Editing 1173: Steroids

{{comic
| number    = 1173
| date      = February 13, 2013
| title     = Steroids
| image     = steroids.png
| titletext = A human is a system for converting dust billions of years ago into dust billions of years from now via a roundabout process which involves checking email a lot.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is about '''steroid''' usage to {{w|Performance-enhancing substance|enhance humans performance}}; it is likely inspired by {{w|Lance Armstrong}}'s then-recent confession to {{w|blood doping}} in a televised interview with {{w|Oprah Winfrey}} (although Armstrong's confessions did not itself include {{w|anabolic steroid}} use; "steroids" is a common catch-all phrase often misused to reference other forms of {{w|Doping in sport|doping}}).

This comic is making the point of the opinion that the criterion about which chemicals (steroids) humans may or may not take in to be considered the strongest or fastest is an artificial criterion. This is demonstrated by [[Megan]] explaining the whole concept to an energy sphere representing a non-humanoid intelligence; when framed the way Megan explains it, the explanation sounds rather trivial and silly. A better explanation would be to say that some chemicals make humans faster and stronger but also damage the human body, so these chemicals are banned so the competitors won't destroy themselves. Another point Megan has missed is that the competitions aren't unrestricted, they're designed around specific rules and structures, to which all participants agree. The chemicals in question are a violation of those rules, and so are both dishonest and subvert the entire purpose of the competition. 

This comic is one of many instances where [[Randall]] attempts to trivialize sports.

The title text changes the perspective again by suggesting that humanity itself is trivial in the grand scheme of things and that really all we are is a "transition" state between old dust and new dust, with a bunch of emailing in between. This is a version of the saying that the Universe is just trying to turn itself into Iron, which is the atom with least energy, and it can thus neither be fused in stars or decay radioactively.

The comic was published on {{w|Ash Wednesday}} (Western liturgical start of Lent). The dust to dust reference calls to mind the charge, "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust you shall return," which is traditionally spoken by priests as they place ashes on the foreheads of observers on Ash Wednesday, in addition to the idea that all atoms in the universe other than Hydrogen, Helium, and some Lithium, were created after the big-bang via {{w|Stellar nucleosynthesis}}, with further production and dispersal via {{w|Supernova nucleosynthesis}}. Thus the reference by {{w|Joni Mitchell}} in the song {{w|Woodstock (song)|Woodstock}}: "We are stardust..."; and echoed by {{w|Carl Sagan}}: "We are star stuff."

Similar talking floating energy spheres have been used later to represent super intelligent AIs both in [[1450: AI-Box Experiment]] and [[2635: Superintelligent AIs]], where it is clearly a different sphere and then in the [[:Category:Time traveling Sphere|Time traveling Sphere]] series. There is no indication of it here, but the sphere here could be another time traveler as well, back to try and understand humanity.

===Controversy===
The opinion brought up in this comic is not the only valid one. Another reasonable opinion is that procedures that may negatively affect the health and well being of the athlete should be limited or even forbidden, otherwise in the near future we may arrive in the situation where people that can be top competitors in sports are the ones that are heavily modified by drugs, surgeries, or genetic manipulations, to the degree that they cannot live normally as human anymore, either in quality, quantity, or both. Under this point of view, the current limitations they put in most sports, while somewhat arbitrary, can be less arbitrary than other possible limitations.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is walking while an energy sphere (Sphere) floats behind her and talks to her. The sphere is black but surrounded by six outwardly-curved segments that are shaded gray. The white parts in between makes it look like it irradiates light out along these lines.]
:Sphere: ''Explain to me this "steroid scandal."''

:[Zoom in on Megan's face while she holds a hand to her chin.]
:Megan: Well, uh... 
:Megan: We humans are sacks of chemicals which stay alive by finding other chemicals and putting them inside us.

:[Megan has turned around facing towards the Sphere to the left. She holds up one hand palm up.]
:Megan: We hold contests to see which humans are fastest and strongest.
:Megan: But some humans eat chemicals that make them ''too'' fast and strong.

:[Megan still facing the Sphere holds her arms out.]
:Megan: And they '''win contests!'''
:Sphere: ''That does sound bad.''
:Megan: It's ''awful!''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Sport]]