tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post2388426145372948286..comments2024-03-17T05:03:46.056-07:00Comments on xkcd sucks: Comic 435: Math People Are Better than YouCarlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074589998141327538noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-85208437966431516572011-01-04T18:06:25.626-08:002011-01-04T18:06:25.626-08:00If Anonymous wants to post 50 times,e should have ...If Anonymous wants to post 50 times,e should have gotten a username. I think he wanted us to think he was several people. Oh, and its entirely possible for a joke to be condescending, annoying, arrogant, etc. Being a joke doesn't give it a pass. The joke is something like "haha physicists think they're on top, but they forget about math." That is just as arrogant and irritating as a joke as it would be if he said it outright (which he pretty much did, since there's hardly a joke here. The comic gives no reason to think Randall doesn't believe this. In fact the joke is that it is true (that math is on top but scientists don't realize it). And obviously the word "pure" is inherently positive, yes implied sciences are important, but the point of this comic is basically "you think you're chemistry, biology, etc. is so great, well you'd be nowhere without math. And Randall isn't an applied scientist, he's a cartoonist, one who's obsessed with math and science and frequently makes fun of other fields of study.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-40224266138810219812010-10-24T09:11:56.857-07:002010-10-24T09:11:56.857-07:00I'm doing a degree in media, I'm not even ...I'm doing a degree in media, I'm not even a pixel on this comic....Elliottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-812381600409297152010-09-21T19:19:24.350-07:002010-09-21T19:19:24.350-07:00How's it look now?
ThanksHow's it look now?<br /><br />ThanksCarlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01074589998141327538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-49401790761175935432010-09-21T11:51:31.603-07:002010-09-21T11:51:31.603-07:00Carl, I think you inserted an image straight from ...Carl, I think you inserted an image straight from your email. Reupload it, because I can't see the "retort".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-40134985555494315432010-09-12T20:32:29.995-07:002010-09-12T20:32:29.995-07:00I really like this comic. Although it seems as tho...I really like this comic. Although it seems as though every person who posted here that isn't a math major took great offense. I have an easy fix for that: stop studying whatever it is that you're studying and become a math major. Math is where it's at.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032661608533800996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-73584489234518683202010-08-20T18:15:44.077-07:002010-08-20T18:15:44.077-07:00All the links work for me - which one is giving yo...All the links work for me - which one is giving you trouble?Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01074589998141327538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-86159503426640343802010-08-15T15:16:52.186-07:002010-08-15T15:16:52.186-07:00Hey, Carl. That link at the end doesn't work.
...Hey, Carl. That link at the end doesn't work.<br /><br />Fix it if you ever stumble across this again. :/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-78825879230579104062010-08-14T16:58:19.683-07:002010-08-14T16:58:19.683-07:00it used to be funny.
then i realised randall was b...it used to be funny.<br />then i realised randall was being serious.<br />O_oAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-18459253914709808412010-06-25T00:40:27.078-07:002010-06-25T00:40:27.078-07:00I still don't remember how I got here.I still don't remember how I got here.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-73859628916184939062010-06-24T21:37:53.494-07:002010-06-24T21:37:53.494-07:00was it 529? that one was awfulwas it <a href="http://xkcdsucks.blogspot.com/2009/01/comic-529-guys-remember-that-one-funny.html" rel="nofollow">529</a>? that one was awfulCarlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01074589998141327538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-15376297536599684142010-06-23T21:34:45.532-07:002010-06-23T21:34:45.532-07:00Hey, wow. It's my first comment (or just about...Hey, wow. It's my first comment (or just about) on xkcdsucks up there at the very top back before I called myself Sepia. Anon on Aug 29 does with Psychology pretty much what I used to do with English/Linguistics (stick English in the chain after Philosophy since you can't communicate philosophical concepts with language). Hell, make it Communications for a college major which really doesn't get much respect (possibly deservedly).<br /><br />Now I'm wondering what the xkcd was in January 2009 that pissed me off enough to find this blog.Sepianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-72884391908938350572010-05-17T21:15:30.050-07:002010-05-17T21:15:30.050-07:00michelle obama majored in sociologymichelle obama majored in sociologyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-81489680345044838662009-11-09T17:17:02.883-08:002009-11-09T17:17:02.883-08:00I enjoyed this comic quite a bit. I also think tha...I enjoyed this comic quite a bit. I also think that it's likely correct. Depending, of course on how we define "pure" - one way that comes to mind is being able to fully-encompass the prior system with the fewest well-defined axioms. For example all math can be defined within the framework of ZFC and using that you could write a single Legrangian which encompasses all physics (except gravity).<br /><br />That aside, the idea that this kind of academic heirachy exists is pretty true to life and I'd say, that when viewed in light of the alt-text then it even has an air of self-mocking.<br /><br /> I don't really take it as condescending - unless you apply a value judgement about "purity" and something else like utility in some domain or "goodness". Which, to me anyway is just going out of your way to be insulted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-37074146466815161342009-10-29T21:35:01.720-07:002009-10-29T21:35:01.720-07:00This blog misses the point.This blog misses the point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-32506293058400911652009-10-09T00:45:11.149-07:002009-10-09T00:45:11.149-07:00I was annoyed by the strip myself, due to its inhe...I was annoyed by the strip myself, due to its inherent arrogance. I'm not involved in any of those fields, but Randall has a habit of putting down language in favor of math in other strips... Being a writer that irks me, because without language math wouldn't mean a damn thing. We don't communicate in binary.Redstarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-5167599510035176532009-09-17T16:14:22.328-07:002009-09-17T16:14:22.328-07:00HOLY SHIT WOW! I DIDN'T KNOW PEOPLE, EVEN ON T...HOLY SHIT WOW! I DIDN'T KNOW PEOPLE, EVEN ON THE INTERNET, WERE THIS APT TO GET TROLLED BY NON-TROLLSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-62777029236065449432009-09-14T15:37:33.578-07:002009-09-14T15:37:33.578-07:00I'm in full agreement with Anon 3:10 there, re...I'm in full agreement with Anon 3:10 there, really it will just become quite cyclical after a while, since you will find some of it in every field.Camhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18388252234713990053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-47399690776997284782009-08-29T15:10:39.169-07:002009-08-29T15:10:39.169-07:00No, no, no. Here's how you do it.
