Explain SMBC — the wiki for Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

work-it

2019-04-30 View on smbc-comics.com → 1 revision
work-it
Votey panel for work-it
This explanation is incomplete or may contain errors. It was generated by AI and has not yet been reviewed by a human editor.

Explanation

The Joke

A dominatrix-like figure is whipping a man, who responds enthusiastically: "Oh yes! Now tell me that I'm bad at my job!" She obliges, telling him he is bad at his job. He then escalates his requests: "Yes! Humiliate me! Spank me! Now tell me it's been sixty years since executives were paid salaries that were only thirty-five times larger than their lowest-paid employees!" She then lectures him about how in Europe, workers get stronger protections and more vacation time, and asks if this is America. He responds, "I AM my job!"

The comic starts as what appears to be a straightforward BDSM scene but gradually reveals that the real source of masochistic pleasure for the man is hearing about how badly American workers are treated compared to their counterparts in other developed nations. The final panels drive home that being told "Jesus is not paid enough for your sins" and that he is worth "precisely what you agreed you are worth" are the ultimate forms of degradation.

The Humor

The humor works through the bait-and-switch structure. What begins as a sexual scenario pivots into social commentary about American work culture, income inequality, and the lack of labor protections. The joke is that the most humiliating, degrading things you can say to an American worker are simply factual statements about their economic situation -- that executive pay has skyrocketed relative to worker pay, that other countries treat their workers better, and that the market determines your worth. The man's cry of "I AM my job!" is both the climax of the BDSM scene and a devastating commentary on how American identity is often unhealthily fused with employment.

View History (1) Original Comic
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