explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1049: Bookshelf

2014-04-12T00:10:38Z

Jinx: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1049
| date = April 30, 2012
| title = Bookshelf
| image = Bookshelf.png
| titletext = I had a hard time with Ayn Rand because I found myself enthusiastically agreeing with the first 90% of every sentence, but getting lost at 'therefore, be a huge asshole to everyone.'
}}

==Explanation==
This is a play off the typical "hidden door" in which you pull down the right book and suddenly a wall of books turns into a hidden door. It is most used in spy movies or books. In this case, the book is ''Atlas Shrugged'' and instead of a secret passage, the wall swings around and takes you to a message "You have terrible taste".

{{w|Atlas Shrugged}} is a {{w|dystopian novel}} by {{w|Ayn Rand}}. Randall is suggesting that this extremely polarizing {{w|libertarian}} tract is a bad book

(Side note: although the intent behind the book was in Rand's theory of {{w|Objectivism}}, it has become largely adopted as a battle-cry by Libertarians. One could find this as another reason to dislike Rand's literature, as Libertarians have been notoriously disruptive and annoying to many who oppose their political philosophy or their means to get their message across)

The title text is a general criticism Randal has with Rand, since most of Rand's characters are fiercely independent and rather tactless.

The title text also shows the fact that people reading Rand can easily be swayed and aligned with her beliefs by the fact that it stresses that you are unique and individual, and that Randall was victim of these circumstances until he finds Rand's approach preposterous and rejects it. Oddly, since he seems to be judging Rand this on his own accord and making his own decision, one could theorize that he is truly an individualist in that he is not swayed by anyone, even a person who preaches not to be swayed and to make your own decisions (a subject pursued in Ayn Rand's {{w|The Fountainhead}}).

==Transcript==
:[Cueball stands in front of a bookshelf.]
:Cueball: Ooo, ''Atlas Shrugged''
:[Cueball yanks out book only for a click to be heard.]
:[The entire setup begins to rumble, while the bookcase and a surrounding platform takes both it and Cueball behind the wall.]
:[The tiny, dark room behind the wall has one thing painted on it.]
:Wall: You have terrible taste.
:[The whole piece of kit moves back to its original position. Cueball stands there mildly stunned.]

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

Talk:1049: Bookshelf

2014-04-12T00:03:38Z

Jinx:

Rig this up to the entire twilight section. Problem solved. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:57, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

Does ''Atlas Shrugged'' have any particular relevance to the strip? [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 02:14, 3 February 2013 (UTC)
::Ayn Rand is pretty controversial, and a lot of people dismiss her books outright. Some of them are an interesting read, though. {{unsigned|217.28.5.48}}

There is a factual inaccuracy in the explanation here — her philosophy is libertarian, not conservative. Please fix that. [[Special:Contributions/46.150.103.149|46.150.103.149]] 14:47, 8 October 2013 (UTC)

"far-right" ??? This very subjective and insulting. But I guess it's the aim of such assertion. [[Special:Contributions/109.255.215.93|109.255.215.93]] 07:47, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

Another inaccuracy: Rand herself found the Libertarians, like any political party, to be counterintuitive to her philosophy of Objectivism. Though I think "libertarian" should be changed to "objectivism," I'll leave it and just make a side-note, because one could say that Atlas Shrugged is to Libertarians as the Bible is to Christians. [[User:Jinx|Jinx]] 20:55, 11 April 2014 (UTC)

1049: Bookshelf

2014-04-11T23:57:46Z

Jinx: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1049
| date = April 30, 2012
| title = Bookshelf
| image = Bookshelf.png
| titletext = I had a hard time with Ayn Rand because I found myself enthusiastically agreeing with the first 90% of every sentence, but getting lost at 'therefore, be a huge asshole to everyone.'
}}

==Explanation==
This is a play off the typical "hidden door" in which you pull down the right book and suddenly a wall of books turns into a hidden door. It is most used in spy movies or books. In this case, the book is ''Atlas Shrugged'' and instead of a secret passage, the wall swings around and takes you to a message "You have terrible taste".

