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IDontTrustGod t1_jbi11ci wrote

Love this, great visualizations! I feel like a lot of people could really benefit from some of these, especially the sexuality one

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Michigainer t1_jbiekrr wrote

This is the most profound thing I've seen online since it's inception.🤯🥇

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SenileTomato t1_jbift4s wrote

This is really...odd and not entirely straight forward.

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clinicalpsycho t1_jbigo08 wrote

I like it, two refutations.

  1. Institutions have money, which means power. They are limited in that they are only composed of humans.
  2. Have you ever felt the feeling you get, when you try to talk with all of your neighbors at least once, only to realize that you do not feel like a peer to them? As in, your opinions or abilities are drastically different to them? THAT, is loneliness. To be among people yet incompatible with them.
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griftertm t1_jbij3sv wrote

Winston Rowntree is one of my faves

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vegainthemirror t1_jbik718 wrote

Viruscomix!! Wow, haven't read anything from them for so long. If you guys ever want to feel philosophical with a webcomic, check them them out.

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TheFunnyShah t1_jbiksti wrote

Replying to clinicalpsycho (#2,191,596)

>>THAT, is loneliness. To be among people yet incompatible with them.

My refutation. I believe that there's a common thread that unites most if not all people, be it music, food, sports, etc. Finding it is hard, but that is the key to attaining compatibility

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Hargelbargel t1_jbiqhgk wrote

Replying to scifishortstory (#2,191,762)

Not necessarily. To me it the left picture means "pervert or pure." I think there's a lot of stuff that isn't quite "same-race-heterosexual-lights-off-missionary" that people can do and not have to feel ashamed of.

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Cynical_Manatee t1_jbit3pn wrote

Replying to TheFunnyShah (#2,191,719)

Or you are just looking in the wrong places. The people closest to you by proximity might not be the people closest to you as a friend. I know I have met more people online whom are all over the word that are better friends than anyone I have met irl.

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Zyxyx t1_jbiv7im wrote

Replying to realsmartfun (#2,191,688)

Which is simply not true in the slightest. It takes a hell of a lot of effort to topple the average institution. It's why they became an institute in the first place; they endured when other would-be institutions didn't.

Some institutions are stronger than entire nation states, which are institutes themselves.

Even weak institutions are tough and take years to bring down. Do you have an example of an institution that the image applies to?

In fact, I'd say the image has it completely backwards. Some institutions appear fragile on the surface, but in reality are so ingrained into the fabric of their respective society that they're for all intents and purposes invulnerable to a whole generation of people.

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bayindirh t1_jbiw50y wrote

Viruscomix has great content for what it conveys. The artist makes the reader think through it.

Actually, this is one of the comics which changed the course of my life, and I'm not exaggerating it, a bit.

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Rompkins t1_jbiypyz wrote

Needed this today!

And every day really…

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Erilaz_Of_Heruli t1_jbjj6ld wrote

It starts off pretty normal then...

"Hey, you don't need to feel insecure. Also institutions are pretty fragile, arent they ? Ever thought about starting a revolution ? Aren't you happy that you aren't on fire right now ? Life is just a dream."

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realsmartfun t1_jbjqjap wrote

Replying to Zyxyx (#2,192,053)

Lol. Right. Uh.. the medical system. Education. The legal system. Finance. And that’s in America. In developing countries these institutions are 10x more fragile.

You’re taking this too literally. Institutions are hard to topple because they’re required for functioning society and that’s how society has and wants to be organized, but that doesn’t mean they’re tough.

They’re made up mostly of overworked people who are actually running them, they’re often very slow and mired in bureaucracy which means if they’re hit with sudden influxes they will essentially fail, and executives who are corrupt, out of touch, useless and who contribute to their weakening.

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Pudding_Hero t1_jbjye3l wrote

I can’t say that sexuality has ever been portrayed by virgin demons but I suppose I need to get out more

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MarshallBanana_ t1_jbjzlko wrote

Thanks for posting this! I used to love reading this comic years ago but I had forgotten what it was

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realsmartfun t1_jbjzwah wrote

Replying to Amphy64 (#2,193,908)

No one is saying anything about what you should do. This image isn’t telling you to do anything. It’s just making a point about the state of many institutions. If anything, maybe this should motivate you to… help?

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kkkreg t1_jbk1yr3 wrote

saw this on tumblr years back. had it printed and tacked on a cork board in my room. it really helped me pull focus on what goes on in my head versus what really is happening. sometimes our anxious, over thinking side dominates and these illustrations do a great job of reigning that side of myself in

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rotating_pebble t1_jbk29ou wrote

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven”

― John Milton, Paradise Lost

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tandomayo t1_jbk2mhb wrote

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.

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Richard-Long t1_jbk2mpq wrote

Definitely a dream, the second to last one with the rain is amazing, my favorite. This doesn't explain being cursed with anxiety or overthinking but it helps.

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Amphy64 t1_jbk4c8z wrote

Replying to realsmartfun (#2,193,921)

The little monster on the leg kind of makes it seem like the image suggests pulling down, to me. I think the artist was probably thinking of institutions in a negative light.

(My ability to help is probably limited to whether being sick on things is helpful...)

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TheRealBillyShakes t1_jbk99se wrote

I agree, except for the confidence thing. There are some that are extremely self assured and there are brain exercises one can do to improve one’s confidence, just like working a muscle at the gym (just don’t expect overnight miracles at either location; it’s a long process, but a worthy one).

