2011-07-11
Explanation
This comic depicts the monotonous cycle of modern adult life. A figure is shown moving through a circular loop of repetitive activities: sitting at a desk working at a computer, driving a car, sitting at another desk, eating dinner, watching TV, showering, brushing teeth, and sleeping -- only to wake up and repeat the entire cycle again. The arrows connecting each station form a closed circle, emphasizing the inescapable repetition.
In the center of the cycle, the figure's imagination is shown filled with vivid, dramatic imagery -- monsters, skulls engulfed in flames, romantic embraces, and soaring through clouds. The contrast between the gray, monotonous outer ring of daily routine and the colorful, fantastical inner world of daydreams is the heart of the joke. It suggests that the only thing making the tedium of everyday life bearable is the rich inner fantasy life that plays out in our heads while we go through the motions. The comic captures a universal feeling of being trapped in routine while one's mind yearns for adventure and meaning.