explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2321: Low-Background Metal

2020-06-17T16:55:13Z

162.158.75.28:

{{comic
| number = 2321
| date = June 17, 2020
| title = Low-Background Metal
| image = low_background_metal.png
| titletext = The only effect on the history books were a few confusing accounts of something called 'Greek fire.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a TIME TRAVELER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
In this comic, Megan and Black Hat have invented time travel. Time travel is a common trope in Science Fiction, and such a discovery would be likely to change the world as we know it. However, Megan and Black Hat's machine requires the use of metal with little to no radiation, meaning currently available metals are too passively radioactive for safe use. Noting that the only way they can obtain this metal, which is presumably consumed upon use of the machine, is by salvaging it from ancient Roman ships, they use the machine to travel back in time to when the Roman Empire was at its height in order to sink its vessels and in turn create more Roman lead for them to use. The title text references Greek Fire, an unknown compound that can burn underwater if set alight. This means, presumably, that the time machine and Megan & Black Hat's interference was mistaken for a Greek attack, which would then give it the name Greek Fire.

{{w|Greek fire}} was an incendiary weapon invented and employed by the Byzantine empire. It was a flammable liquid used in naval combat to set fire to enemy ships, but the details of its manufacture and deployment are vague. Randall proposes a rather outlandish alternative hypothesis; that all records of Greek fire were actually in reference to the modern weapons used by the time travelers.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

2318: Dynamic Entropy

2020-06-11T05:10:38Z

162.158.75.28: typo?

{{comic
| number = 2318
| date = June 11, 2020
| title = Dynamic Entropy
| image = dynamic_entropy.png
| titletext = Despite years of effort by my physics professors to normalize it, deep down I remain convinced that 'dynamical' is not really a word.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a PHYSICS PROFESSOR. Should briefly explain dynamic programming, information theory, entropy, and the meaning of the word “dynamical”. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic strip is a [[:Category:Tips|"science tip"]], suggesting that a cool concept should be called "dynamic entropy." [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynamic/ Merriam-Webster's Dictionary] defines dynamic as "marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change" as well as "of or relating to physical force or energy," among other definitions. [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entropy/ Additionally, it] defines entropy as "the degree of disorder or uncertainty in a system." So while clearly these two words do mean things, the comic provides two quotes from famous scientists saying that "it's impossible to use the word 'dynamic' in a pejorative sense", and "no one knows what entropy really is". The result is a phrase that can mean whatever the concept's originator wishes it to mean, and cannot possibly be heard in a negative light (as has happened with e.g. "{{w|cold fusion}}").

Even though the caption implies that "dynamic entropy" would be available as a new name, it has actually been used in physics<ref>Allegrini, P., Douglas, J. F., & Glotzer, S. C. (1999). Dynamic entropy as a measure of caging and persistent particle motion in supercooled liquids. Physical Review E, 60(5), 5714, doi: 10.1103/physreve.60.5714.</ref><ref>Green, J. R., Costa, A. B., Grzybowski, B. A., & Szleifer, I. (2013). Relationship between dynamical entropy and energy dissipation far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(41), 16339-16343.</ref>, probability<ref>Asadi, M., Ebrahimi, N., Hamedani, G., & Soofi, E. (2004). Maximum Dynamic Entropy Models. Journal of Applied Probability, 41(2), 379-390. Retrieved June 11, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/3216023</ref>, and computer science<ref>S. Satpathy et al., "An All-Digital Unified Static/Dynamic Entropy Generator Featuring Self-Calibrating Hierarchical Von Neumann Extraction for Secure Privacy-Preserving Mutual Authentication in IoT Mote Platforms," 2018 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Circuits, Honolulu, HI, 2018, pp. 169-170, doi: 10.1109/VLSIC.2018.8502369.</ref>

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

<big>Dynamic</big>

"It's impossible to use the word 'dynamic' in the pejorative sense...thus, I thought 'dynamic programming' was a good name."
:- Richard Bellman, explaining how he picked a name for his math research to try to protect it from criticism (''Eye of the Hurricane'', 1984)

<big>Entropy</big>

"You should call it 'Entropy'...no one knows what entropy really is, so in a debate you will always have the advantage."
:- John von Neumann, to Claude Shannon, on why he should borrow the physics term in information theory (as told to Myron Tribus)

[Two arrows leading from the definitions above to:]

<big><big><big>'''''DYNAMIC ENTROPY'''''</big></big></big>

[Caption below box]
Science Tip: If you have a cool concept you need a name for, try "Dynamic Entropy."

