Conscious
Original: Conscious on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1: An older woman with glasses sits at the bedside of a person lying in a hospital/care bed.
Older woman: "Darling, a lot of end of life care is performative."
Panel 2:
Older woman: "There's little evidence that it improves quality or length of life. Rather, it signals affection, because the family is willing to destroy vast amounts of money on your behalf."
Panel 3:
Older woman: "Rather than support a medical system that encourages this sort of behavior, I have purchased 23 Faberge eggs and set them on fire for you."
Panel 4: Close-up on the older woman's stern face.
Panel 5: A hand holds up a phone showing a video/image of a golden Faberge egg engulfed in flames.
Panel 6: The person in the bed (shown in silhouette).
Person in bed: "Wow. You must love me so much."
Older woman (off-panel): "Actually this was the cheaper option."
Votey:
A close-up of the older woman's face.
Older woman: "Do my undies."
Older woman: "Darling, a lot of end of life care is performative."
Panel 2:
Older woman: "There's little evidence that it improves quality or length of life. Rather, it signals affection, because the family is willing to destroy vast amounts of money on your behalf."
Panel 3:
Older woman: "Rather than support a medical system that encourages this sort of behavior, I have purchased 23 Faberge eggs and set them on fire for you."
Panel 4: Close-up on the older woman's stern face.
Panel 5: A hand holds up a phone showing a video/image of a golden Faberge egg engulfed in flames.
Panel 6: The person in the bed (shown in silhouette).
Person in bed: "Wow. You must love me so much."
Older woman (off-panel): "Actually this was the cheaper option."
Votey:
A close-up of the older woman's face.
Older woman: "Do my undies."
Alt text
A six-panel SMBC comic. An older woman with glasses sits beside a loved one lying in a care bed and says, "Darling, a lot of end of life care is performative." She continues: "There's little evidence that it improves quality or length of life. Rather, it signals affection, because the family is willing to destroy vast amounts of money on your behalf." She adds, "Rather than support a medical system that encourages this sort of behavior, I have purchased 23 Faberge eggs and set them on fire for you." A close-up shows her stern face, then a hand holds up a phone playing a video of a golden Faberge egg in flames. The bedridden person, shown in silhouette, says, "Wow. You must love me so much," and she replies, "Actually this was the cheaper option." Votey: a close-up of the woman's face as she says, "Do my undies."
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.