2013-12-25
Explanation
The Joke
An elf tells Santa that he has been thinking about the whole "naughty vs. nice" system. The elf points out that crime and poverty are positively correlated, and that children with stable homes and adequate resources are statistically less likely to commit crimes. Therefore, if Santa is denying presents to kids who "need them most" while giving presents to well-off children, he is "tacitly endorsing the notion that poor children should be blamed for their own poverty." Santa, alarmed, responds: "No no no! Santa is a social Darwinist! I will have to reconsider everything!"
The Humor
The comic applies sociological and statistical reasoning to the Santa Claus myth, revealing an uncomfortable implication of the naughty/nice list system. In reality, "naughty" behavior in children is strongly correlated with poverty, unstable homes, and lack of resources. If Santa rewards "nice" (well-behaved, well-resourced) children with gifts and punishes "naughty" (often disadvantaged) children by withholding them, he is essentially practicing Social Darwinism -- rewarding those who are already privileged and punishing those who are already disadvantaged. Santa's horrified reaction suggests he never thought about this implication, making the joke a clever critique of simplistic moral frameworks that ignore systemic inequality. The Christmas Day publication adds an extra layer of irony.
References
Social Darwinism is the theory that individuals, groups, and peoples are subject to the same Darwinian laws of natural selection as plants and animals, often used to justify existing social hierarchies and inequalities. The correlation between poverty and crime is well-established in sociological research.