2013-09-16
Explanation
This comic features a conversation between two people, apparently at a social or professional gathering. A man declares: "I'''m a social anarchist. I don'''t believe in cultural contracts, artificial hierarchies, or any other trappings of past or present." He presents himself as someone who rejects all societal structures and conventions on philosophical grounds.
In the next panel, someone asks him: "Then why'''d you come work as a corporate attorney for a financial firm?" This question exposes the glaring contradiction between his stated anarchist beliefs and his career choice -- working as a corporate lawyer for a financial institution is about as deeply embedded in the existing power structure as one can get. His response clinches the joke: "I see you accept society'''s definition of '''anarchist.'''" Rather than acknowledge his hypocrisy, he deflects by suggesting that even the definition of anarchism is a social construct he refuses to be bound by, essentially using his own philosophy as an unfalsifiable shield against any criticism.
The votey panel shows a red anarchy symbol (the letter A in a circle) merged with a dollar sign, creating a visual mashup of anarchism and capitalism. This perfectly encapsulates the comic'''s satire of people who claim radical anti-establishment beliefs while fully participating in and benefiting from the very systems they claim to reject.