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Tips]]

Talk:2185: Cumulonimbus

2019-08-05T18:17:45Z

162.158.75.28:

Hey, the back arrow here doesn't go back to yesterday's "Disappearing Sunday Update" [[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.28|162.158.75.28]] 18:17, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

Talk:2181: Inbox

2019-07-27T19:10:33Z

162.158.75.28: since when does email "demand" a reply

Key to the joke is that the Romans had (allegedly?) no concept of zero, i.e. Roman numerals cannot express 0.[[User:Mathmannix|Mathmannix]] ([[User talk:Mathmannix|talk]]) 18:19, 26 July 2019 (UTC)
:Maybe, but I think this refers to the Inbox Zero methodology more. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.46.209|172.68.46.209]] 19:12, 26 July 2019 (UTC)
It's a pun. It doesn't work without the notion that Romans had no concept of zero.

I actually find there's nothing in this comic that suggests it's referencing the idea that Romans didn't have a "zero". They didn't have the concept of Inbox Zero because they didn't have inboxes. It's a cute additive, though. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:18, 27 July 2019 (UTC)

Since when does "email usually demands a reply"? By some statistics much to most (45-73%) of email is spam. A good chunk of other email is notifications of orders, tracking updates, forum/etc subscriptions, social media notifications, and so on -- those certainly don't require a reply (though some may require or prompt further action). Then there's all the RE:FW:RE:RE:FW:FW:RE type chain letter stuff (as differentiated from spam) and a lot of CC/BCC stuff for people being "looped in" but not needing to reply. Only a tiny portion of email (higher on work accounts) requires a reply, and even then a lot of that email itself doesn't _demand_ a reply, but rather that societal conventions of courtesy (and/or "being a team player") make non-responsiveness sometimes problematic. YMMV, but IMO the only emails that really need a reply are direct questions from supervisors/subordinates, clients, and friends/family members. Anything else is extra. Never mind the whole pedantic argument that email itself cannot demand anything as it is the message/medium rather than the sender of the message...

2181: Inbox

2019-07-27T18:58:20Z

162.158.75.28: /* Explanation */ "citation needed" for email demanding a reply

{{comic
| number = 2181
| date = July 26, 2019
| title = Inbox
| image = inbox.png
| titletext = Rome's declaration of war against Carthage was sent from a no-reply address, so Hannibal had to cross the Alps to deliver his "UNSUBSCRIBE" response in person.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an ANCIENT ROMAN. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{w|Email}} differs from "snail" mail, in that it usually demands a reply {{Citation needed}}. And replying to an email, may lead to another email response, thus leading to a "loop" of constant replies and responses.

The {{w|ancient Romans}} are one of the model historical societies, well revered for their culture and life. A common misconception is that Romans did not have a concept of the number zero. The Romans were aware of the concept of zero, but there is no {{w|numeral}} for 0 in the {{w|Roman numeral}} system, as Roman numerals do not have place values like Arabic numerals. A value of ten or greater requires Arabic numerals to represent each lesser individually, with 0 serving as a placeholder digit for empty place values. Roman numerals do not have such a placeholder digit, and so did not have a numeral for zero; the word ''nulla'' was used to refer to "zero" in the sense of "nothing". Various sources indicate that this eventually gave use to '''N''' as a Roman numeral for "zero", and such is the case for modern users of Roman numerals.

