Expansion
Explanation
The Joke
The comic begins with a character making the common argument that humanity needs to become a multi-planetary species in order to preserve itself against existential risks -- a sentiment frequently associated with figures like Elon Musk and other space colonization advocates. A second character responds that we should not underestimate the risks entailed in such an endeavor.
The conversation then takes an unexpected turn. Instead of discussing technical dangers of space travel or colonization, the second character argues that if humanity expands to other planets, the asteroids, the outer solar system, and eventually other star systems, we would never be able to reach consensus on anything because of the sheer distances and communication delays involved. Social media arguments would go on forever. The punchline comes when he says that if we confine ourselves to one planet, eventually the sun will engulf the Earth, and that will "memory-eternally settle" all of humanity's ongoing arguments -- including debates about gender equality. The final panel reveals the real motivation: "Wait, is one of those things where dying in a fire is a lifetime goal?" exposing that the character would rather see humanity go extinct than endure perpetual internet arguments.
The Humor
The comedy works through a classic bait-and-switch structure. The setup leads the reader to expect a serious discussion about existential risk and space colonization -- topics SMBC frequently engages with earnestly. Instead, the argument against space colonization turns out to be motivated by something absurdly petty: the desire to eventually end internet arguments by having everyone die when the sun expands.
The humor also satirizes the exhausting nature of online discourse. The idea that someone would prefer the literal extinction of humanity to an eternity of social media arguments about gender equality is both an absurd exaggeration and a darkly relatable sentiment. The final panel's realization that this person's "risk assessment" is actually just nihilistic fatigue dressed up as rational argument adds an extra layer of comedy.
References
- The comic references the concept of becoming a "multi-planetary species," a vision most prominently championed by Elon Musk and SpaceX.
- The sun expanding into a red giant and engulfing Earth is a real astrophysical prediction, expected to occur in roughly 5 billion years.
- The mention of social media arguments and gender equality debates reflects the culture wars of the early 2020s internet landscape.