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| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| | + | {{incomplete|Created by Julian's kid in 2040, who wants a hover-scooter. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
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| | The joke of this comic lies in the dates of the forum posts and the (presumed) relation between the posters. | | The joke of this comic lies in the dates of the forum posts and the (presumed) relation between the posters. |
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| − | The initial post was made in 2000 by NIN85 who was, at the time, a teenaged girl (likely 14 or 15 years old given that her username ends in "85," implying she was born in 1985), complaining that her mother did not allow her to get a {{w|Vespa}}. Vespa is a brand of scooters and mopeds produced by the Italian manufacturer Piaggio. Most U.S. states require motorcycle licenses for any vehicle with an engine size over 50 cubic centimeters. Most Vespas are larger than this, although 49 CC models (classified as mopeds) do exist. Depending on the state, the [https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/mopeds-other/ minimum age to get a moped in the United States] is 14, 15, or 16. | + | The initial post was made in 2000 by NIN85 who was, at the time, teenaged girl (likely 14-15 years old given her username ends in 85), complaining that her mother did not want her to get a {{w|Vespa}}. Vespa is brand of scooters and mopeds produced by the Italian manufacturer Piaggio. Most U.S. states require motorcycle licenses for any vehicle with an engine size over 50 cubic centimeters. Most Vespas are larger than this, although 49 CC models (classified as mopeds) do exist. |
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| − | The reply was written in 2020 (twenty years later) by JULZ (or Julian), the presumed son of the now-adult NIN85, likely in his teenage years. The "Z" may refer to "Generation Z", paralleling the "85." "JULZ" complains about his mother refusing to allow him to get an electric scooter, which doesn't require a license. He is implicitly pointing out the hypocrisy of his mother, as a fifteen-year-old, thinking that teenagers with scooters are perfectly reasonable, while as a thirtyfive-year-old, being against the idea. | + | The reply was written in 2020 (twenty years later) by JULZ (or Julian), the son of the now-adult NIN85. "Julz" complains about his mother refusing to allow him to get an electric scooter, which doesn't require a licence. He is implicitly pointing out the hypocrisy of his mother, as a 15 year old, thinking that teenagers with scooters are perfectly reasonable, while as a 35 year old, being against the idea. |
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| − | The primary source of humor in this strip (made explicit in the caption) derives from the fact that the Internet has been in common use for so long that teenagers can now look up old posts that their parents made when they, themselves, were teenagers. The late 1990s to early 2000s was right around the time the average person would be expected to have access to the internet and use it regularly, which means that, as of 2020, that's been the case for around one human generation. This can be jarring for people who are still used to thinking of the Internet as a new technology. Noting how much time has passed since events that feel recent is [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Comics_to_make_one_feel_old a recurring theme in xkcd.] | + | The humour derives partially from the fact that this isn't really hypocrisy: we expect teenaged viewpoints to evolve into mature adult viewpoints, and do not hold adults to promises made or beliefs held when they were teenagers. Humour also results from the unexpected situation of the child tracking down his mother's old forum post, and his mother still being active in the same niche forum 20 years later. |
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| − | Of course, the basic premise of this exchange is nothing new. Teenagers have encountered (and been surprised by) the notion that their parents were once young for as long as there have been people. In the past, it's happened through finding old photographs, old videos, old diaries, or simply by hearing stories from their family and old friends. Young people are often shocked by what they learn, and accuse their parents of hypocrisy when they punish behavior that they once engaged in. Of course, this isn't true hypocrisy: we expect teenagers to grow and evolve, and develop mature, adult viewpoints. Parents naturally have both more understanding of dangers and lower tolerance for risk when dealing with their children. This strip points out that the internet has now existed for long enough (and preserves archives for long enough) that it's now become a potential medium for this whole dynamic. Part of the humor results from the unexpected situation that the child went to the trouble of tracking down his mother's old forum post, and that his mother is still active in the same niche forum 20 years later (as evidenced by her rapid response).
| + | In the title text, the parent is apparently a mod on that board now and threatens banning if the kid does not learn to post a new thread for stuff like this instead of dredging up dead threads from years ago, a common complaint on message boards, except in this case this seems to be more about hiding her hypocrisy from other users on the board than for the usual reason of letting dead threads stay dead. |
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| − | In the title text, the parent is apparently a {{w|Internet_forum#Moderators|moderator}} on that board now, or at least can quickly twist the ear of an actual mod. She has the thread locked (preventing further replies) and threatens banning the kid if he does not learn to post new threads, instead of dredging up dead threads from two decades ago. The act of reviving long-dead threads is often called "thread necromancy", "necroing" or "necroposting", and many forums (and users) frown upon it. It is seen as similar to bringing up a conversation from ages ago in real life. It often adds nothing new, and the original participants in the discussion may no longer be active or no longer interested in the topic. Some forums may actually encourage tagging onto existing but idle discussions (to add new or updated information), but this is not especially common, and does not seem to be the case here. This complaint also parallels the actual conflict here: bringing up someone's actions or attitudes from the distance past is generally frowned upon, just as posting onto old threads with a new argument is considered a breach of etiquette. | |
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| − | Invoking the power of moderation could suggest that, in typical parental fashion, she's using her greater influence and social position to end the discussion, making clear that she's the one in charge. "You'll be banned from this forum thread" could be seen as the Internet version of "as long as you live under my roof, you'll live by my rules".
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| | ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
| − | :[Single panel showing a view of the "MopedPro" forum on a message board, with a caption below the panel.] | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
| − | ::Forum Tab: '''''MopedPro Forum''''' (Top Left) | (4 tabs with illegible writing on them. None of them appear to be selected) (Top Right)
| + | :[View of the "MopedPro" forum on a message board] |
| − | | + | :NIN85 (posted December 5, 2000): So mad that my mom won't let me get a Vespa. I'm old enough for a moped license and they're really not that dangerous. |
| − | :NIN85 (posted December 5, 2000 - 13:01): | + | :JULZ (posted September 23, 2020): At least she's not stopping you from getting an electric scooter you don't even need a license for |
| − | :So mad that my mom won't let me get a Vespa. I'm old enough for a moped license and they're really not that dangerous. | + | :NIN85 (posted September 23, 2020): Okay, Julian, (A) you know we talked about this, and (B) how the heck did you find this thread |
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| − | :JULZ [new user] (posted September 23, 2020 - 17:05): | |
| − | :At least she's not stopping you from getting an electric scooter you don't even need a license for | |
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| − | :NIN85 (posted September 23, 2020 - 18:36): | + | :Subtitle: I love that message boards are now old enough for this to happen. |
| − | :Okay, Julian, (a) you know we talked about this, and (b) how the heck did you find this thread
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| − | :[Caption below the comic]: | + | :Title text: (c) You can have a scooter when you pay for it yourself, and (d) if you can't learn to start a new thread rather than responding to a new one, you'll be banned. [thread locked by moderator] |
| − | :I love that message boards are now old enough for this to happen. | |
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| | {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
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| | [[Category:Social networking]] | | [[Category:Social networking]] |
