for others as much as their own sake.
3. She is giving Winslow a constructive way to deal with the situation. Because at the end of the day, anyone patting him on the head and saying "D'aw, May was just a Poopyhead" is basically just putting a bandaid on a huge existential matter.

I'm a little disgusted at certain people's behavior towards May right now, and it goes deeper than just "Oh, she had no business talking like that," Because fine. Nobody gets to bite anyone else's head when no malice is involved. But saying that May deserves the life she has is utter bullshit.

The pay our justice system works is that for one federal crime, we dehumanize a person completely. Doesn't matter the scope or scale, we take away rights, we take away work potential, and we basically give them a half life, and that is fucking inhumane. It's supposed to be called a Criminal Reform system for a reason, but some people (A lot on this forum) seem to feel that it's okay to not only make someone give up time, but essentially still have some form of a life sentence in the form of a hobbled quality of life, all for a crime that at the end of the day has a finite amount of damage done to society.

This isn't reformation, and it isn't justice, this is revenge minded, and it's bullshit. So everyone saying "May Put Herself Here" No. The Justice system of their world decided it was fair to A. Lock her away completely without stimulation by the looks of it. B. Whore her out as an entertainment program. C. Make her parole dependent on a total stranger's survey. C. Kick her back into society with no job aid, no references for a place to live, and a chassis that is falling apart.

This is even worse than we treat human convicts and THAT is disgusting. When we make it this hard to eek out a living and quality of life post parole, it's not surprising that people are quick to be repeat offenders, and I don't blame May for being a bitter, damaged person given how much worse AI prison seems to be handled. If you say May deserves it, I want nothing to do with your kinda mentality.

[Shjade]

Is he a victim? He got told fuck off, something that May just does to everyone, and if they know each other, it's a fast fact that what May says and what he feels isn't always a one for one thing.  He wasn't told he should die, or that she hates him, or anything remotely all that damaging. Just go the fuck away, I'm not interested in your news.

This is what puzzles me about the incensed reaction in this thread: she was even far less vulgar and hostile than she's often been previously. She didn't like him showing off (intentionally or not, whatever, not the point) and verbally gave him the finger. OH NO, HOW WILL HIS FRAGILE PSYCHE EVER SURVIVE SUCH UNCONSCIONABLE AGGRESSION. Christ.

[snufflebottoms]

Is he a victim? He got told fuck off, something that May just does to everyone, and if they know each other, it's a fast fact that what May says and what he feels isn't always a one for one thing.  He wasn't told he should die, or that she hates him, or anything remotely all that damaging. Just go the fuck away, I'm not interested in your news.

This is what puzzles me about the incensed reaction in this thread: she was even far less vulgar and hostile than she's often been previously. She didn't like him showing off (intentionally or not, whatever, not the point) and verbally gave him the finger. OH NO, HOW WILL HIS FRAGILE PSYCHE EVER SURVIVE SUCH UNCONSCIONABLE AGGRESSION. Christ.

I think that says a lot about how May is. She treated someone like garbage but hey, that's actually polite for her!

Good god. with friends like that who need enemies.

[ChipNoir]

I don't know, it seems at the very least, the other characters in strip believe that she gets money from her parents. If not, they wouldn't say things like Winslow being able to afford to get a body because Hanners is the daughter of rich people.

Wasn't there a strip not too long ago in which Hanners was talking with some of the other characters about her life options, and the fact that she didn't need to work at Coffee of Doom was mentioned?

Her earlier job has not been mentioned in a long time; I suspect that she took a big pay cut when she switched careers.

Let's also remember that besides her arsenal of cleaning supplies and the occasional tech gadget, Hanners spends next to nothing she earns. She has slightly more material possessions than a priest with a vow of poverty.

[ChipNoir]

Is he a victim? He got told fuck off, something that May just does to everyone, and if they know each other, it's a fast fact that what May says and what he feels isn't always a one for one thing.  He wasn't told he should die, or that she hates him, or anything remotely all that damaging. Just go the fuck away, I'm not interested in your news.

This is what puzzles me about the incensed reaction in this thread: she was even far less vulgar and hostile than she's often been previously. She didn't like him showing off (intentionally or not, whatever, not the point) and verbally gave him the finger. OH NO, HOW WILL HIS FRAGILE PSYCHE EVER SURVIVE SUCH UNCONSCIONABLE AGGRESSION. Christ.

