2014-01-01
Explanation
The Joke
The comic retells the ancient philosophical anecdote about Socrates (or a similar philosopher) and the unexamined life. A person describes how they were once "unfettered, unfettered, and free." A philosopher confronts them, asking whether "the life unconsidered" is a cursed one and whether a life "made without scruple" is a pupil of the philosopher. The philosopher takes on the person as a student, teaching them to examine their life. In the punchline, the person reveals that when it came to learning, they "weren't the worst one" -- the philosopher pointed to a "chart and a key." But ultimately, the philosopher "only delivered the first one," suggesting the philosopher only ever delivered criticism (the chart showing their flaws) without providing the key to actually solving their problems.
The Humor
The comic plays with the famous Socratic idea that "the unexamined life is not worth living." The humor comes from the gap between the lofty philosophical promise and the disappointing delivery. The philosopher convinces someone to give up their carefree existence in favor of self-examination, but the process of examination only reveals problems without offering solutions -- delivering the diagnosis but not the cure. This is a common satirical take on philosophy: that it excels at identifying what is wrong with life but falls short when it comes to providing practical tools for improvement. The rhyming, almost nursery-rhyme-like cadence of the text adds a whimsical Dr. Seuss quality that contrasts with the weighty philosophical subject matter.
References
The comic references the famous quote attributed to Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living," from Plato's account of Socrates' trial in the Apology.