When I was a kid, some bread company used the motto, “Our bread is untouched by human hands!” I always assumed they were lying… until now!
Wonder if the Emperor was breathing and imperial at this point…
I’ve never believed that it could possibly be a survival adaptation — take Dave’s brother as the extreme example; people as totally weirdness-blind as he is are completely helpless to defend themselves against mad science.
Considering that the large amount of people with sickle cell anemia in Africa is the result of a selection for maleria-proofing traits (having one copy of the sickle cell version of the hemoglobin gene makes you more resistant to maleria, two makes you sick), I can believe that that degree of weirdness-blindness is an analogous “up to eleven” version of normal weirdness-blindness.
My theory is that, depending on how it’s expressed, the gene for mad science can instead turn into a powerful weirdness censor. This is why The Cure causes reality blindness, it works by changing how the gene is expressed.
I like that; it explains Dave’s uber-normal brother, born with a slightly different iteration of the gene: smart, stable, and probably a likable guy….. but as genetically predisposed to sanity as a stack of Reader’s Digest magazines. I wonder if the Cure would flip him?
Less “survival adaptation” and more refusal to accept any challenge to one’s world view. Hence the usual “you’re crazy” + immediate dismissal reaction to some of the most sound conspiracy theories with a crap ton of evidence.
Like if I were to say the Sandy Hook “Massacre” was a farce and a false flag attack. Or that Lee Harvey Oswald didn’t kill JFK and that he was a former CIA operative.
The first thing that popped into my head was the Doctor trying to charm his scarf with the sonic screwdriver. Mind you, I’m not a Doctor Who fan, but when you say companion, that’s what I think of.
From “Get Together,” the Youngbloods. (Almost forgot this morning. Vacation disrupting my routine.)
Zombies move and walk and twitch,
Even if they’re dead.
Dying was just another switch,
Don’t be filled with dread.
You can help them find their niche
Before the plague has spread.
C’mon people now,
Zombies are our brothers,
Everybody get together,
Try to stop killing them right now!
Something about this scenario reminds me of “War with the Newts”, a satirical novel written in the mid 30s by Karel Capek (the guy who gave us the word “robot”). Things really start to get out of control when the European Powers use chain gangs of sentient giant amphibians to improve their coastal defenses….
Obviously, the absolute first thing that you should do under these circumstances is insist upon paying your taxes.
Obviously ! Since that gives the government an incentive to keep you alive…
When I was a kid, some bread company used the motto, “Our bread is untouched by human hands!” I always assumed they were lying… until now!
Wonder if the Emperor was breathing and imperial at this point…
That was before my time, but my parents tell me the joke was “Untouched By Human Hands… Made By Monkeys!”
Wow. We’re all the way up to the Great War by now? That’s quite a span of years since Moustachio’s Rampage.
Now I find myself wondering if Reality Blindness is somehow a _consequence_ of the Old War.
I’m pretty sure it’s invented in any case.
An interesting suggestion. But, considering that we deal with it IRL, I don’t know.
Cognitive dissonance is the usual result.
Oooooh, I like this hypothesis.
I was just wondering the same thing.
I’ve never believed that it could possibly be a survival adaptation — take Dave’s brother as the extreme example; people as totally weirdness-blind as he is are completely helpless to defend themselves against mad science.
Considering that the large amount of people with sickle cell anemia in Africa is the result of a selection for maleria-proofing traits (having one copy of the sickle cell version of the hemoglobin gene makes you more resistant to maleria, two makes you sick), I can believe that that degree of weirdness-blindness is an analogous “up to eleven” version of normal weirdness-blindness.
My theory is that, depending on how it’s expressed, the gene for mad science can instead turn into a powerful weirdness censor. This is why The Cure causes reality blindness, it works by changing how the gene is expressed.
I like that; it explains Dave’s uber-normal brother, born with a slightly different iteration of the gene: smart, stable, and probably a likable guy….. but as genetically predisposed to sanity as a stack of Reader’s Digest magazines. I wonder if the Cure would flip him?
Less “survival adaptation” and more refusal to accept any challenge to one’s world view. Hence the usual “you’re crazy” + immediate dismissal reaction to some of the most sound conspiracy theories with a crap ton of evidence.
Like if I were to say the Sandy Hook “Massacre” was a farce and a false flag attack. Or that Lee Harvey Oswald didn’t kill JFK and that he was a former CIA operative.
And OF COURSE the Kaiser’s Germany was the first to weaponize Mad Science for the war effort. 🙂
It all makes sense now! Skeletor got all his minions by gathering people running from the Old War!
Makes as much sense as any other theory I’ve heard.
Cute Cobra at the end of Panel Four seems to be enraptured by this account.
Baby Cobra looks sad 🙁
I’m still searching for a snake like that for a companion (NOT the type you’re thinking of).
The first thing that popped into my head was the Doctor trying to charm his scarf with the sonic screwdriver. Mind you, I’m not a Doctor Who fan, but when you say companion, that’s what I think of.
From “Get Together,” the Youngbloods. (Almost forgot this morning. Vacation disrupting my routine.)
Zombies move and walk and twitch,
Even if they’re dead.
Dying was just another switch,
Don’t be filled with dread.
You can help them find their niche
Before the plague has spread.
C’mon people now,
Zombies are our brothers,
Everybody get together,
Try to stop killing them right now!
You know, i’ve just realized Shaenon has once again given us something so entrhalling, we forget about the wellbeing of all our other characters
Now that’s good storytelling
Something about this scenario reminds me of “War with the Newts”, a satirical novel written in the mid 30s by Karel Capek (the guy who gave us the word “robot”). Things really start to get out of control when the European Powers use chain gangs of sentient giant amphibians to improve their coastal defenses….