2014-04-07
Explanation
The Joke
This is an installment of the recurring "Adventures of Nihilist Doctor" series. The doctor tells a patient to open her mouth, then instructs her to "think about how your most cherished feelings are programmed by the historical accidents of evolution." While examining her, he remarks that her "palate looks good" -- but then delivers the nihilistic punchline: "But everyone dies alone."
The Humor
The comedy comes from the contrast between routine medical care and existential despair. A throat examination is one of the most mundane medical procedures, yet Nihilist Doctor cannot help but inject bleak philosophical commentary into even this simple interaction. The patient screams "AAAAAAAAAH" -- ostensibly the standard instruction for a throat exam, but it reads equally as a scream of existential horror at the doctor's words. The final panel delivers a perfectly timed gut-punch: after a moment of normalcy ("Palate looks good"), the doctor casually tosses in "But everyone dies alone," mixing competent medical observation with crushing nihilism.
References
The "Nihilist Doctor" is a recurring SMBC character who combines professional medical practice with nihilistic philosophy. Nihilism, particularly existential nihilism, holds that life has no inherent meaning or value -- a worldview this doctor applies relentlessly to bedside manner.