Deeper Understanding

Excellent modern play off Encyclopedia Brown...though I’d have gone with a color-based last name like Greene or Mauve.

Michael

Favourite thing about today's comic = implication that Claire watches Metalocalypse :3 (That may also be why she assumed, in a much earlier comic, that metal exclusively uses harsh vocals)

Philippa

I ran into this growing up. My parents (dad especially) were always pushing me to go to college, be a teacher, do this, make lots of money.... Oh, you're smart, you'll be fine. Then I got to college- and I realized that everything they wanted me to do, I either hated or thoroughly sucked at. Dropped out, got married, had a couple of kids... in my 40's now, and still haven't entirely figure out where I'm going, but I do know I'm much happier than if I'd lived the life they wanted. And I know I've met and helped ppl I never would have otherwise. So Fuck It Live your life, Claire, and forget everyone else. Except maybe Marten :)

Michele Williams

Also, regarding privilege... I am reminded the other evening my daughter (who wears hearing aids) was cringing at my wife talking loudly and so later I talked to my wife and was like "have you considered having your hearing check, you do talk pretty loud sometimes these days" and that kind of stuff that was really from the heart and well intentioned and only later did I realize, hey, I was just another dude telling a woman (who works in tech, no less, so I'm sure she never gets this implicitly, ha ha) to be quieter. None of what I said was incorrect or ill-intentioned, but jfc am I the wrong source. And I didn't even think of it at the time, and that right there is privilege indeed. And yes, I talked to her about that later and she said "I thought of it at the time, but let it go." Ouch, but at least I'm learning to realize it. I'll say this, I realize often that 28 years of marriage does not in any way shape or form mean that I don't continue to have a lot to learn about how women are treated, including by me. Again... because privilege means I didn't have to know. (Turns out that one women's studies class I took in college didn't change that.) Anyway... good strip as always yo

R. Francis Smith

I think I'm going to get "projecting my own expectations of myself onto other people" tattooed on my arm. My therapist would probably make the appointment for me.

R. Francis Smith

Having privilege means not having to deal with some kinds of problems based on who, or what, you are. White privilege means that you aren't affected by how our society treats people of color. Rich privilege means you don't have to deal with the problems that come from being poor Male privilege means you don't have to deal with problems that come from being female... etc Basically, because you haven't had experience dealing with these specific problems, you're likely to underestimate how much they can impact the lives of others.

Drew Teter

I appreciate the McElroy reference :-)

privilege?

Unanimous D

It takes four Feegles. One under each foot.

David Paul

I was gonna get a tattoo this summer, but the tattoo artist didn't know how to write "Noodles half price" in Mandarin.

Rob McBobson

I thought "pobody's nerfect" was a typo for way longer than I feel comfortable sharing. Q.E.D, I suppose.

Ralf Paul

Claire miiiiiiight be projecting her own expectations on other people. That thought miiiiiiiight be worth exploring, Claire, I'm just saying.

Bagge

Like I posted below, that's Jeph talking!

Ben Russell-Gough

Panel 6 makes me think that Claire is gradually replacing Marten as Jeph's primary self-insert in this strip! I'm trying to decide whether it is a good thing or bad thing that Marten hasn't told Claire that his 'privilege' was knowing how to answer Tai's questions in iambic pentameter when they were posed in the same format!

Ben Russell-Gough

I've always liked the idea of a squashed smurf on the bottom of my foot. Its extremely unpractical to do as a tattoo as the skin is so thick there as well as how fast it is replaced; the tattoo would be poor quality and would blur quickly. Still... Its a cool idea...

Rudolph Gerber

Saaamme...