I think that says a lot about how May is. She treated someone like garbage but hey, that's actually polite for her!

Good god. with friends like that who need enemies.

*looks at half the QC comic*
Wrong cast to follow if you're going by that logic.

[Shjade]

I think that says a lot about how May is. She treated someone like garbage but hey, that's actually polite for her!

Good god. with friends like that who need enemies.

Yeah, she's rude. We know this. She's been rude since her introduction.

She wasn't happy for his purchasing power and told him to fuck off. That's a pretty big leap from "treated like garbage" by my standards, but I guess I only have how people treat each other in reality to compare it against.

I haven't seen anyone claiming May 100% did the right thing in her interaction with Winslow, 'cause no, she's a jerk, but the whole "oh my god May is the worst kind of person, how dare she not be nice to Winslow, she should've been dismantled when she went to prison anyway because felons aren't allowed to live normal lives after doing their time" thing: overreaction much?

[QuestionableIntentions]

I haven't seen anyone claiming May 100% did the right thing in her interaction with Winslow, 'cause no, she's a jerk, but the whole "oh my god May is the worst kind of person, how dare she not be nice to Winslow, she should've been dismantled when she went to prison anyway because felons aren't allowed to live normal lives after doing their time" thing: overreaction much?

Except this isn't about a "normal life" but an ex convict btiching about someone having it better than them and letting it out on them. It's May blaming someone for having it better when her current circumstances are entirely her own fault.

[Shjade]

Well, thanks for immediately demonstrating my summary wasn't an exaggeration, I guess.

[badlow]

I haven't seen anyone claiming May 100% did the right thing in her interaction with Winslow, 'cause no, she's a jerk, but the whole "oh my god May is the worst kind of person, how dare she not be nice to Winslow, she should've been dismantled when she went to prison anyway because felons aren't allowed to live normal lives after doing their time" thing: overreaction much?

Except this isn't about a "normal life" but an ex convict btiching about someone having it better than them and letting it out on them. It's May blaming someone for having it better when her current circumstances are entirely her own fault.

Perfectly put.

[ChipNoir]

I haven't seen anyone claiming May 100% did the right thing in her interaction with Winslow, 'cause no, she's a jerk, but the whole "oh my god May is the worst kind of person, how dare she not be nice to Winslow, she should've been dismantled when she went to prison anyway because felons aren't allowed to live normal lives after doing their time" thing: overreaction much?

Except this isn't about a "normal life" but an ex convict btiching about someone having it better than them and letting it out on them. It's May blaming someone for having it better when her current circumstances are entirely her own fault.

Perfectly put.

No. Nope. Nahuh. Not well put at all.

[Tova]

Everyone in the QC cast is flawed - it's one of the attractions of the comics.

It's also well established that many on the forums pick out among all of the characters the one flaw that they love to hate.

I personally feel that Jeph appears to find it next to impossible to write a character without some fundamental goodness. May, for all of her rudeness and brashness, is pretty good deep down. Maybe you don't see it. But Dale saw it, and maybe he's not wrong.

Hey, if you have never been in a bad place or feeling sensitive (as May was), felt that someone pressed a button of yours (as Winslow unintentionally did), and immediately taken it out on them - if you've never done that, then congratulations. You're a better person than I am, than most people are. Feel free to continue casting those stones.

[badlow]

I think it covered May's negative attitude.  She has made little attempt to improve. Winslow is like a child and she is like a bitter vortex of spite. She acts as if the world has been so unfair. It's been extremely good to her.

[Emperor Norton]

Which actions are you talking about? The ones Momo still knows nothing about?

Momo isn't an idiot. She knows May. May just came and was ranting about it directly to Momo, still sounding angry and resentful seemingly a decent amount of time after it happened (as she had to finish up her shift, come over to the library, etc), do you really think she thinks that May was anything less than bite your head off with Winslow?

So what your are saying is that Momo should have made an assumption about how May acted, and been angry at her about it on that basis. Am I reading you correctly?

No, but she could have asked May how she reacted.

And once again for people who seem to keep saying it: "May is an abrasive asshole" is not some shield from her behavior being shitty. That is really really just. Ugh. That is like saying "It's ok that guy beats his wife, he has anger problems." Like, yes, it makes things PREDICTABLE, but it doesn't make it right.

