worse-2
Original: worse-2 on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1:
Batman: Alfred, am I just making everything worse?
Alfred: Sir?
Panel 2:
Batman: I just go out here fighting obvious bad guys, gives the public the impression that good civic life is a matter of pointing out who is obviously bad then taking any action that thwarts them.
Panel 3:
Alfred: But the real origin of most human suffering is diffuse systems like scarcity, ignorance, and our latent tendency to intergroup animosity.
Panel 4:
Batman: The only solution to those things is trustworthy widely-amenable institutions and norms. Things like service clubs, a free press, engaged citizens, and deliberative bodies responsible to a well-educated public.
Panel 5:
Alfred: If everyone believes an individual large rich man can and should fix it, they not only ignore the real responsibility to personal involvement, they come to believe anyone who can't heal the world in a way that is clear, fast, and amusing to watch must be a coward or a great fool.
Panel 6:
Batman: Maybe you should reveal your true identity and seek office?
Alfred: By god Alfred, that's it!
Panel 7 (caption): AND SO...
Batman (now revealed to a crowd): And that's why housing should --
A man in the crowd: Mr. Wayne will lower my taxes, provide me more services, and eat this local fried food thing?
Panel 8:
Batman: What have I done?
A voice: It's so good!
Votey:
Caption: It was on his ninety-fourth deep fried butter on a stick that Batman ceased to believe in democracy.
Batman (silhouette, leaping off a ledge): Fuck 'em
Batman: Alfred, am I just making everything worse?
Alfred: Sir?
Panel 2:
Batman: I just go out here fighting obvious bad guys, gives the public the impression that good civic life is a matter of pointing out who is obviously bad then taking any action that thwarts them.
Panel 3:
Alfred: But the real origin of most human suffering is diffuse systems like scarcity, ignorance, and our latent tendency to intergroup animosity.
Panel 4:
Batman: The only solution to those things is trustworthy widely-amenable institutions and norms. Things like service clubs, a free press, engaged citizens, and deliberative bodies responsible to a well-educated public.
Panel 5:
Alfred: If everyone believes an individual large rich man can and should fix it, they not only ignore the real responsibility to personal involvement, they come to believe anyone who can't heal the world in a way that is clear, fast, and amusing to watch must be a coward or a great fool.
Panel 6:
Batman: Maybe you should reveal your true identity and seek office?
Alfred: By god Alfred, that's it!
Panel 7 (caption): AND SO...
Batman (now revealed to a crowd): And that's why housing should --
A man in the crowd: Mr. Wayne will lower my taxes, provide me more services, and eat this local fried food thing?
Panel 8:
Batman: What have I done?
A voice: It's so good!
Votey:
Caption: It was on his ninety-fourth deep fried butter on a stick that Batman ceased to believe in democracy.
Batman (silhouette, leaping off a ledge): Fuck 'em
Alt text
A black-and-white SMBC comic drawn in a superhero style. Batman, in cape and cowl, talks with his butler Alfred. Batman wonders if he's making everything worse by just fighting obvious bad guys, which gives the public the impression that good civic life is just identifying who's bad and thwarting them. Alfred replies that the real origin of human suffering is diffuse systems like scarcity, ignorance, and intergroup animosity. Batman says the only solution is trustworthy institutions and norms: service clubs, a free press, engaged citizens, and deliberative bodies answerable to an educated public. Alfred warns that if everyone believes one rich man can fix it, they ignore their own responsibility and come to see anyone who can't heal the world quickly and entertainingly as a coward or fool. Batman suggests Alfred reveal his identity and seek office, then exclaims the idea is brilliant. In the final panels Batman, unmasked before a crowd, tries to give a speech about housing policy, but a man in the crowd only cares that 'Mr. Wayne will lower my taxes, provide more services, and eat this local fried food thing.' Batman, horrified, asks 'What have I done?' as a voice cries 'It's so good!' The votey panel shows a caption: 'It was on his ninety-fourth deep fried butter on a stick that Batman ceased to believe in democracy,' beneath a silhouette of Batman leaping off a ledge saying 'Fuck 'em.'
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.