2011-08-15
Explanation
This comic contrasts a teenager's self-perception with how their parents actually see them. In the top panel, labeled "What You Thought," a smug teenager wearing an anarchy symbol t-shirt thinks to himself, "This anarchy shirt is gonna blow my parents' MINDS." He imagines himself as a radical provocateur whose political stance will shock and challenge his parents' worldview.
The bottom panel, labeled "What Your Parents Thought," shows the parents' actual reaction: they find it adorable and hilarious. The dad laughs, "Heeheehee! A 14-year old with a political ideology!" while the mom gushes, "This is SO cute. I wonder if he'll mind if we take pictures." The humor lies in the massive gap between teenage rebellion and parental perspective. What the teenager sees as a profound political statement, his parents see as a charming developmental milestone -- equivalent to a child playing dress-up. The comic captures how adolescent rebellion, which feels so urgent and transgressive from the inside, is often completely non-threatening and even endearing to the adults it is directed at.