2015-02-22
Explanation
The Joke
A man says to a woman (apparently named Sally), "I think we should see other people." She begins to object with "But..." and he continues: "Like when we look at each other, we should see other people. Attractive ones." They both put on what appear to be virtual reality or augmented reality glasses, and the man asks, "Wait, are you virtualizing me to look like my sister?" while the woman asks, "Are you virtualizing me to look like my brother?" In the final panels, their virtual avatars (the attractive siblings) appear, and someone says, "We must never tell them. They're too beautiful to cry."
The Humor
The comic starts with the classic breakup line "I think we should see other people" but twists it literally -- they should visually see other (more attractive) people when they look at each other, using VR technology. The joke escalates when it turns out both partners have chosen to see each other as the other's sibling, implying each person finds their partner's sibling more attractive than their partner. This creates a doubly uncomfortable situation: not only are they admitting they find each other unattractive, but they are each harboring attraction to the other's family member. The final panel adds another layer of absurdity as the virtual avatars (the siblings) take on a life of their own and must be protected from this disturbing truth.