Editing 1524: Dimensions

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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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This cartoon is a romantic musing about time, and how even though we may not always realize it the progression of time is one of the better things in life.
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{{incomplete|First version of explanation: revised}}
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Our world is {{w|Dimension|3-dimensional}} (like in a box; length, width and height.) But in modern {{w|physics}}, {{w|space}} and {{w|time}} are unified in a four-dimensional continuum called {{w|Spacetime|spacetime}} where time becomes the fourth dimension.  
  
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To accurately describe the world requires at minimum three spatial dimensions and the fourth dimension, time. The spatial dimensions don't necessarily have to be the familiar Cartesian system (Forward/backward, Right/Left, Up/Down), but can be described in many ways (like the spherical or cylindrical system). In spite of the fact that we are being pushed around the universe by being on Earth, we can exercise some control over these spatial dimensions by moving, and therefore our trajectory through these dimensions is not inexorable (impossible to stop). As we only can go one direction in time and have no way of changing the speed or direction, we also are figuratively being pushed through time, and this movement is inexorable.
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It is to this 4-dimensional spacetime that [[Cueball]] refers in his monologue to [[Megan]], while he is philosophizing about his life in these four dimensions.  
  
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[[Cueball]] sits under a tree un-moving with [[Megan]] simply enjoying the passage of time and says, "Of the four dimensions I could have spent my life being pushed inexorably forward through, I guess 'time' isn't the worst." All of this amounts to an unusually erudite way for Cueball to say he feels content with how his life has turned out, despite the natural doubts one has as they get older.
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What Cueball comments on is that whereas we can, to some extent, determine in which direction we wish to move (at least on the surface of the Earth) in the three dimensions of space (up-down, left-right, forward-backward), we cannot help but being pushed ''inexorably forward'' through time. So it is quite lucky for Cueball that he thinks this is OK.
  
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Rather less romantically, it is possible that Cueball has merely been contemplating the fact that, if he were being inexorably pushed through one of the other spatial dimensions instead of time, he'd spend his entire life flying through space uncontrollably, maybe even out into outer space and to his death. Indeed, the unstoppable passage of time seems rather pleasant by comparison.
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Being pushed in one of the other directions could be lethal, if you where pushed hard enough against a rock, over a cliff or in front of a truck. However, the same can be said about being pushed forward in time as well. It can be lethal by causing old age, or by placing us in dangerous times when natural disasters have happened. In either scenario, the danger can be avoided by sidestepping it, in one of the other 3 dimensions.  
  
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In the title text, Cueball then continues to muse about his favorite dimensions and places time in his top three dimensions. This means that one of the three spatial dimensions must be his least favorite. Though it is impossible to determine how he defines his favorite dimensions, as dimensions can be defined somewhat arbitrarily, they likely are length, height, and time as comics only use these three (time being represented by panels). Since {{what if|64|rising steadily}} and {{what if|135|digging downward}} are both pretty lethal, one could assume that Randall's least favorite dimension is up/down. (See also the ''one of my favorite halves'' comment in [[1556: The Sky]]) This could also be a reference to [[1190: Time]].  
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In the title text he then continues to muse about his favorite dimensions and places time in his top three dimensions. This means that one of the three space dimensions would be his least favorite. But in space, there is no difference between the three dimensions. It is only in a fixed reference system that you can assign any difference to these three directions (like on Earth). So this doesn't make any sense. Either time should be his favorite or his least favorite dimension. So if it is in the top three out of four, it must be number one...
  
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Previously Randall has made a comic about a man who was pushed sideways — so he was pushed both through time and fell sideways: [[417: The Man Who Fell Sideways]].
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Also, Cueball may be referring to a naive "fixed" view of three spatial dimensions in a {{W|Cartesian coordinate system}}, as often seen in geometry textbooks: the X and Z axes forming a horizontal plane and the Y axis being the vertical one. In this case, presumably, his three favorite "dimensions" could be X, Z and time, as he could easily move along these three axes, but moving along the Y axis (e.g. flying over the ground - or falling down a cliff) requires special arrangements or is outright dangerous.
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However in {{W|M-theory}}, a theory that unifies all consistent versions of {{w|superstring theory}}, spacetime is eleven-dimensional, which would make a place in the top three a somewhat more interesting position. However, these extra dimensions are not currently detectable.
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Previously [[Randall]] has made a comic about a man who was pushed sideways (although still held in place by gravity?) - so he was pushed both through time and to the side: [[417: The Man Who Fell Sideways]]. On a similar note in [[1376: Jump]] Cueball suddenly slides off without falling down after a jump...
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The conditional verb used by Cueball suggests a different interpretation: "Of the four dimensions I '''''could''''' have spent my life etc .." but actually Cueball, as a character of a webcomic, has actually spent his entire life in a 3 dimensions universe (height, width and time). So when in the title text he says that time may be in the top three, he may imply that time is still his less favorite dimension
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:Cueball: Of the four dimensions I could have spent my life being pushed inexorably forward through, I guess "time" isn't the worst.
 
:Cueball: Of the four dimensions I could have spent my life being pushed inexorably forward through, I guess "time" isn't the worst.
  
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==Trivia==
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{{comic discussion}}
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Interestingly, [[Randall]] has already, back in the December 2014 issue of Wired magazine, published the [http://www.wired.com/2014/11/xkcd-guide-to-dimensions/ xkcd guide to dimensions] where the main part of this comic was already used in panel 9 out of 20. This issue of Wired magazine was about multiple dimensions, and Randall's section is about imagining higher dimension. The article is a mix of xkcd-style comics and captions explaining them.  The panel in question show Cueball saying, "Of '''all the''' dimensions I could have spent my life being pushed inexorably through, I guess "time" isn't the worst." (the only difference being that "all the" has been changed to "the four" in this comic). In panel 15 of the Wired comic series, Randall considers how dimensions can be represented in a two-dimensional comic strip: a character moving within a panel represents movement in space but movement from panel to panel represents movement in time.
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<!-- Include any categories below this line. -->
  
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{{comic discussion}}
 
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Time]]
 
[[Category:Time]]
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[[Category:Space]]

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