I agree that May should not have to deal with a body that is falling apart because of her parole. Being an ex-con should not mean you are stuck in a life of misery. She doesn't DESERVE what is happening to her. I've not said that at all.

But being in a shitty situation doesn't give you the right to be shitty to other people.

The part that bugs me, once again, is not that Winslow is treated like he did something wrong, because he could have handled things better and thought things through, but that May is being treated like she is totally justified. I hate the whole narrative of "If you are privileged in some way, people have carte blanche rights to treat you however they want, regardless of whether you act maliciously or not." And again, May ADMITS that she knows that Winslow had no malicious intent when she says that she wants him to think in the future, showing she knows that the mistake Winslow made was being thoughtless, not one of actually trying to be a dick.

I live that part of May's life. I have medical conditions that I worry about, every day, because I can't go to a doctor cause I can't afford to (mentioned in more detail upthread). That is a shitty situation that no one should be in. But I'm still responsible for how I act, and I am still happy that others have access to healthcare, even if some people get it handed to them by circumstances.

[Emperor Norton]

Everyone in the QC cast is flawed - it's one of the attractions of the comics.

It's also well established that many on the forums pick out among all of the characters the one flaw that they love to hate.

I personally feel that Jeph appears to find it next to impossible to write a character without some fundamental goodness. May, for all of her rudeness and brashness, is pretty good deep down. Maybe you don't see it. But Dale saw it, and maybe he's not wrong.

Hey, if you have never been in a bad place or feeling sensitive (as May was), felt that someone pressed a button of yours (as Winslow unintentionally did), and immediately taken it out on them - if you've never done that, then congratulations. You're a better person than I am, than most people are. Feel free to continue casting those stones.

Once again, for the I don't know how manyeth time: IT ISN'T THAT MAY ACTED BADLY, IT IS THAT EVERYONE IN THE COMIC ACTS LIKE SHE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO ACT BADLY. It is that everyone in the comics response to May being a bit of a jerk towards Winslow is one of appeasement to May. Momo even immediately apologized for any perceived thing she did wrong, whether he did anything wrong or not.

I've of course bit peoples heads off over stupid things before, but I have the presence of mind to actually feel bad about it and apologize, and people don't coddle me because "oh that is just the way he is".

[Tova]

They aren't acting like she had the right to behave badly. They just aren't acting judgemental about it. A useful lesson in life if you want to be empathetic and have a chance at influencing others.

[ChipNoir]

Which actions are you talking about? The ones Momo still knows nothing about?

Momo isn't an idiot. She knows May. May just came and was ranting about it directly to Momo, still sounding angry and resentful seemingly a decent amount of time after it happened (as she had to finish up her shift, come over to the library, etc), do you really think she thinks that May was anything less than bite your head off with Winslow?

So what your are saying is that Momo should have made an assumption about how May acted, and been angry at her about it on that basis. Am I reading you correctly?

No, but she could have asked May how she reacted.

And once again for people who seem to keep saying it: "May is an abrasive asshole" is not some shield from her behavior being shitty. That is really really just. Ugh. That is like saying "It's ok that guy beats his wife, he has anger problems." Like, yes, it makes things PREDICTABLE, but it doesn't make it right.

I agree that May should not have to deal with a body that is falling apart because of her parole. Being an ex-con should not mean you are stuck in a life of misery. She doesn't DESERVE what is happening to her. I've not said that at all.

But being in a shitty situation doesn't give you the right to be shitty to other people.

The part that bugs me, once again, is not that Winslow is treated like he did something wrong, because he could have handled things better and thought things through, but that May is being treated like she is totally justified. I hate the whole narrative of "If you are privileged in some way, people have carte blanche rights to treat you however they want, regardless of whether you act maliciously or not." And again, May ADMITS that she knows that Winslow had no malicious intent when she says that she wants him to think in the future, showing she knows that the mistake Winslow made was being thoughtless, not one of actually trying to be a dick.

I live that part of May's life. I have medical conditions that I worry about, every day, because I can't go to a doctor cause I can't afford to (mentioned in more detail upthread). That is a shitty situation that no one should be in. But I'm still responsible for how I act, and I am still happy that others have access to healthcare, even if some people get it handed to them by circumstances.

