2012-12-05
Original: 2012-12-05 on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1: A gray-haired philosopher stands at a lecture podium, addressing an audience.
Philosopher: "Camus wrote 'There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.'"
Panel 2: The philosopher gestures toward a projection screen showing stick figures.
Philosopher: "We propose a simple solution to this problem: evolution."
Panel 3: The philosopher faces the audience.
Philosopher: "Individuals who are not overcome by the existential conundrum will be more likely to have offspring."
Panel 4: A side view of the philosopher speaking.
Philosopher: "Over time, there will be fewer and fewer existentialists. Eventually, the idea that there is such a conundrum will no longer have lodging in the human psyche."
Panel 5: The philosopher stands at the edge of a stage above a large seated audience.
Philosopher: "So, the 'problem of suicide' is more like the 'nuisance of suicide.' It's an itch that time will scratch for our descendants. So, at least in the broad sense of 'human,' it can't be said to be part of 'the human condition.'"
Panel 6: A woman with glasses in the audience raises her hand.
Woman: "Some women are attracted to depressed philosophical types."
Panel 7: Close on the philosopher, looking distressed.
Philosopher: "Then we are forever doomed."
Small caption (bottom corner): "So... hot!"
Votey:
A rough sketch of two figures leaning close together.
First figure: "That's not how evolution works."
Second figure: "Only according to science."
Philosopher: "Camus wrote 'There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.'"
Panel 2: The philosopher gestures toward a projection screen showing stick figures.
Philosopher: "We propose a simple solution to this problem: evolution."
Panel 3: The philosopher faces the audience.
Philosopher: "Individuals who are not overcome by the existential conundrum will be more likely to have offspring."
Panel 4: A side view of the philosopher speaking.
Philosopher: "Over time, there will be fewer and fewer existentialists. Eventually, the idea that there is such a conundrum will no longer have lodging in the human psyche."
Panel 5: The philosopher stands at the edge of a stage above a large seated audience.
Philosopher: "So, the 'problem of suicide' is more like the 'nuisance of suicide.' It's an itch that time will scratch for our descendants. So, at least in the broad sense of 'human,' it can't be said to be part of 'the human condition.'"
Panel 6: A woman with glasses in the audience raises her hand.
Woman: "Some women are attracted to depressed philosophical types."
Panel 7: Close on the philosopher, looking distressed.
Philosopher: "Then we are forever doomed."
Small caption (bottom corner): "So... hot!"
Votey:
A rough sketch of two figures leaning close together.
First figure: "That's not how evolution works."
Second figure: "Only according to science."
Alt text
A seven-panel comic. A gray-haired philosopher lectures from a podium, quoting Camus that the one truly serious philosophical problem is suicide. He proposes a 'simple solution': evolution. Pointing to a screen of stick figures, he argues that individuals not overcome by the existential conundrum are more likely to have offspring, so over time there will be fewer existentialists until the conundrum no longer lodges in the human psyche. He concludes that the 'problem of suicide' is really just a 'nuisance of suicide,' an itch time will scratch for our descendants, so it can't be part of 'the human condition.' A woman with glasses in the audience raises her hand and says, 'Some women are attracted to depressed philosophical types.' The philosopher, looking dismayed, replies, 'Then we are forever doomed,' while a tiny caption reads 'So... hot!' Votey (aftercomic): a loose sketch of two figures leaning close. One says, 'That's not how evolution works.' The other replies, 'Only according to science.'
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.