enemy
Explanation
The Joke
The comic features a conversation between three people about political rhetoric. One person asks: "Do you think having some giant enemy gives politicians a way to avoid concrete proposals but still sound tough?" Another responds: "I'm a simple person. I think having a big enemy would force us to confront the outcomes of misallocating resources. It can also be something else 'the enemy' does."
The key exchange comes in the next panels: "That way every time a new problem arises you can confidently blame 'the enemy.'" The response is: "But wait, what does having the government confirm the existence of a big foreign villain add?" The final answer: "Several billion dollars of military spending." This reveals the real function of a vaguely defined "enemy" -- it's not about security, but about justifying enormous defense budgets.
The Humor
The comic satirizes how politicians use the concept of a vague, omnipresent "enemy" as an all-purpose tool. The humor builds through the Socratic dialogue format, where each question peels back another layer of cynicism. The punchline -- "several billion dollars of military spending" -- cuts through the abstract political philosophy to reveal the blunt financial incentive behind maintaining a perpetual boogeyman. The comic suggests that the real purpose of having "the enemy" isn't national security or political positioning, but simply funneling money to the defense industry.