Lack of knowledge is not an excuse. If you screw up, you screw up. And it's not like May has banished him from her life, but she's made it clear she's not interested in indulging his "Look at me! Look at me!", and set her boundries. She was an ass, but its kinda her right to be, as she has been pretty much the whole time. Winslow is under no obligation to hang with her, as the only person they're connected by is Momo, and even that friendship seems very fair weather.

Frankly, this isn't the first time that someone has called out Winslow for being overly chipper to the point of being a bit miopic about reality. Bubbles makes a good point: Like it or not, people are gonna be hostile for any number of stupid reasons. The only reason this is getting so much flack is because for the first time May has done it to someone who hasn't been socially equipped to fight back. Anyone else, it would be treated differently. Dora or Faye would just come back with sass fire, Bubbles would calmly shut her down with a stern look, Martin and Claire would probably just shrug it off, and Hanners...well, nobody is ever mean to Hanners because she is niceness incarnate that has already demonstrated itself.

Winslow is gonna need some spine, and even if it's not a pleasant way to go about it, I'm kinda glad he's gotten a dose of reality that there are other things to worry about than Maybe Alligators. If he wants to live the lives that Momo and May are living, this is the cost. People, in their glorious lack of predictability.

[badlow]

This is an interesting arc where may goes into a spiral or winslow deciding to learn who he is.

[ChipNoir]

They aren't acting like she had the right to behave badly. They just aren't acting judgemental about it. A useful lesson in life if you want to be empathetic and have a chance at influencing others.

Yeah. Pretty much Momo is playing neutral because there's no point in lecturing a charging bull.  Nothing good would come of that. People like May don't change when you chew them out. They double down, and clearly Momo seems to know or feel something about May's situation on her own. Plus she didn't seem any more particularly thrilled about Winslow than May, albeit more politely.

Bubbles isn't castigating May behind her back because there's no point. She's already said she doesn't agree with May, and remember, she's ex-military. You learn to deal with conflict on a daily basis, and there's little room in that perspective for petty squabbles. Bubbles is telling Winslow that, yes, some people will be hostile to privilege, and that it's his choice to decide what to do with that knowledge, as well as the privilege itself.

I think we have to face a reality: Winslow has been a non-entity to these other people besides Hanners. The fact that Winslow feels the need to have a body at first only to keep up with them makes him sound highly insecure, and the first thing he does is go begging for validation. That's...really friggen annoying, and not something to be congratulated for. I'm sure he's been a wonderful comfort to Hanners, but its kinda time that Winslow actually start having a life that doesn't revolve around being what amounts to a cuddle toy with internet access.

[Emperor Norton]

So everyone is required to have empathy except May.

Got it.

EDIT: Ok that was a bit snippy, my point is that this entire arc is heading in this direction. It is all about how Winslow needs to have empathy for those less fortunate, while at the same time, May is pretty much never faced with having to have empathy for ANYONE.

[Tova]

I do not personally require anyone to be empathetic. 

Edit: I only saw your edit after I hit 'post.' I'm sure that Momo would like to see more empathy from both characters. Take a look again at Momo it panel three. Momo is attempting to explain Winslow's behaviour. In the long run, this is approach probably has a better chance at convincing May to be more empathetic than to simply chew her out, as ChipNoir has already explained. In the meantime, May has been through robot jail, and while that doesn't mean she need not be empathetic, it probably does mean that Momo will cut her a bit of slack.

[St.Clair]

So everyone is required to have empathy except May.

Got it.

EDIT: Ok that was a bit snippy, my point is that this entire arc is heading in this direction. It is all about how Winslow needs to have empathy for those less fortunate, while at the same time, May is pretty much never faced with having to have empathy for ANYONE.

Quite.
May says that she wants him to think about his actions and be less rude in the future.  Does anyone believe she will (reflect on or modify her behavior at all)?

[Tova]

Maybe not immediately.

[Emperor Norton]

The thing is, people act like characters in stories are real people. The whole "well, everyone doesn't know everything we know", but the truth is, things happen in a story because the writer wrote them that way. And when two characters have an interaction where both made mistakes, one through ignorance, and one through emotion, when one is talked to in the "and what can we learn from this experience" and the other is mollified, it creates a really frustrating message.

