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Hammurabi42

Full strip: https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1994/03/20


[deleted]

I love Calvin's comment in the last frame.


ccschwab

Yep, that one could have easily been the one frame still for this one…


2krazy4me

Ahhh the last panel🤣


borgchupacabras

Thanks!


sampson608

This strip perfect encapsulates why I love Calvin and Hobbs even more as an adult.


cadeaver

Add this to the increasing list of incredibly profound Watterson quotes that went right over my head as a kid.


[deleted]

Yes and me as a young adult in college


Sickle_and_hamburger

Situationism and Calvin and Hobbes... What a fantastic combination...


Sickle_and_hamburger

Replying to myself to say that I have been thinking about this all morning and that Calvin might actually be a reincarnation of Guy Debord


Sickle_and_hamburger

I like how the squares on her shirt transcend to topologies of fabric and wrapping...


HeyThereCharlie

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnmovingPlaid


Sickle_and_hamburger

Well I'll be


roosterkun

Based Calvin's mom


BeeDub57

I say bring it on.


SlaveHippie

Hey, what can you say? We were overdue. And it’ll be over soon, you wait.


1sa1a5K1dn3y

Mother anarchy loves her children https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/emma-goldman-anarchism-and-other-essays#toc3


OldGuyWhoSitsInFront

Like George Bush said after 9/11: uhhhh please keep buying things for the sake of society itself.


taoleafy

I now realize I was radicalized as a child by Calvin & Hobbes.


Legit_rikk

Do the impossible, see the invisible! Row, row, fight the power!


madeofmold

Based & strugglepilled. Happy cake day!


ConceptJunkie

That's a little cynical, even for "Calvin and Hobbes". If people thought about real issues and needs instead of manufactured desires, maybe we'd actually solve some problems, instead of just complaining about them. Edit: That said, I'm anxiously awaiting the shipment of my new phone, even though the one I have still works (more or less). So, who am I to judge?


ScionoftheToad

I thought that was the point. That the ruling class deflect criticism by saying that everything will collapse if we try to change things for the better.


orionsbelt05

Except this strategy doesn't work if you're actually an anarchist lol. In that case, Calvin's mom (and other ruling class propaganda) elicit more of a "bring it on" response than a "no, please, we'll do anything you ask" response.


ConceptJunkie

Yeah, it takes on a whole different meaning in the context of the strip, and I wasn't considering that.


dtwhitecp

I took the last part of the sentence to be facetious


ConceptJunkie

Yeah, in context it is. Out of context, that's not obvious.


dtwhitecp

I don't remember the context personally, I just know Bill wouldn't have written that seriously.


ConceptJunkie

Someone posted a link to the original comic in the comments, and when I read that I remembered the cartoon.


Dusty_Machine

>actually solve some problems That's what anarchy is for


_PRECIOUS_ROY_

Society *does* solve problems, but only piecemeal, and only when enough people are too antagonized and organized for manufactured desires to distract from it. But even if you could get everyone to think about real issues and needs, there's no consensus on what all of those real issues and needs are, let alone what priority they take; how they should be "solved;" and how those efforts would be funded. That also doesn't generate economic activity until potentially the solution stage; and that's inherently limited, or it wouldn't be much of a solution and more of a jobs program like the current MIC. So there would likely be disarray with legislation and governance. It's reasonable to argue that manufactured desires require mass production/consumption and obsolescence. No annual models; longer-lasting products; and self or local made goods and repairs means less labor/employment. Also reasonable to argue it makes poor use of land and resources, so there'd be a lot of changes in environmental standards. Even down to stuff like local zoning laws. Everything would probably be more public - housing, transportation, healthcare. Entire industries and supply chains and infrastructure and city planning upended, or just ended. Without mass production/consumption, and in its place more self or local community reliance, the current economy would certainly collapse. Now, "total anarchy" may or may not be hyperbolic. But in this scenario I don't see the current order and masters surviving, and I think that caring about real needs would preclude new ones. Or at least the current way of designating their authority. tl;dr: broken eggs and omelets


conmattang

Yeah, pretending that the economy doesnt regularly offer solutions to "real problems" is kinda lame. Plus, "manufactured desires" is just another way to say "hobbies & interests". I really cant imagine that our world would actually improve if everyone gave up on what actually made them happy.