Megan plays on this misconception by claiming that they were able to accomplish a lot because they did not have the Inbox Zero philosophy. [https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/inbox-zero Inbox Zero] is a recent organizational approach to email inbox management by Merlin Mann, with the idea that people should spend as little time as possible in their inbox. To achieve this, one should periodically check one's inbox and quickly deal with all new emails by either sending a short reply where possible or categorizing them for later tasks. The idea of replying to any and all emails immediately is explicitly not part of the Inbox Zero approach as described by Mann. Megan's argument is therefore false and either a misconception on her part or just an attempt at falsely justifying her excuse.

Megan implies that because ancient Romans did not have a zero, they had no concept of Inbox Zero; thus, they did not need to waste time replying to email, and therefore could accomplish more. This is of course redundant, as email did not exist at the time. {{Citation needed}}

The title text refers to {{w|Hannibal's crossing of the Alps}}, a famous military campaign by Hannibal against the Romans. Randall claims that Hannibal needed to invade Rome to tell them to stop sending him so many emails. The reason for this was that Rome's email was sent from a "[https://www.mailjet.com/blog/news/the-noreply-dilemma-going-from-no-to-yes/ no-reply]" email address, so Hannibal had no way of replying and had to tell them in person. The real reason for Hannibal to cross the Alps was because he wanted to conquer Rome. He could not conquer Rome, so he never sent his "unsubscribe" message.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are sitting at a desk, facing each other, each working on their laptop computers.]
:Megan: Answering email is the worst. It just leads to getting more email.
:Cueball: Yeah, email is a trap.

:[Beat panel.]

:[Megan looks up from her work on the computer.]
:Megan: I bet the reason the Ancient Romans got so much done was that they had no concept of Inbox Zero.
:Cueball: ''That'' explains it.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Computers]]

1026: Compare and Contrast

2018-01-27T03:31:02Z

162.158.75.28: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1026
| date = March 7, 2012
| title = Compare and Contrast
| image = compare_and_contrast.png
| titletext = Frankly, I see no difference between thee and a summer's day. Only Ron Paul offers a TRUE alternative!
}}

==Explanation==

A reference to the most well-known {{w|sonnet}} in the English-speaking world: {{w|William Shakespeare|William Shakespeare's}} "{{w|Sonnet 18}}", the first line of which is: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?". In this comic [[Randall]] sets about this in a typically goal-oriented chart, as opposed to the rather more romantic poetry of the Bard.

The lines are:

1. The first line is a reference to the sonnet itself, which reads: "Thou art more lovely and more temperate". He considers both thee and a summer's day to be "fair" (this is a pun; depending on context, "fair" can refer to complexion or weather) and "temperate" (meaning "warm", which again can describe a person or the weather).

2. "Hot, sticky" also refers to both, in different ways. "Hot" can mean sexually attractive or simply that the temperature is high. A "sticky" day refers to humidity.

3. "Short" is another pun. "Thee" is not tall. A summer day is chronologically long (time from dawn to dusk.)

4. "Harbinger of hurricane season" is technically accurate; hurricane season does follow the summer.

5. "Required for a good beach party" is not a pun, although it is another example of a word with slightly different meanings. The party is required to be held on summer's day and with "thee" present at the party. The party would not be held on "thee", although some of the other lines suggest that the writer might personally be on top of "thee" during the party.

6. Heat stroke is a condition mainly affecting children and the elderly. Heat waves and excessively hot days are highly linked with heat stroke incidence; see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_stroke#cite_ref-23 Epidemiology]

7. "Linked to higher rates of juvenile delinquency" apparently refers juveniles committing crimes in the summer. However, this results, to some degree, from school not being in session, rather than simply as a direct result of the summer weather.

8. "Sometimes too stifling" is another pun. It is also unusual in that it expresses a negative feeling about "thee", unlike the other entries which express what the author likes or admires about thee.

9. "Arrested for releasing snakes in the library" is possibly inspired by the movie ''Snakes on a Plane''.

10. The last line "difficult to focus on work while I'm in" is a sexual reference, on the "thee" side, not on the "summer's day" side. To be "in" someone refers to the penetrative part of sex{{Citation needed}}, which would occupy a typical person's attention.

