2011-06-24
Original: 2011-06-24 on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1 (caption): In the future, everything is games.
Panel 2 (caption): Capitalizing on the human tendency for simple reward systems, sociologists were able to make people smarter, fitter, and more ethical.
Panel 3 (caption): The greatest power fell to the definers of "smart," "fit," and "ethical."
Panel 4 (caption): Since they were designers not planners, none of these good behaviors and encouragers were game-like rewards.
(dialogue) Person 1: Is it ethical to steal to feed one's family?
Person 2: I'm dying. Sorry. Too busy refreshing my email.
Panel 5 (caption): This led to problems.
(dialogue) A robed figure: Five MILLION ethics points for killing any definers who disagree with me!
Panel 6 (caption): The populace were loyal to their previous ethics, but were more loyal to the reward system.
(dialogue) Soldier: Aw, jeez! That's a 5,000x multiplier! I'm so ethical!
Panel 7 (caption): The resulting slaughter forced everyone to reconsider the point system.
(dialogue) Person: Do you think it's possible there's a moral framework that doesn't involve constantly killing strangers?
Other person: Interesting...
Panel 8 (caption): Well... at least for a second or so.
(dialogue) A figure addressing another: Alice? You okay? Why are you looking at me like THAT?
Final panel (large text): KILL THE HERETIC. 12,000,000 PTS
Votey: Text on a sign reads: "Kill Power Webcomics -10,000,000,000 PTS"
Panel 2 (caption): Capitalizing on the human tendency for simple reward systems, sociologists were able to make people smarter, fitter, and more ethical.
Panel 3 (caption): The greatest power fell to the definers of "smart," "fit," and "ethical."
Panel 4 (caption): Since they were designers not planners, none of these good behaviors and encouragers were game-like rewards.
(dialogue) Person 1: Is it ethical to steal to feed one's family?
Person 2: I'm dying. Sorry. Too busy refreshing my email.
Panel 5 (caption): This led to problems.
(dialogue) A robed figure: Five MILLION ethics points for killing any definers who disagree with me!
Panel 6 (caption): The populace were loyal to their previous ethics, but were more loyal to the reward system.
(dialogue) Soldier: Aw, jeez! That's a 5,000x multiplier! I'm so ethical!
Panel 7 (caption): The resulting slaughter forced everyone to reconsider the point system.
(dialogue) Person: Do you think it's possible there's a moral framework that doesn't involve constantly killing strangers?
Other person: Interesting...
Panel 8 (caption): Well... at least for a second or so.
(dialogue) A figure addressing another: Alice? You okay? Why are you looking at me like THAT?
Final panel (large text): KILL THE HERETIC. 12,000,000 PTS
Votey: Text on a sign reads: "Kill Power Webcomics -10,000,000,000 PTS"
Alt text
A tall, dark-toned SMBC comic about a future where everything is gamified. Caption panels narrate that society made people smarter, fitter, and more ethical through simple reward systems, so the greatest power fell to whoever defines "smart," "fit," and "ethical." One scene shows a dying person asking another if it's ethical to steal to feed one's family; the second person says sorry, too busy refreshing email. A robed figure offers "Five MILLION ethics points" for killing any definers who disagree, and a soldier gleefully shoots, exclaiming about a 5,000x multiplier and how ethical he is. After mass slaughter, two people wonder whether a moral framework could exist that doesn't involve constantly killing strangers; the other says "Interesting..." but only for a second, then turns menacingly on his companion (Alice) as a giant prompt reads "KILL THE HERETIC. 12,000,000 PTS." Votey: a sign reading "Kill Powr Webcomics -10,000,000,000 PTS," implying a massive point penalty for attacking the rival webcomic.
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.