2011-04-26

A six-panel SMBC comic, each panel showing a pink header label and a bald cartoon man growing progressively more distressed, with a definition to the right. THE GAME: "The game where you lose if you think about the game." THE ANTI-GAME: "The game where you lose if you cease to think about the game." THE META-GAME: "The game where you lose if you think about thinking about the game, but not if you just think about the game." THE SOCIO-GAME: "The game where you lose if you cease to contemplate the social ramifications of the game," the man clutching his head. THE UNGAME: "The game where when you think about the game, everyone wins!" one figure cheering with a raised fist while another looks unimpressed. THE ACTUAL GAME: "The game where whenever you think about the game, you're happy you're not playing it," the man finally smiling, relieved. The joke escalates the impossible-to-win rules of the classic mental 'Game' until the only winning move is to opt out. Votey (aftercomic): a handwritten note reads, "Dear Internet: Yesterday was the best traffic in the history of SMBC. I less-than-3 all of you so much. XOXOXO, ZACH"