In Shakespeare's day, English had informal pronouns and formal pronouns, thou/thee (informal), and ye/you (formal). This is similar to what is still used today in many European languages. {{w|English personal pronouns#Full list of personal pronouns|Wikipedia}} has a nice chart for all of English's personal pronouns, current and archaic.

For both the chart and the original sonnet, whether or not the work is autobiographical is unknown. Also unknown is the identity of the person whom each work refers to. It is believed that Sonnet 18 is addressed to a {{w|Shakespeare's Sonnets#Fair Youth|young man}}.

And of course, the title text is a reference to {{w|Ron Paul}}, a former {{w|Republican Party (United States)|Republican}} candidate for {{w|President of the United States|President}} who was on top in the {{w|Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012|Republican Primary}} against a few other challengers for the nomination. Ron Paul was frequently represented on the internet using similar language to the image text. Paul has been seen as an alternative because he is a strict {{w|Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian}} and believes the government should be as small as possible and stay out of people's lives.

==Transcript==
:[A checklist comparing thee to a summer's day:
:Fair, Temperate: Thee & A Summer's Day
:Hot, Sticky: Thee & A Summer's Day
:Short: Thee
:Harbinger of Hurricane Season: A Summer's Day
:Required for a Good Beach Party: Thee & A Summer's Day
:Major Cause of Heat Stroke in the Elderly: A Summer's Day
:Linked to Higher Rates of Juvenile Delinquency: Thee & A Summer's Day
:Sometimes Too Stifling: Thee & A Summer's Day
:Arrested for Releasing Snakes in Library: Thee
:Difficult to Focus on Work While I'm In: Thee & A Summer's Day]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ron Paul]]
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Sex]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Romance]]

570: New Car

2018-01-25T23:39:55Z

162.158.75.28: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 570
| date = April 17, 2009
| title = New Car
| image = new_car.png
| titletext = Somewhere out there is a company that has actually figured out how to enlarge penises, and it's helpless to reach potential customers.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is sitting in a nice sports car, and his (Cueball-like) friend asks when he got it. It turns out it was bought as a prize supposed to be delivered to the 100,000,000th visitor to his company's website. But the user did not react to the notice on the page about the prize, '''even though it was flashing'''.

A well-known type of Internet scam tries to trick the reader into thinking that they've won a prize, often in the form of an annoying flashy ad banner (e.g. "'''You're our 100,000,000th visitor!!! Click [[Special:Random|here]] to claim a FREE Ferrari!'''"). A typical {{w|clickbait}}.

Cueball actually really did have a fancy car to give out, but the winner didn't claim it, believing it to be a scam. It is a bit like {{w|The Boy Who Cried Wolf|the boy who cried wolf}} — given enough lies, the truth will eventually look like a lie.

The title text refers to another type of scam, advertising fake "{{w|Penis enlargement|male enhancement}}" drugs. [[Randall]] suggests that if such a drug really did exist, it would be very difficult to advertise effectively, since most people would assume it was a scam. Additionally there may be implied a relation (intersection) between people having sports cars and people needing penis enlargements: Big cars to compensate feelings of inferiority{{Citation needed}}.

==Transcript==
:[A Cueball-like guy is standing behind, a sports car where Cueball sits turned toward him.]
:Friend: When'd you get the car?

:[Zoom-in on Cueball in the car.]
:Cueball: It's the darndest thing. We bought it as a prize for the 100,000,000th visitor to our website.

:[Zoom-in on the friend.]
:Friend: And they didn't want it?
:Cueball (off-screen): Apparently.

:[Pan to where both the friend and Cueball in the car can be seen, but not the front of the car.]
:Friend: Maybe they didn't see the notice.
:Cueball: It was flashing and everything!
:Friend: How bizarre.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

1921: The Moon and the Great Wall

2018-01-25T23:02:41Z

162.158.75.28: /* added humor */

{{comic
| number = 1921
| date = November 27, 2017
| title = The Moon and the Great Wall
| image = the_moon_and_the_great_wall.png
| titletext = And arguably sunspots, on rare occasions. But even if they count, it takes ideal conditions and you might hurt your eyes.
}}

==Explanation==
This is a reference to the myth that the {{w|Great Wall of China}} is the only manmade object that can be seen from the {{w|Moon}} (or from space) with the naked eye. {{w|Great_Wall_of_China#Visibility_from_space|Sadly, it cannot}}. In fact, it's barely visible from the low orbit of satellites.

