2011-12-24

A four-panel SMBC comic about economic incentives. Panel 1: A red-haired mother leans toward her daughter and says, "Sally, your father and I are tired of seeing you play video games all day, so we're going to economically incentivize you. For every book report you give us, we'll reward you ten dollars." Panel 2, labeled BAD KID: Sally frowns and says, "Meh. Whatever." Panel 3, labeled GOOD KID: Sally grins and says, "It's a deal!" Panel 4, labeled FUTURE ECONOMIST: Sally stands in the yard outside the house holding a handwritten sign that reads "Will buy book reports $7 each!" while her parents watch from the windows above. The joke: the "good" entrepreneurial response is to undercut her parents' price and outsource the work, buying book reports cheaper than her parents pay and pocketing the spread. Votey, labeled FUTURE MBA: A simple black-and-white drawing of a grinning kid holding a sign that reads "Will buy book reports 10 cents" - driving the markup even more ruthlessly.