Like, imagine if Dale had happened to be in the convenience store when it happened. Just a chill "You don't think that was a little harsh?" People act like I want someone to snap at her and yell at her. I don't, just for someone to say something that would put her actions in any light other than justified.

[Tova]

I think that the modern attitude that there must be immediate consequences for any character in a story that does wrong is a massive sidetrack that I'm going to just leave alone for now. It's an interesting and topical subject to me right now, and I'd be happy to discuss it, but maybe not here.

[ChipNoir]

The thing is, people act like characters in stories are real people. The whole "well, everyone doesn't know everything we know", but the truth is, things happen in a story because the writer wrote them that way. And when two characters have an interaction where both made mistakes, one through ignorance, and one through emotion, when one is talked to in the "and what can we learn from this experience" and the other is mollified, it creates a really frustrating message.

Like, imagine if Dale had happened to be in the convenience store when it happened. Just a chill "You don't think that was a little harsh?" People act like I want someone to snap at her and yell at her. I don't, just for someone to say something that would put her actions in any light other than justified.

Except I think you do want hail and hellfire at May. Because Bubbles did in the calmest, least vitriolic way, completely dismiss her notions that Winslow is a jerk, by saying that she herself doesn't think he's a jerk.

I'm sorry, but that is the most reasonable and rational way to handle it. Not everyone needs to be punished when they screw up. If anything, Bubbles is leading by example on multiple levels, but showing that she can disagree with May's opinion without returning fire.

It's a pretty valuable message.

[Emperor Norton]

I'm in a thread discussing the comic.

It isn't about immediate consequences, it is that this arc has a feel to it of many "very special episode" arcs in other media. In which one character learns about a social issue, and makes changes. A common pitfall of those kind of arcs is that people can straight up be jerks to the well meaning person who is learning, and they never have to admit they are being jerks, and I am expressing how much it would disappoint me if that is how this played out. And pointing out that opportunities keep being passed for someone to say SOMETHING.

[jwhouk]

...Years ago, at this point, I'd be concerned about my streak of not-locked threads coming to an end.

May was acting in a May manner (that is, not thinking of others). Sadly, it's a very common trait among those who are in similar financial and occupational straits.

[Emperor Norton]

Except I think you do want hail and hellfire at May.

Nope, I'm out. I'm not going to have discussions with people who basically accuse me of lying.

I want May to have to come to terms with the fact that her actions are not OK. Bubbles telling Winslow that he is not a jerk in private has nothing to do with that.

But sure, just ascribe whatever motives you want to me, because that seems to be what you want to do.

[badlow]

I think we should all step back for a moment.  We have yet to see how this arc plays out.


Me? I want to see Winslow wrecking face in the robot fighting pits!

[Tova]

I'm in a thread discussing the comic.

It isn't about immediate consequences, it is that this arc has a feel to it of many "very special episode" arcs in other media. In which one character learns about a social issue, and makes changes. A common pitfall of those kind of arcs is that people can straight up be jerks to the well meaning person who is learning, and they never have to admit they are being jerks, and I am expressing how much it would disappoint me if that is how this played out. And pointing out that opportunities keep being passed for someone to say SOMETHING.

That's all good.

I'm in a thread discussing a comic too, and just wanted to say that I don't share your concern.

[neurocase]

I think what rubs me the wrong way the most, as shown in the most recent strip, is actually twofold:

First: May has no remorse. She knows she lashed out at someone who had no malicious intent, and instead of having even a crumb of introspection enough to say "What he did was thoughtless and bothered me, but maybe I was a little hard on him since he didn't know" she doubles down and calls him a "little fuck" and a "dick" behind his back. There's a fine line between being uncompromising in your beliefs and principles, and being downright petty about them out of bitterness and spite.

Second, and this is the big one: The crux of May's anger, in her own expression, is that Winslow "flaunted" his new chassis, thereby exhibiting his "privilege" but then goes on to say in the last panel that she not only has the potential to earn extra money (albeit in a very off-putting and unsavory way) but that she's saving up for...a helmet? Immediately after expressing her jealousy and displeasure at Winslow being able to afford something she can't, she mentions a potential new revenue stream, and voices intent to buy something other than what she actually needs, and something that she resents Winslow for getting? All that shows is a complete lack of discipline and personal responsibility.