This comic mocks the myth by conflating it with another saying about the Moon, and how the Moon's craters and valleys are visible to the naked human eye. Indeed, the Moon is the only {{w|Astronomical object|celestial body}} for which this is true, as all other bodies (with the potential exception of the Sun, see the title text) can only be seen as tiny points of light by the unaided human eye. There is nothing special about the Great Wall of China in this factoid, though; the Moon’s features can be seen equally well from any place on Earth with a view of the Moon{{Citation needed}}.

The title text states that one is sometimes able to see large {{w|sunspots}} if any are present and conditions are ideal. However, looking directly at the sun with the naked eye risks extensive damage to the eye and should NEVER be done. It could, however, be possible to see them when the Sun is seen through a thin cloud cover or maybe at sunset/sunrise. (It's possible to see very large sunspots with {{w|solar eclipse}} glasses or other adequate {{w|Eye protection#Protection against light|protection}}, but that's not unaided human eye.)

==Transcript==
:[Megan is holding her arm up towards Ponytail as they stand atop a large brick wall with {{w|Merlon|merlons}} along the top. They are standing to the left of a tower with three small windows as well as merlons on the top.]
:Megan: Did you know that the moon's craters and plains are the only structures on the surface of a celestial body that can be seen with the naked eye from the Great Wall of China?

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category: Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category: Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category: Astronomy]]

Talk:1227: The Pace of Modern Life

2017-05-24T05:39:38Z

162.158.75.28: Added comment about the Medical Brief quote

Is it sad that after reading the first few, I thought "TL; DR" and found myself skim reading most of them since I'm meant to be working right now and not reading xkcd? {{unsigned ip|‎90.152.3.226}}

Just finishing commenting on a special issue of the generational myth for a dedicated issue of Perspectives on Science and Practice. This here is a lovingly put together list of unique "life was better then" examples - which is exceedingly hard to do. Here's my commentary on why this occurs: "As Walker, Skowronski and Thompson (2003) review, autobiographical memory typically favors pleasant over unpleasant memories with bad memories fading with time, a notable exception to bad stimuli providing stronger reactions than good. This makes our recollection of our past biased towards the idyllic, and makes us very susceptible to the adage “Things were better then.” Combined with the “reminiscence bump” (Glück & Bluck, 2007), where people recall more events from their teenager and early adulthood years, which again tend to be recollected positively, the past will be a golden age for almost all of us, given time." Read this piece a day after getting our paper accepted, so neat timing. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.114|108.162.215.114]] 19:50, 21 May 2015 (UTC)

That's obviously what's intended [[Special:Contributions/155.56.68.216|155.56.68.216]] 09:53, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

I agree that this point was possibly intended and added text to the analysis, explicitly pointing it out. [[User:Jimbob|Jimbob]] ([[User talk:Jimbob|talk]]) 16:25, 20 June 2013 (UTC)

:It was not what was intended. Randall used all those quotes to build a compelling argument. The fact that some people "don't have time" to read them all is simply a supporting case, albeit one that each person will have to come to personally. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.223|108.162.219.223]] 18:05, 7 January 2014 (UTC)

I don't think it's sad. According to my 11th Grade Literary Analysis, the propensity to take shortcuts is a fundamental flaw in human nature, but introductory Psychology lauded our use of heuristics. I say you should find meaning in your humanity and ability to set your own priorities and allocate just enough resources to various aspects of your life in order to succeed in life where the objectives are unclear.[[Special:Contributions/98.166.43.28|98.166.43.28]] 12:06, 19 June 2013 (UTC)DBrak