{{w|Atlas Shrugged}} is a {{w|dystopian novel}} by {{w|Ayn Rand}}. Randall is suggesting that this extremely polarizing libertarian tract is a bad book.

The title text is a general criticism Randal has with Rand, since most of Rand's characters are fiercely independent and rather tactless.

The title text also shows the fact that people reading Rand can easily be swayed and aligned with her beliefs by the fact that it stresses that you are unique and individual, and that Randall was victim of these circumstances until he finds Rand's approach preposterous and rejects it. Oddly, since he seems to be judging Rand this on his own accord and making his own decision, one could theorize that he is truly an individualist in that he is not swayed by anyone, even a person who preaches not to be swayed and to make your own decisions (a subject pursued in Ayn Rand's {{w|The Fountainhead}}).

==Transcript==
:[Cueball stands in front of a bookshelf.]
:Cueball: Ooo, ''Atlas Shrugged''
:[Cueball yanks out book only for a click to be heard.]
:[The entire setup begins to rumble, while the bookcase and a surrounding platform takes both it and Cueball behind the wall.]
:[The tiny, dark room behind the wall has one thing painted on it.]
:Wall: You have terrible taste.
:[The whole piece of kit moves back to its original position. Cueball stands there mildly stunned.]

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

610: Sheeple

2014-04-11T23:46:06Z

Jinx: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 610
| date = July 15, 2009
| title = Sheeple
| image = sheeple.png
| titletext = Hey, what are the odds -- five Ayn Rand fans on the same train! Must be going to a convention.
}}

==Explanation==
"{{w|Sheeple}}" refers to people as sheep, who blindly follow direction without thinking for themselves. The phrase "[[:Category:Sheeple|Wake up Sheeple]]!" has been used in xkcd other times. In this comic, each person on the train considers themself to be an individual mind, and everyone around them as "sheeple." Ironically, although each of them thinks about how individual they are, they are all collectively thinking exactly the same thing. The comic can also be taken as a warning to not assume that you have more consciousness than someone else, since for all you know they could think the same about you.

{{w|Ayn Rand}} was a Russian-born American {{w|novelist}} and activist whose most famous books include, {{w|Atlas Shrugged}}, {{w|Anthem (novella)|Anthem}} and {{w|The Fountainhead}}. She was philosophical pro-individual and anti-collectivism. Sheeple coordinates with Ayn Rand's novel, Anthem, set in the distant future in which the word "I" has been abolished and the "evils" of the communal values have created a new dark age.

A possible further irony can be found in the tile text. Rand enthusiasts would seek individualism and independence from social pressures; however, a convention could be interpreted as a social collective of people who have similar interests in a subject. These ideas would seem to be opposites of each other.

==Transcript==
:[A thought bubble is shared between the five occupants of a subway car.]
:All: Look at these people. Glassy-eyed automatons going about their daily lives, never stopping to look around and think! I'm the only conscious human in a world of sheep.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Sheeple]]

Talk:610: Sheeple

2014-04-11T23:38:39Z

Jinx:

Which one is Paul Ryan?[[Special:Contributions/138.162.140.55|138.162.140.55]] 00:44, 19 October 2012 (UTC)

tsk tsk tsk... somebody has been watching too much of the msnbc propaganda... [[User:Douglasadams472|Douglasadams472]] 20:56, 15 December 2012 (UTC)

Probably the one with the briefcase full of money. :P [[User:Hogtree Octovish|Hogtree Octovish]] ([[User talk:Hogtree Octovish|talk]]) 09:25, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

I find another possible humor in tile text: Ironically, Rand fans would find the concept of a collective rather revolting. A convention is in essence a gathering of everyone who has an interest in a subject, and is thus an "average of averages" (to quote Rand herself) on the respective subject. Fans who take Rand's philosophy as intended would probably find amassing themselves with others in a social hodge-podge of people without much function, mindless discussion, and re-iterating the ideas of someone else, to be against Rands's theory of Objectivism... Unless their Libertarians, of course. [[User:Jinx|Jinx]] 20:31, 11 April 2014 (UTC)

Talk:610: Sheeple

2014-04-11T23:35:54Z

Jinx: