2011-02-22
Explanation
This comic presents a 2x2 matrix titled "How to have a happy relationship, explained in one chart." The columns represent whether you do or don't do something nice for your girlfriend, and the rows represent whether you mention it or don't mention it. Three of the four quadrants result in "No Fellatio," while the only quadrant that yields "Maybe Fellatio" is doing something nice and not mentioning it.
The humor lies in the cynical but relatable observation about relationship dynamics: doing kind things for a partner should be its own reward, and explicitly drawing attention to your good deeds tends to negate any goodwill they might have generated. The chart format parodies decision-theory matrices and self-help relationship advice, reducing the nuances of romantic partnership to a bluntly transactional payoff grid. The fact that even the best outcome is only "maybe" adds an extra layer of resigned humor.