poetry-2
Original: poetry-2 on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1
Woman with red hair: Hey poet! Did you see this new paper? Average humans given AI poetry and real poetry can't tell which is which and PREFER AI because it makes more sense!
Panel 2
Bearded man (the poet): So what? Average humans prefer Instagram "be your best you" haikus to reading Yeats. Average humans are SHIT.
Panel 3
Woman: Do you use this standard anywhere else? "Average humans think the sun going around the earth makes more sense. Suck on that, astronomers."
Panel 4
Poet (making air quotes): I'm just saying it doesn't look good to be a poet, does it?
Panel 5
Poet (cheerfully, walking past with the woman): Ha! It's never been better!
Panel 6
Poet: You can't hurt poets! We're already hated and unemployable! We don't even like each other! We have nothing to lose to AI!
Panel 7
Poet: When the AI replaces you programmers, you'll be out of a job and without a reason for being! English majors have been running on spite and self-loathing for centuries! We will live on!
Panel 8
Woman: Wow. I never thought of the humanities as personal preparation for the end times.
Panel 9
Poet: Did you think it was for FUN?
Votey:
Woman (with a stunned, wide-eyed expression): Have you ever read the Norton Anthology of Literary Criticism? I am prepared now for any fate!
Woman with red hair: Hey poet! Did you see this new paper? Average humans given AI poetry and real poetry can't tell which is which and PREFER AI because it makes more sense!
Panel 2
Bearded man (the poet): So what? Average humans prefer Instagram "be your best you" haikus to reading Yeats. Average humans are SHIT.
Panel 3
Woman: Do you use this standard anywhere else? "Average humans think the sun going around the earth makes more sense. Suck on that, astronomers."
Panel 4
Poet (making air quotes): I'm just saying it doesn't look good to be a poet, does it?
Panel 5
Poet (cheerfully, walking past with the woman): Ha! It's never been better!
Panel 6
Poet: You can't hurt poets! We're already hated and unemployable! We don't even like each other! We have nothing to lose to AI!
Panel 7
Poet: When the AI replaces you programmers, you'll be out of a job and without a reason for being! English majors have been running on spite and self-loathing for centuries! We will live on!
Panel 8
Woman: Wow. I never thought of the humanities as personal preparation for the end times.
Panel 9
Poet: Did you think it was for FUN?
Votey:
Woman (with a stunned, wide-eyed expression): Have you ever read the Norton Anthology of Literary Criticism? I am prepared now for any fate!
Alt text
A nine-panel SMBC comic. A red-haired woman in a yellow shirt and a bald, bearded man (a poet) talk. She says a new paper shows people can't tell AI poetry from real poetry and prefer the AI because it 'makes more sense.' The poet scoffs: average humans prefer Instagram 'be your best you' haikus to Yeats, and 'average humans are shit.' She points out he wouldn't apply that standard to astronomy ('average humans think the sun goes around the earth'). The poet, making air quotes, admits 'it doesn't look good to be a poet, does it?' Then, walking cheerfully, he declares 'It's never been better!' Poets can't be hurt: they're already hated, unemployable, and don't even like each other, so they have nothing to lose to AI. He tells her that when AI replaces programmers, they'll lose their jobs and reason for being, but English majors have run on spite and self-loathing for centuries and will live on. She replies she never thought of the humanities as personal preparation for the end times. The poet asks, 'Did you think it was for FUN?' Votey (aftercomic): The woman, wide-eyed and rattled, says 'Have you ever read the Norton Anthology of Literary Criticism? I am prepared now for any fate!'
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.