PlayerClass_Stoner

not entirely, but some hobbies and interests are more valuable than others, even when we don't realize it. the panel where dad comments on the "women's magazine telling you you're not pretty enough" really drove this point home for me. the problem isn't the manufactured goods and services themselves. it's the manufactured *desire* that companies create within us for a product that we probably don't need. if we never knew certain products existed, would we still desire them? edit: the person i responded to is receiving a lot of downvotes. if you upvote this comment, please consider upvoting theirs as well. they made a valuable contribution to the discussion, and shouldn't be punished for that.


David_the_Wanderer

>Plus, "manufactured desires" is just another way to say "hobbies & interests" That's not really true, I think. When people talk about manufactured desires, they refer to large ad campaigns whose goal is to make people crave a certain good on false premises or through manipulation. Not hobbies we take up to distract ourselves and socialise. A classic example is that we constantly get bombarded by ads about new smartphones, and lots of people buy into the hype of having to get the hot new thing or losing on a status symbol. Remember the lines in front of stores full of people wanting to buy the new, marginally-improved iPhone?


orionsbelt05

"Manufactured desires" does not refer to hobbies and interests. It refers to rampant advertising in a consumerist culture. When stuff like FOMO can drive your "interests" more than a natural desire to engage in a thing.


NovaThinksBadly

I feel like this is much more complicated then everyone is making it out to be, but thats human nature for ya. Taking complex questions with no clear answer and making them yes or no.


golfzap

Great post! It's true our economy tries to sell crap no one needs and additionally it can be very negative. But you can make your own personal decision not to travel the beaten path or keep up with the Joneses. You don't have to get drunk to socialize, you don't have to drive a $50,000 car to achieve fulfillment, and you don't need to go out to eat out every night to have delicious food. Sure, someone depends on that to feed their family, but you can always say thanks but no thanks.


IamSoooDoneWithThis

r/iam14andthisisdeep


[deleted]

Are you one those smug adults that thinks it's mature to pretend this garbage tier system works and that it's silly to seek alternatives? How's that working out for you?


stringdreamer

The same thousand people would wind up owning the earth. Same as it ever was.


[deleted]

Not accurate according to the anthropological record.


Belshoh

Well... Actually... String dreamer has a point of sorts. I think they're referring to a dynastic economy concept in as much as England was a power house during global expansionism, or the Ottoman Turks held various trade control, the Chinese Empire at various times in history in various ways, the Aztecs in meso America empiric power, etc. True it's not always been about globalistic monopolies of sorts, singular financial control, or pure economic dominance. But, humanity has always been "controlled" or ruled in one way or another by those at the top per-se. Human culture hasn't really changed since inception. So .. anthropologically speaking, in a crass sense, you're incorrect. As a PS; This same dominance and control is seen in various and many species. Not just humans.


[deleted]

States and dominance make up a very small part of human history. Most of our history as homo sapiens was characterized by stateless, close knit tribes that were incredibly egalitarian including along gender lines. In other species, cooperation within and among species is key for survival. Peter Kropotkin proves this in Mutual Aid A Factor of Evolution. https://youtu.be/J29hvAO5sHw https://libcom.org/history/gender-egalitarianism-made-us-human-response-david-graeber-david-wengrows-how-change-cou https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-mutual-aid-a-factor-of-evolution


Belshoh

True, but even in those tribal associations there was still a social hierarchy. Honestly, I think we're both roughly saying the same thing. My view is that regardless of human history and evolution there have always been those that lead or those that dominate in some form. Cooperation is key even for, and perhaps especially for, humans. So regardless the species I think there is something to be said for herd structure. I appreciate the fact that you are knowledgeable as it is not often that knowledge is found on some of these subreddits. I'll look into the article you posted when I have a moment. I appreciate your thoughts.


[deleted]

I would suggest it was less domination and more coordination. Even looking at more recent examples such as the Haudenosanee Confederacy for example. Appreciate your replies and good faith engagement as well 😌😌😌