:Did you just... quote yourself? [[User:Orazor|Orazor]] ([[User talk:Orazor|talk]]) 05:58, 29 September 2014 (UTC)

::As I've often said: "You've got to listen to someone who quotes themself" [[User:Plm-qaz snr|Plm-qaz snr]] ([[User talk:Plm-qaz snr|talk]]) 13:03, 24 November 2014 (UTC)

The topic made me slow down, read, and understand. Perhaps the point was lost on me, but the expressions from a century ago seem much like those made today. One can't help but wonder if that means they were wrong then and wrong now or if our society was in a century long devolutionary spiral, terminating with Twitter or whatever is coming next. --[[Special:Contributions/108.34.230.242|108.34.230.242]] 10:02, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

:I think you're on the right track, and these are exactly the types of questions that Randall was seeking to raise. [[User:Orazor|Orazor]] ([[User talk:Orazor|talk]]) 05:58, 29 September 2014 (UTC)

Had this continued to present day the most recent entry would be something like this:
:lol didnt read '''#tldr #boredalready #yawn'''
:::- Most of 'Civilisation', ''Social Media''
::::::::::2013
[[Special:Contributions/77.86.53.65|77.86.53.65]] 12:11, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

Just added an explanation. Unfortunately, there's no transcript provided in the source code and I don't have time to type all that out (who does?). Also, I have no idea what to use for categories. Any suggestions? [[User:Smperron|Smperron]] ([[User talk:Smperron|talk]]) 12:36, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
:Not a suggestion, but does anyone know if Randall types or writes it out, or copies and pastes? --[[User:Luckymustard|Luckymustard]] ([[User talk:Luckymustard|talk]]) 13:04, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
::Looks like the letterforms are identical -- my guess is a custom font. [[Special:Contributions/66.202.132.250|66.202.132.250]] 14:16, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

If this comic was meant to say that we should give up on these types of arguments, this comic did the opposite effect: I actually AGREE with all of this!

I mean, I tend to write long private messages, while the longest replies I get are also the most satisfying, since they tell me quite a bit of the recipient. Relatedly, I prefer to write long responses to pieces of artwork when I comment on art sites, telling people exactly why I like the art... what shines... what needs to be polished. (Of course, I am going to need to find a way to simply stay at a work and truly take in what is presented.) In fact, letter restrictions sometimes restrict me too much. I DO need to be more social, not having any reading material at hand (whether the material be a newspaper or a video game). I dislike people PUSHING me to look around myself; this is something I do automatically. In fact, while I like staying inside and exploring the wonders of the Internet hours on end, I also like going outside alone and looking around myself, seeing the wonders that other people ignore (probably because other people are too busy talking to yet other people). There really is a mental degeneration (You can see this for yourself in the comments other people leave in websites.) and addiction to stimulants. In fact, stress (and DIStress) is one of the main reasons why we have cancer far more often that the non-developed parts of the world, since stress compromises the body severely. Play, while easily abused, is never the less a necessary part of development, even while an adult. I wish I could keep up pace with the world, but I also hope, for the sake of the world and myself, that the world slows down to me. You can see for yourself how newspapers are being scandalous. I myself suffer from eating foods too quickly (yet there is the problem of ants and spoilage if I take TOO long when eating, a sad possibility due to me preferring to eat at the computer.) Rebellion (a problem that even I suffer) does cause people to want their own way, not knowing that they are just being a slave to impulses, their authorities having the experience to liberate them for the things that their subordinates really do want and shall really want. (The rebels do not want others to 'cramp their style,' but they fail to learn basic anatomy and lighting, much less on making a pleasing style!) There is an entropy in displayed morals, yet that is something that requires changing the hearts of people, though we can control this by 'starving' the problematic media (another bit of advice with which even I also struggle, my curiosity provoking me to see things that should not be seen), since they only proliferate if there are people to feed them. People all around us know that marriage feel into disarray. While legally-backed homosexuality (and, soon, polygamy), and, to an extent, abortion (regardless of the reason) have been causing their problems, marriage already fell in disarray when divorce (that is, breaking a lifetime vow), pornography (that is, selling the private bodies of people for your selfish desires), promiscuity, and birth control (that is, using a reproductive function for non-reproductive reasons and otherwise abusing the reproductive function) already led themselves to an array of evils.

