Comic 783: Lost the Plot

[Alt: Yes, I understand that the turn is half a mile past the big field, but my GPS knows that, too. This would be easier if you weren't about to ask me to repeat it all back to you.]


Hi there. I am Aloria, here to comment on xkcd 783, and I hate you all.

Can someone explain to me what the fuck Randall Munroe’s problem is? We get it dude, you’re super smart and tech-saavy and doomed to live in a world populated by morons who just don’t get technology and science like you do. Maybe if you weren’t such a condescending douche, you could try educating some people instead of constantly portraying them as clueless retards in your pictoblog, erm, webcomic.

This is essentially an artificial, unrealistic scenario for GOOMH fodder. Not true GOOMH, mind you, but that special brand of xkcd-fanboy GOOMH, e.g. “wow, I have a GPS and some of my friends don’t, too! lololol Randy is such a mindreader.” I dislike the implication that not knowing about GPS technology is commonplace; ads for TomToms and the like are everywhere, rental cars often come with them, and I haven’t had a cell phone in the last 3 years that didn’t have it. Additionally, I can think of only a few instances where someone would incessantly babble directions after being repeatedly told they weren’t needed. They all involve people of diminished mental capacity (elderly, socially clueless, etc,) none of which deserve Randall's condescension. These sorts of folks would blather on regardless of the reason given; you could tell them you’re familiar with the area or have a map and they’d still talk. It has nothing to do with GPS ownership status. Take out the GPS aspect, and you basically have a comic bitching about how some people don’t listen, or like to talk a lot, or are overly concerned about you getting lost.

That last point is sort of important, you see, because GPSes aren’t exactly infallible. I have two, actually (I'm the kind of jerk that carries two cell phones,) and they’ve tried to get me to drive into the Hudson River, make an nonexistent left hand turn, and suggested many creative ways of violating traffic law and/or killing people. They can also be vague or confusing, and sometimes the addition of visual landmarks is helpful in situations where you know the GPS will throw someone off. People cognizant of that fact aren’t deserving of mockery, either. This strip reads to me like a weak grab for smug self-superiority (much like this blog post! wheee!)