2011-01-22
Explanation
This comic draws a parallel between two seemingly unrelated situations. The top panel shows a stereotypical "nice guy" lying in bed, lamenting that a woman he is interested in does not love him despite his efforts: sending her gifts, telling her she is great, and pointing out flaws in her boyfriend. The bottom panel shows a turtle flipped on its back, frustrated that it is not moving forward despite "keep moving my legs."
The comparison is pointed: just as a turtle on its back is fundamentally approaching locomotion in a way that cannot possibly work (no amount of leg-flailing will move it forward while it is upside down), the "nice guy" is approaching romance in a way that is fundamentally counterproductive. Sending gifts to someone in a relationship, flattering them, and criticizing their partner are not steps toward a relationship -- they are the romantic equivalent of flailing one's legs while upside down. The comic suggests that both the turtle and the nice guy lack the self-awareness to realize that their problem is not insufficient effort, but that their entire approach is wrong.