2010-07-16
Explanation
This comic takes place during a game of Monopoly. One player cheerfully remarks, "If this were real money, we'd be rich!" -- a lighthearted comment that people commonly make while playing the game. However, an older man (apparently an economist) takes this hypothetical far too seriously, launching into a detailed analysis: if this were real money, counterfeiting would be easy, the exponentially increasing money supply would cause hyperinflation, the suddenly unstable economy would result in manufacturers decreasing production, driving inflation to still further heights.
In the final panel, the scene has escalated dramatically. The economist and the other player are now apparently destitute, and the economist angrily says, "Now we're eating boiled Monopoly money just to stay alive, Bobby. Is that what you want? Is it?!" The caption reads: "Economists are no longer allowed at boardgame night." The humor comes from the economist's inability to engage with a casual social situation without applying rigorous economic analysis, taking an innocent remark to its absurd logical extreme until they have somehow arrived at eating Monopoly money to survive.
The votey panel shows the economist saying "You now owe me a 0,000 consulting fee," adding insult to injury by charging for the unsolicited economic lecture that ruined the game night. This is a further jab at economists (and consultants in general) who cannot resist monetizing their expertise even in inappropriate social contexts.