Psychology ...No, no, no. Here's how you do it.<br /><br />Psychology -> Biology -> Chemistry -> Physics -> Mathematics -> Logic -> Philosophy -> PsychologyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-40346477858446931212009-06-03T01:02:45.165-07:002009-06-03T01:02:45.165-07:00This comic is incorrect, retarded, unfunny, and ba...This comic is incorrect, retarded, unfunny, and basically steals a joke Carlos Mencia style and makes it unfunny, and isn't funny. It sucks. Oh yeah and it's pretty much as self righteous as possible. I think this was actually the first comic where I seriously started to hate xkcd. The rest I thought were either mediocre, or the earlier ones that of course a lot of people agree were usually decent or okay.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-55087381699911879222009-05-28T15:42:53.160-07:002009-05-28T15:42:53.160-07:00This comic is true, but means nothing.
Biology is...This comic is true, but means nothing.<br /><br />Biology is a "chaotic system" of chemistry. Reductionism is probably true, just useless. If you know everything in physics, you can explain everything in biology, over and infinite amount of time and calculationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-86650786004290800652009-05-02T08:35:00.000-07:002009-05-02T08:35:00.000-07:00I also want to add that if you concede that organi...I also want to add that if you concede that organismal biology can be interpreted as applied chemistry, the studies of ecology and population genetics are really applied organismal biology, which is applied applied chemistry. Can we just call that applied chemistry?caitlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-53978651645418037182009-05-02T08:28:00.000-07:002009-05-02T08:28:00.000-07:00OH. MY. GOD. I just want to start out by asking if...OH. MY. GOD. I just want to start out by asking if you have all been to a doctor about your high blood pressure problem? Do you seriously go through life looking for things to be offended by? Doesn't that get stressful? My boyfriend, a chemist, likes to make fun of me, a biologist for the exact same reason depicted in this comic. But I also majored in math in college, so I can turn that around on him too. When this comic came out, we both found it highly amusing as it added to our debate.<br /><br />I've racked my brain to figure out how this is condescending to mathematicians; I've got nothing. I see where you can interpret insult to other fields from this comic, but as a biologist myself, I'm not offended even a little. Why? IT'S A FUCKING JOKE. I might be offended if, instead of a comic, this were a blog entry about why less pure fields are inferior, but I think the point has already been brought up that Randall himself clearly doesn't think this if he is an applied scientist. <br /><br />In short, whether this comic is funny is clearly subjective. But if you are looking for something to get pissed about because you're angsty, then I guess I'm glad we're not friends. You all sound way too high maintenance.caitlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-28805862472678377992009-04-10T10:22:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:22:00.000-07:00Again, I point out that if he's taking a jab at im...Again, I point out that if he's taking a jab at impure fields, he's taking a jab at himself. While I do know that it is healthy to be able to laugh at oneself, I have difficulty believing that that is what he is doing here. After all, the applied fields are, by the very word "applied", very important to all of our lives. For crying out loud, we wouldn't be discussing this comic on a blog over the internet if it weren't for the applied sciences!<BR/><BR/>I'm not going to continue arguing about this all day; suffice it to say that I feel y'all are getting offended over nothing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-9644029340563560612009-04-10T10:04:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:04:00.000-07:00I guess it depends on the joke, really. Is it "ha ...I guess it depends on the joke, really. Is it "ha ha, only serious?" Stating your opinion with a smirk and then claiming plausible deniability? That's a common one.<BR/><BR/>I think your problem is you are operating based on the assumption that opinions are pristine. Sure, you disagree with the interpretation that this is kind of a smug swipe at less-pure fields--that's great, but it's not fun to talk about if you're going to constantly remind everyone that it's all opinions.<BR/><BR/>I feel like it's more in keeping with Randall's character and his Illustrated Picture Blog to interpret it as a fairly straightforward jab at "less pure" fields. The addition of psychology and sociology, which don't really belong on the chain, adds to that impression--I feel like Randy is probably not a big fan of the social sciences. (He just seems like the type.)rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-23240103575105681812009-04-10T09:43:00.000-07:002009-04-10T09:43:00.000-07:00Were you really a guy who truly believed that wome...Were you really a guy who truly believed that women are inferior, I would begin to wonder whether maybe you are so insecure in your manliness that you have to put down others to reassure yourself. And, of course, you have to spend time with them to constantly reassure yourself. :) So... no, it wouldn't really be insulting. Just stupid. And that's coming from a guy.<BR/><BR/>As someone who, presumably, doesn't truly hold that belief, you come across as making fun of guys who do. In the same way that I see Randall coming across as making fun of those who equate purity with superiority.<BR/><BR/>Would you care to explain to me why my interpretation of the comic is any less valid than yours? The most obvious interpretation isn't necessarily the most valid, you know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com