explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

144: Parody Week: A Softer World

2013-06-06T13:07:24Z

76.107.182.69: Fixed date format

{{comic
| number = 144
| date = August 17, 2006
| title = Parody Week: A Softer World
| image = a_softer_robot.jpg
| titletext = The robot is pregnant. It isn't mine.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a parody of Joey Comeau and Emily Horne's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Softer_World A Softer World] webcomic. The first panel references the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_(command) Kill command] which would be used to turn off the robot every morning. It's a joke because of the classic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction Science Fiction] theme of robots taking over and killing humans.

The second and third panels then turn the comic to a more introspective thought per [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Softer_World A Softer World's] usual style. There are two possible meanings of these panels.
The first reference human's natural reaction to be afraid of love because it requires vulnerability and honesty, which is very difficult. In the comic, they are afraid to tell it to love, because then it would experience these same difficulties and fears.
The second meaning deals with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence Artifical Intelligence]; specifically [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_AI strong AI]. The idea is that the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_agent AI agent] would not only act as if it was intelligent, but truly BE intelligent and have emotions and feelings as well. There has been much debate over whether an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_agent AI agent] could actually feel [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion emotions] in the same manner as humans, as well as much consternation over the ethical concerns and moral ramifications it would have. Thus the comic's "We're afraid to tell it to love."

The title-text takes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love love] to be an act of love-making instead of an emotional feeling, thus why the robot is pregnant.

==Transcript==
:when we open the lab each morning, we tell the robot to kill
:it's our little joke
:but secretly
:we're just afraid
:to tell it to love

{{comic discussion}}

Parody Week: A Softer World

2013-06-06T13:01:27Z

76.107.182.69: Initial Commit

#REDIRECT [[144: Parody Week: A Softer World]]

144

2013-06-06T12:59:15Z

76.107.182.69: Initial Commit

#REDIRECT [[144: Parody Week: A Softer World]]

144: Parody Week: A Softer World

2013-06-06T12:57:09Z

76.107.182.69: Initial Commit

{{comic
| number = 144
| date = 08 17, 2006
| title = Parody Week: A Softer World
| image = a_softer_robot.jpg
| titletext = The robot is pregnant. It isn't mine.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a parody of Joey Comeau and Emily Horne's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Softer_World A Softer World] webcomic. The first panel references the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_(command) Kill command] which would be used to turn off the robot every morning. It's a joke because of the classic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction Science Fiction] theme of robots taking over and killing humans.

The second and third panels then turn the comic to a more introspective thought per [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Softer_World A Softer World's] usual style. There are two possible meanings of these panels.
The first reference human's natural reaction to be afraid of love because it requires vulnerability and honesty, which is very difficult. In the comic, they are afraid to tell it to love, because then it would experience these same difficulties and fears.
The second meaning deals with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence Artifical Intelligence]; specifically [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_AI strong AI]. The idea is that the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_agent AI agent] would not only act as if it was intelligent, but truly BE intelligent and have emotions and feelings as well. There has been much debate over whether an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_agent AI agent] could actually feel [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion emotions] in the same manner as humans, as well as much consternation over the ethical concerns and moral ramifications it would have. Thus the comic's "We're afraid to tell it to love."

The title-text takes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love love] to be an act of love-making instead of an emotional feeling, thus why the robot is pregnant.

==Transcript==
:when we open the lab each morning, we tell the robot to kill
:it's our little joke
:but secretly
:we're just afraid
:to tell it to love

{{comic discussion}}

370: Redwall

2013-06-05T13:10:50Z

76.107.182.69: Added comic heading/removed citation needed.

{{comic
| number = 370
| date = January 14, 2008
| title = Redwall
| image = Redwall.png
| titletext = My Redwall/Jurassic Park crossover fanfic is almost complete!
}}

==Explanation==
Comic 370 references [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Jacques Brian Jacque's] series of books, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall].

The first panel shows the similarity between the story of Martin the Warrior (from the book [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossflower Mossflower]) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragorn Aragorn] from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings The Lord of the Rings] by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien J. R. R. Tolkien].

The second panel mentions the fact that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall] mentions the name of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan Satan] 4 times while it never mentions [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God God] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus Jesus]. Randall then points out that people who protest against [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter Harry Potter] because of the series witchcraft and mentions of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan Satan], should take note that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall] also mentiones [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan Satan] although it has little to none negative feedback from more conservative readers.

In the third panel, Randall comments on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall's] often used theme of critical messages being left in riddles throughout the Abbey for the occupants to find when they are in need. Randall suggests that he would use [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy PGP encryption] to hide the messages, instead of the elaborate riddles used in the books.

In the mouseover text Randall jokes that his Redwall/Jurassic Park [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction Fan Fiction] is almost complete.

370: Redwall

2013-06-05T13:06:51Z

76.107.182.69: Initial Creation

Comic 370 references [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Jacques Brian Jacque's] series of books, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall].

The first panel shows the similarity between the story of Martin the Warrior (from the book [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossflower Mossflower]) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragorn Aragorn] from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings The Lord of the Rings] by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien J. R. R. Tolkien].

The second panel mentions the fact that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall] mentions the name of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan Satan] 4 times while it never mentions [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God God] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus Jesus]. Randall then points out that people who protest against [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter Harry Potter] because of the series witchcraft and mentions of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan Satan]{{Citation needed}}, should take note that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall] also mentiones [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan Satan] although it has little to none{{Citation needed}} negative feedback from more conservative readers.

In the third panel, Randall comments on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall's] often used{{Citation needed}} theme of critical messages being left in riddles throughout the Abbey for the occupants to find when they are in need. Randall suggests that he would use [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy PGP encryption] to hide the messages, instead of the elaborate riddles used in the books.

In the mouseover text Randall jokes that his Redwall/Jurassic Park [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction Fan Fiction] is almost complete.