Explain SMBC — the wiki for Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

2012-05-15

2012-05-15 View on smbc-comics.com → 1 revision
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2012-05-15
Votey panel for 2012-05-15
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Explanation

This comic imagines what Hell is actually like. A sinister-looking man (presumably the Devil or a demon) tells a woman that Hell "isn't so different" from life, with one key exception: every time you feel vulnerable, your concerns are documented somewhere online where people can post comments. The caption below reads, "Hell is worse than you ever imagined."

The joke works on multiple levels. On the surface, it's a commentary on how modern internet culture -- particularly social media, blogs, and comment sections -- already functions as a kind of hell where people's most vulnerable moments are exposed to public scrutiny and cruel anonymous commentary. The comic suggests that the worst possible torment isn't fire and brimstone but rather the perpetual exposure of your insecurities to the judgment of strangers on the internet. The additional layer of humor is the implication that this is already essentially how life works in the internet age, blurring the line between earthly existence and eternal punishment.

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