2011-07-20
Explanation
This comic presents a satirical sci-fi narrative about the invention of perfect humanoid robot companions. The story follows a society where people claimed to value the challenges of real relationships ("It's not bad that we disagree. Having someone who just yessed everything I said would be boring"). But when humanoid robots capable of being ideal, agreeable partners became available, everyone immediately abandoned their human partners, revealing that claim to have been a form of Stockholm syndrome.
The breakups are "remarkably amicable" since everyone is getting their dream partner. But then complacency sets in: people stop striving in art, science, and commerce because those pursuits were really just "proxies for sexual fitness." The robotics industry degrades in quality, and eventually society begins to disintegrate, leading to the humanoid robots being banned. People are forced to earn love the old-fashioned way again. The final panel shows a couple in the aftermath, emotionally scarred: "Sweetie, wanna see a movie tonight?" / "There is no hell. We're already in it." The comic is a darkly funny commentary on how much of human achievement may be driven by the desire to attract mates, and whether removing that struggle would lead to societal collapse.