perfect-life
Original: perfect-life on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1:
(A young student in red climbs a steep mountain peak toward a robed figure seated at the summit, above the clouds.)
Panel 2:
Student: Wise master, should I pursue the perfect life or the perfect work?
Wise master: The perfect life. A life of peace, joy, compassion.
Panel 3:
Wise master: If you pursue the perfect work, you will always know jealousy. You will look at all beautiful creations, by yourself and others, as mere entries on a giant scoreboard in a game no one ever wins.
Panel 4:
(The wise master, now holding a smartphone.)
Wise master: You can do that with life too now!
Panel 5:
Student: What?
Wise master: Look, I'll set you up on Instagram.
Panel 6:
(The student stares blankly while the master taps at the phone.)
Wise master: See, the wise master two mountains over has 16 acts of righteousness and compassion today.
Panel 7:
(The student now holds the phone.)
Student: Look how many emojis people are responding with. I could never have that.
Panel 8:
(Close-up of the student and master looking at the phone together.)
Panel 9:
Wise master (looking at his own phone): I am nothing. But not in the meditative sense. In the way that makes me eat cookie butter with a spoon while conflating my desires and hopes with social expectations.
Panel 10:
Student: I wouldn't post that. People prefer nudes.
Votey:
Text in a hand-drawn box: You can support more SMBC comics mocking social media by sharing this comic on your favorite platform!
(A young student in red climbs a steep mountain peak toward a robed figure seated at the summit, above the clouds.)
Panel 2:
Student: Wise master, should I pursue the perfect life or the perfect work?
Wise master: The perfect life. A life of peace, joy, compassion.
Panel 3:
Wise master: If you pursue the perfect work, you will always know jealousy. You will look at all beautiful creations, by yourself and others, as mere entries on a giant scoreboard in a game no one ever wins.
Panel 4:
(The wise master, now holding a smartphone.)
Wise master: You can do that with life too now!
Panel 5:
Student: What?
Wise master: Look, I'll set you up on Instagram.
Panel 6:
(The student stares blankly while the master taps at the phone.)
Wise master: See, the wise master two mountains over has 16 acts of righteousness and compassion today.
Panel 7:
(The student now holds the phone.)
Student: Look how many emojis people are responding with. I could never have that.
Panel 8:
(Close-up of the student and master looking at the phone together.)
Panel 9:
Wise master (looking at his own phone): I am nothing. But not in the meditative sense. In the way that makes me eat cookie butter with a spoon while conflating my desires and hopes with social expectations.
Panel 10:
Student: I wouldn't post that. People prefer nudes.
Votey:
Text in a hand-drawn box: You can support more SMBC comics mocking social media by sharing this comic on your favorite platform!
Alt text
A ten-panel SMBC comic. Panel 1: a young student in a red robe climbs a steep mountain peak above the clouds toward a seated robed figure at the summit. Panel 2: the student asks the wise master, 'Wise master, should I pursue the perfect life or the perfect work?' The master answers, 'The perfect life. A life of peace, joy, compassion.' Panel 3: the master continues, warning that pursuing perfect work brings endless jealousy, treating all creations as 'mere entries on a giant scoreboard in a game no one ever wins.' Panel 4: the master, now holding a smartphone, says 'You can do that with life too now!' Panel 5: the confused student says 'What?' as the master says 'Look, I'll set you up on Instagram.' Panel 6: the master scrolls the phone, noting that 'the wise master two mountains over has 16 acts of righteousness and compassion today.' Panel 7: the student, now holding the phone, says 'Look how many emojis people are responding with. I could never have that.' Panel 8: a close-up of the two hunched over the phone. Panel 9: the master, staring at his phone, says he is 'nothing,' but not in a meditative sense, rather in the way that makes him 'eat cookie butter with a spoon while conflating my desires and hopes with social expectations.' Panel 10: the student replies, 'I wouldn't post that. People prefer nudes.' The joke is that the enlightenment of social media instantly corrupts a serene mountaintop sage into anxious, comparison-driven misery. Votey (aftercomic): a hand-drawn box reads, 'You can support more SMBC comics mocking social media by sharing this comic on your favorite platform!'
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.