Now, I get it. Like a few others in this thread, I've been flat-ass poor at various points in my life, including in my childhood. I'm talking "taking powdered milk in a ziploc bag to school and using the drinking fountains to make it so that I don't go hungry because we can't afford food this week" poor. I'm talking "my mom bursting into tears when I came home with a tear in my jeans because we have absolutely no money for new clothes or even a goddamn needle and thread" poor. I know what that's like; I know how grating it can be sometimes to see someone better off than you financially talking about their new possession. I also know that sometimes poor folks will indulge in, say, a cup of coffee from Starbucks or what have you now and then. I'm not one of the people who says "oh if you're poor you shouldn't treat yourself ever" but even though she's hard up, May doesn't exactly want for bare necessities other than a chassis that at least functions. So coming from that place, it kind of really bothers me that she could be doing something even 1% responsible and consider using her potential new cash flow to improve something that she gripes about and is clearly sour over, and instead, within minutes of berating Winslow again behind his back because of his "privilege" she gleefully talks about how she's saving for something that doesn't help her situation at all.

Being devoid of certain privileges that others have is not a free pass to shit on those who do for their good fortune, nor does it give you carte blanche to then do what you want with the money you do have because it's your inalienable right (which, really, it is) when you should take some personal responsibility to at least try and improve your situation. Whoever it was that says they'll be disappointed if May doesn't get even the slightest retribution or scolding at the very very least, I'm going to be very disappointed as well. I've already expressed how ham-fisted this "how dare winslow have privilege and not be aware of it" arc is, so hopefully, it ends on a less sour note.

[ChipNoir]

...I think the helmet is to protect her brain/AI drive from potential reprisals from a very bewildered moose.  Hence, the saving up part, so she can take the better deal, and get the better chassis.

But hey, read it in whatever light that makes it easiest to villainize her more.

I'm also gonna point this out: May's eyes are doing the whole "I feel angry, but I'm coming down off it and I'm probably gonna feel like shit and apologize later" type of look before she gets distracted by...um...animal husbandry endevors.

I'd like to see this play out still. I trust in Jeph's writing abilities, and there's a good chance he's not going to leave May's situation unaddressed. Either more people are going to give perspectives, and at least some are gonna agree, or ultimately either way May's gonna pony up to an apology.

[Shjade]

First: May has no remorse. She knows she lashed out at someone who had no malicious intent, and instead of having even a crumb of introspection enough to say "What he did was thoughtless and bothered me, but maybe I was a little hard on him since he didn't know" she doubles down and calls him a "little fuck" and a "dick" behind his back. There's a fine line between being uncompromising in your beliefs and principles, and being downright petty about them out of bitterness and spite.

There's also a not-so-fine line between time passing in fiction and time passing in reality. You've had days to stew over May's behavior; she's had maybe a few hours. Maybe take a minute to breathe and let it play out.

[Cornelius]

Just a thought: It just occurred to me that Momo was aware of the "criminal hitchhiker" while May was participating in the virtual companion program. Not just of her present, but also of her status. Does this mean that there is some way for AI to detect and identify each other other than visual identification? Though it might possibly be explained as a flag for convict.

Though I agree that perceived privilege should not put a target on one's back, I'll no further comment before today's comic is up. Let's see how it plays out.

[BenRG]

Just a thought: It just occurred to me that Momo was aware of the "criminal hitchhiker" while May was participating in the virtual companion program. Not just of her present, but also of her status. Does this mean that there is some way for AI to detect and identify each other other than visual identification? Though it might possibly be explained as a flag for convict.

This is only a guess but I think that she could detect the high-bandwidth connection between Dale's glasses and whatever server from which May was working. Somehow she was able to connect to this wirelessly and become a third party in the mini-network.

[miados]

Just a thought: It just occurred to me that Momo was aware of the "criminal hitchhiker" while May was participating in the virtual companion program. Not just of her present, but also of her status. Does this mean that there is some way for AI to detect and identify each other other than visual identification? Though it might possibly be explained as a flag for convict.

Though I agree that perceived privilege should not put a target on one's back, I'll no further comment before today's comic is up. Let's see how it plays out.

hmm interesting thought but bubbles didn't recognize winslow until he said it was him so I am not sure some auto I know you function is there. plus when momo got a new body he didn't know she wasnt in the old chasis until he hooked up a connector to her old body and saw it was empty. Although it could be a matter of hardware limitations.