explain
Explanation
The Joke
The comic depicts a conversation where someone is trying to explain a topic they don't fully understand. In the first panel, a person says "You know, now that I try to explain it in detail, you should talk to an expert." The second person responds that they don't know any experts. The first person then suggests "Hmm, maybe I can recommend one of my sources," but then admits "I guess it's hard to explain how to do your own research." The final panel reveals the "Fun Fact" caption: "Nobody knows how cryptocurrency works."
The comic satirizes the common experience of people who confidently hold opinions about complex topics -- particularly cryptocurrency -- but cannot actually explain them when pressed. The joke escalates through stages of deflection: first deferring to an expert, then being unable to name one, then struggling to even describe how one would learn about the topic independently.
The Humor
The humor targets the phenomenon of people parroting talking points about subjects like cryptocurrency without genuine understanding. The escalating inability to explain the topic -- from "ask an expert" to "do your own research" to complete epistemic collapse -- mirrors real conversations people have about complex financial instruments and technologies. The Fun Fact punchline ("Nobody knows how cryptocurrency works") drives the satire home by suggesting that the problem is universal, not just individual -- even the supposed experts may not truly understand it. This is a common SMBC move: taking an everyday social observation and following it to its logical, absurd conclusion.
References
- The phrase "do your own research" (DYOR) is a common refrain in cryptocurrency communities, often used to deflect when someone cannot explain a concept themselves.
- The comic alludes to the broader cultural moment (around 2017-2018) when cryptocurrency was widely discussed but poorly understood by many of its advocates.