2012-06-03
Explanation
This comic depicts a man facing a major life decision -- whether to stay in a job he hates or take a risky new opportunity -- and consulting various "inner selves" for advice. His inner child suggests watching cartoons and eating cookies, his inner teenager dismisses the question as something only "conformists" would worry about, and his inner young adult angrily demands to know why he isn't a millionaire yet while working on a law degree. Each inner self gives advice that perfectly reflects the stereotypical mindset of that life stage.
The real punchline comes when he consults his "inner self" (represented as a masked figure), who delivers a devastating truth: "You're consulting imaginary parts of your psyche because you're afraid to admit you've already made the cowardly choice in your heart." The final panel shows the man watching TV and eating cookies, confirming that his inner self was right -- he was never really deliberating, just looking for permission to avoid the scary choice. The comic is a sharp observation about how people often use elaborate mental frameworks (inner child, gut feeling, etc.) not to genuinely explore a decision, but to avoid confronting the fact that they've already defaulted to the safe, comfortable option out of fear.