Again, people would probably just skip my wall of text here, but I feel that I need to make my old-fashioned (whether for worse or better) opinion heard here. [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 15:16, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

In my honest opinion, your wall of text is a work of art in itself. I wholeheartedly agree with you, and ''I am the next generation. '' Life has been sped up too fast for us, and it is too often that I see my peers on their devices, or trying to do too many things at once. You make many valid points and good observations. ~Alithia [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.5|108.162.241.5]] 14:15, 4 March 2014 (UTC)

--
So, the argument has been going on for a long time. Does this comic imply that (1) we perceive that the pace of life was slower in the old days, but has always been as fast as it is today, or (2) that the pace of life has actually been speeding up for a very long time now? [[Special:Contributions/194.176.105.141|194.176.105.141]] 15:31, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
: I think that the pace of life has been speeding up for a long time now. [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 18:59, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

:: Perhaps it's the case indeed that the "pace of life" has been speeding up... but I wonder: to what end? Is this a problem? If so, why? In response to your "wall of text," I'm not sure that there are really so many negative repercussions to society today ''that we can quantify.'' Sure, cancer is more of a problem today than it was 100 yrs ago, but we are also living much, much longer today. So I have trouble imagining that it's due solely to "stressors" in our lives.

::I'm not so sure that Randall was necessarily for or against the "modern life is rubbish" judging by the comic's quotes. However, I do believe he was trying to spur questions and conversations about it. So, to that end it's a pretty important contribution. [[User:Orazor|Orazor]] ([[User talk:Orazor|talk]]) 06:06, 29 September 2014 (UTC)

Added to the explanation, please correct any grammar, composition, or repetition mistakes, thank you. -- [[Special:Contributions/186.124.46.183|186.124.46.183]] 16:40, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

Did anyone else notices that you can get the gist by only reading the bolded text? It's probably a just me. Anyone want to take the time to compile the bold text only and place it in the explination? [[User:Crsoccerfreak19|Crsoccerfreak19]] ([[User talk:Crsoccerfreak19|talk]]) 18:47, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

:I didn't see this before, but I think that work is a great idea. So my next job here is to work on that an checking if this does make sense. Thanks for your hint.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:39, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

------

I did an full update to the transcript. I used the existing parts here, many thanks to the contributors, the free web site [http://www.ocronline.com/ OCR Online] (the only one did work, in fact it did work as a hell) and {{w|LibreOffice Writer}} for changing the case to lower case. After that it was just some manual work without typing all that text.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:13, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

The meaning I took from this comic was very much [[wikt:plus_%C3%A7a_change,_plus_c'est_la_m%C3%AAme_chose|Plus ca change]]. There are translated Roman messages that say very similar things about the current state of Latin, and I bet even ''that'' was merely an inadvertent echo of prior ages. As one who can be very verbose with (at least ''intended'') correct spelling, grammar and vocabulary, I ''could'' go on at great length about how this works for the current day, but on this occasion shall restrain myself. Yours faithfully  [[Special:Contributions/178.98.31.27|178.98.31.27]] 20:56, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

Adding 'the sub text':
----
The art of letter-writing is fast dying out. We fire off a multitude of rapid and short notes, instead of sitting down to have a good talk oer a real sheet of paper.

In olden times it was different.

Men now live think and work at express speed. Sulkily read as they travel ... leaving them no time to talk with the friend who may share the compartment with them.

The age of leisure is dead, and the art of conversation is dying.

A craving for literary nips. There never was an age in which so many people were able to write badly.

The art of pure line engraving is dying out. We live at too fast a rate.

Nothing is left to the imagination. And human faculty dwindle away amid the million inventions that have been introduced to render its exercise unnecessary. Thirty pages is now too much. Fifteen pages. Further condensed. A summary of the summary. Those who are dipping into so many subjects and gathering information in a summary and superficial form lose the habit of settling down to great works. Hurried reading can never be good reading.

