2013-09-08
Explanation
This comic is a sweeping, sentimental meditation on human progress and the wonder of new life. It opens with a figure contemplating history, noting how after watching the story of great people from cultures past and learning about modern science, it is remarkable to see the faces of those who made discoveries in fields like evolution or electromagnetism. The narration observes that all of these brilliant people are now gone -- that no one who was alive half a century ago witnessed the full scope of what humanity has achieved.
The comic continues by reflecting that all the wonders of modern technology are now within the reach of every new person born, no matter the level of sophistication. The narration then turns tender, addressing a newborn baby: "But you, my little one, you are no different from the first human. You aren'''t 9 months old. You are 3,000,000 years old. And I will show you everything." The final panels show a parent holding a baby, moved by the realization that each new child carries the full weight of human heritage and potential.
The votey panel hilariously undercuts all this grandeur. The parent, now holding the baby, shouts: "Stop shitting yourself! I'''m trying to explain how rainbows work!" This is a classic SMBC move -- building up a genuinely beautiful and philosophical moment only to crash it back down to the messy reality of actual parenthood. The baby, despite being the inheritor of three million years of human evolution, is still just a baby doing baby things. It is a funny and affectionate reminder that lofty ideals about human potential must coexist with diapers.