Valraven

I'm not likely to get a tattoo. But I have thought of a few things I'd consider, if I decide to. There are a few choice axioms, such as "everyone is his own worst critic", that would always be relevant, no matter how old I get. I've thought about a tribute in honour of a fallen friend, but then where do you stop? I mean, you can't just leave people out. I have lost lots of friends, plus family members. I could end up with my entire body covered with memorials. But I also thought - since a LOT of tattoos I have seen are really stupid - of getting something totally sarcastic - but only if you can read it. This idea was actually reinforced by Raven getting her Kanji tattoo - <a href="https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=410" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=410</a> - because A: as Faye pointed out, it's not "mystical at all to someone who can read Japanese", and B: some tattoo places don't even research what they're inking. They just punch in whatever you ask for into their computer, and go with what it spits back at them. Half the time, it's complete gibberish in Japanese (or Chinese, as in the case of <a href="http://www.tattoochinese.com/riley-reid-chinese-tattoo" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Riley Reid's back tattoo</a>). So I figured I'd get the Kanji for "left" and "right" on the backs of my hands, but get it so it's readable by someone looking at me (making it upside down for me). Or maybe something like "This is my left/right arm" done on my forearms. Still utter nonsense, but I'd make doubly sure it was CORRECT utter nonsense, and not just whatever Google Translate says it should be.

awgiedawgie

Oh, for Claire to have gotten access to a competent therapist and a hard-core academic advisor years ago...

z

Agreed, but it is a real reaction for the character. She is young, and seems to think that Marten's job is apparently a much bigger deal than it is. To my knowledge he is the assistant to an assistant librarian. The have referenced the "real" librarians (e.g. degrees and research and tenure), which is what she actually wants to be. She is way out of line, totally wrong about life and immature, but weren't we all?

Ronald Stimbert

I'm going to interpret Claire's last line as meaning "life's problems only exist as reasons to get tattoos"!

Marc Pengryffyn

"Referendum on your privilege" is a bit harsh. Getting jobs via networking and luck is what the real world is about - it's rarely about the 'correct' or 'most highly educated' person. If anything, Claire has overly high expectations and opinions of the workforce.

MikeT

In which Jeph reveals that Marten and Claire are the names of two of his brain cells, vying for control of his last un-inked patch of skin.

ERRORCODE616

Marten would totally get a tattoo, if he only could decided what he wanted it to say.

Bagge

I’m going to get that tattoo done on me

giacomo vaghi

Or as an acquaintence did "Get Out of Your Own Way"

lilibat

I'm thinking about getting ink that says: "Tattoos Suck"

BobC

So true.

Gary Walker

My tattoo was just for those reasons, I gave up trying to explain it to people. Now when people ask I just say "I thought it was pretty".

Denise Webber

I cannot argue with this conclusion.

Operation Brownie Pockets is a free game you play in real life

She’s right, you know.

Will Weaver

'a referendum on your privilege'. i'm stealing that for future use

JD

I never thought I'd get a tattoo, but then a dear friend and mentor died suddenly and far too young. Inking a permanent thank you to him on my body feels like something I'll never regret.

Bruce Steinberg

I hate realizing that a comment is inappropriate and needs to be deleted, but this was one such time. Regarding tattoos, if I were to ever get one, it would be Pratchett themed. Probably a Nac Mac Feegle. Stealing a sheep.

If you are building your whole personality around your tattoo you definitely need to get out more. It's not something to do casually but it's also not that important. That said, I would not get one on my face.

Chris Heg

Claire's quite emotionally intelligent, and I find that refreshing; seeing her and Marten hash things out like this has been great. PS: Bonus points for the Metalocalypse reference.

Everett Bradshaw

Likewise. She was initially my favorite among the interns. Despite her nickname, Gabriella was the most taciturn of them. When she spoke, it was always worth hearing. Emily was always a flake, and Claire initially came in with a sour attitude.

After thirty or forty years you have built your whole personality around whatever the tattoo was there to remind you of, so that is the one thing in the world you least need to be reminded of, till it is both your chief virtue and your chief flaw, till it is as mundane as dirt, and the fucking tattoo is still there.

I have never wanted a tattoo. Never. It's not that I'm against the idea. Whenever the subject has come up, I've basically always said, "There's nothing I feel so passionate about that I want to have a permanent testament to it placed on my body." This is really making me reevaluate that decision.

Pooga

God, the insight in panel 4. Now all she needs to do is internalize and accept that, instead of just rationally acknowledging it. Good luck Claire, we love, accept, and support you!

Ted Van Roekel

I'm terrified of needles, but there have been many times where I have considered getting a tattoo for this exact reason.

Cave

I miss Gabby. I wonder what she’s up to?

Holly Nelson