Mental and nervous degeneration among a growing class of people. Brain incapable of normal working... in a large measure due to the hurry and excitement of modern life. Almost instantaneous communication between remote points of the globe.

Teach the children how to play. Instead of shutting them in badly ventilated schoolrooms.

Increased demand made by the conditions of modern life upon the brain. We talk across a continent, telegraph across an ocean. We take even our pleasures sadly and make a task of our play.

The managers of sensational newspapers. Create perverted tastes and develop vicious tendencies.

To take sufficient time for our meals seems frequently impossible.

May I be permitted to say a word in favour of a very worthy and valuable old friend of mine, Mr. Long Walk? I am afraid that this good gentleman is in danger of getting neglected, if not forgotten.

People talk as they ride bicycles - at a rush - without pausing to consider their surroundings. The profession of letters is so little understood.

There is a tendency among the children of today to rebel against restraint.

Our modern family gathering, silent. Each individual with his head buried in his favourite magazine.

Deal openly with situations which no person would have dared to mention in general society forty years ago. Nude men and women in the daily journals.

Fitness and courtliness too often totally lacking.

A hundred years ago it took sol long and cost so much to send a letter that it seemed worth while to put some time and thought into writing it. A brief letter to-day may be followed by another next week - a "line" now by another to-morrow.
{{unsigned ip|209.217.94.93|21:27, 19 June 2013 (UTC)}}
:Thanks [209.217.94.93], I will put in my version here and I am happy if you can correct possible mistakes.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:58, 19 June 2013 (UTC)

Can anyone validate these are true quotes? I tried searching for the one in Google Books for Morley: Ancient and Modern and it came up with no results. They're great quotes, but is it possible they're made up?--[[Special:Contributions/119.224.37.9|119.224.37.9]] 07:31, 20 June 2013 (UTC)

At least one of the quotes is real: [http://books.google.com/books?id=nc_UAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA265&ots=AAC4OimA5D&dq=%22So%20much%20is%20exhibited%20to%20the%20eye%20that%20nothing%20is%20left%20to%20the%20imagination%22&pg=PA265#v=onepage&q=%22So%20much%20is%20exhibited%20to%20the%20eye%20that%20nothing%20is%20left%20to%20the%20imagination%22&f=false "So much is exhibited to the eye that nothing is left to the imagination"]{{unsigned ip|216.55.56.42}}

The only point this comic is trying to make is that yes the olden times were different, but they were not as different as we suppose. The people had exactly the same intelligence and capacities as we do today, and apparently shared the same concerns about change, and the detrimental effect it will have on all parts of society. OF course, every generation puts itself in the position of greatest importance, and believes that the present moment is of the highest criticality. Sorry folks - get over yourselves. It isn't true. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.223|108.162.219.223]] 18:05, 7 January 2014 (UTC)

"Our brains have just one scale, and we resize our experiences to fit." -xkcd: Connoisseur. I once saw an experiment where they ask random people to, without a clock, tell them when they thought one minute had passed. Overwhelmingly the young came in under and the old over. The world isn't moving faster you're moving slower. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.112}}

While there might be a tendency to look at this and say "Ah, you see, the complaints about the increasing pace of life has always existed and may thus be safely ignored today!", it's also worth noting that the earliest of the excerpts here began well within the heart of the Industrial Revolution, a time when humanity was changing at a pace unheard of in the thousands of years that had come before. It would be interesting to see if letters from a pre-industrial period still hold much the same complaints. Perhaps such things are a symptom of industrialization, and not inherent to humanity? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.225.9|108.162.225.9]] 02:07, 27 July 2015 (UTC)

To be fair, the 1898 quote from Medical Brief was lamenting not newspapers in general, but rather tabloid-style 'yellow journalism', which is more obvious if you read the [https://books.google.com/books?id=uaJWAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA75 full piece] (under the header "Newspaper Sensationalism"). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.28|162.158.75.28]] 05:39, 24 May 2017 (UTC)