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bubblesthehorse t1_jbkds5w wrote

Some of these i like. But some... Motivation sometimes seems to be like "hey your problems aren't that big!" But people are for real sick, for real homeless, for real friendless, for real suicidal. Problems can be actually really big and you can't stand up to everything and everyone.

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DBProxy t1_jbkgtvv wrote

Replying to nlikelyReaction (#2,193,693)

My 2 closest friends, who I’ve known for 15 years, 1 lives in a different state, and the other lives in another country. We’ll likely never meet, but I don’t think I’d trade them for anyone else.

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skatmanjoe t1_jbkjzsq wrote

Replying to scifishortstory (#2,191,762)

I understand it more along the lines of masculinity/femininity. Everyone has both masculine and feminine traits, generally man have more masculine traits and women more feminine traits, but its always a mix. A similar idea is represented by the ying-yang symbol in Eastern religions.

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Optionzmenu t1_jbklv35 wrote

Replying to bubblesthehorse (#2,194,582)

I may be seeing it wrong but I don’t think this was trying to negate the problems that someone feel? But just trying to put into perspective to be thankful for what you have and that you may be more fortunate than you initially believe?

Like if you do have a serious problem, at the very least, there is some comfort in knowing you are not alone and others are experiencing it too

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bubblesthehorse t1_jbkn7nv wrote

Replying to Optionzmenu (#2,194,938)

no, i think that's never the intention of these but for example, the last one "is it all a dream?" no, it's not. and it kinda makes me feel like... an easy way to dismiss people? they just rub me the wrong way basically.

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Advocate_Diplomacy t1_jbkst4f wrote

It is true, because any institution is only as good as the members of it’s faculty, which are all subject to corruption and death. Things can change in an instant that might completely topple even our greatest and most popular institutions.

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kid_ampersand t1_jbl47ea wrote

I have never written fan mail to anyone in my almost 40 years of existence: despite absorbing a ton of media, never written a favorite author, director, musician, actor, anyone. Until I read this specific comic (it's from Subnormality by Winston Rowntree), and I wrote him an e-mail letting him know that a lot of his work really resonated and helped me, inspired me, and sometimes just entertained me.

I highly recommend you check out his other stuff, but be forewarned: although he's a webcomic artist, don't expect many three-panel jokes and the like; each one is more like a short play or novella, so you have to strap in.

Edited to add: I actually bought of poster of this and have it on a wall of art I love. It's a nice daily reminder.

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kid_ampersand t1_jbl4hfs wrote

Replying to vegainthemirror (#2,195,171)

Yes, his regular comic is called Subnormality, and he used to illustrate for Cracked under Abnormality, It's all under a blanket of Virus Comix. His (pen) name is Winston Rowntree, I highly recommend looking him up.

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nerd_in_training t1_jbl5m8f wrote

Wow, I saw this a long time ago and wanted to buy a print… then promptly forgot about it. Not this time, though! Print ordered… thanks for posting!

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galactictock t1_jblt68t wrote

Replying to eetuu (#2,193,139)

I don’t think the author is saying it’s either, just that the illusion is there. To the lone outsider, institutions seem indomitable but to the institution, an individual outsider could pose a significant threat. Institutions can be helpful or harmful, but either way we should bear in mind they are not invulnerable

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FO_Steven t1_jbm9gju wrote

What, no gender panel? Nothing about POC? Fucking bigot

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nlikelyReaction t1_jbme9u2 wrote

Replying to DBProxy (#2,194,745)

Yeah that's my point regardless the option is possible if you guys really want to and have the time to lol it's not like there won't ever be a small window to take the chance its just up to the people involved

I also understand the need for a more physically close relationship so yeah but not everyone operates on that level so that's why I said it's enough for some

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mattsprofile t1_jbmfxya wrote

Replying to realsmartfun (#2,193,480)

Sure, a large impact can take out an institution, but it needs to be a large impact. One squirrel biting the institution's leg won't take it down, it would need to be a million squirrels who used to be working for the institution that suddenly decide to work against it. Which isn't an easy thing to achieve if you are interested in taking down any particular institution.

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vnummela1 t1_jbmgwe8 wrote

These are all woefully optimistic. Reality is often much more grim than your observation on the surface level.

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realsmartfun t1_jbmlf3c wrote

Replying to mattsprofile (#2,197,841)

Wrong. One thing can knock out a leg and completely destroy the integrity and function of an institution. Take the example of one sexual assault and abuse case against the Catholic Church - it has never recovered the piety, integrity and trust that existed before that - it is a huge body, standing on very thin, weak legs.

The fact that it still exists isn’t the point, it’s that fact that it’s massive, portrayed as one thing, but is very much not what it seems.

I’m not going to keep explaining this to your or arguing your incorrect interpretations or beliefs. It’s a good metaphor - you just seem to be fawning over institutions and how big and powerful they are - look at education, the economy, healthcare, justice, the family - most of what is spoken about in current events is how EVERY SINGLE ONE is broken.

Bye.

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Doc_Anya t1_jbmomm6 wrote

Thank you for sharing this.. It helped me..

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Tyk3s t1_jbmsk9b wrote

Yaay lgbtqilmnop+ monsters! So motivating 👊

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TotallynottheCCP t1_jbmuq5b wrote

This speaks to me.

Growing up I couldn't have possibly imagined that my actions would have any significant effect on others around me, I felt so incredibly invisible and meaningless and worthless, I did anything I could to feel like I mattered and to be noticed.

Only now, like 20+ years later do I realize that I myself am sometimes "the protagonist in someone else's movie" who's actions actually make or break someone else's day.

It's such a mind fuck when you realize that you actually do mean something to other people and your influence actually makes a noticeable difference in their life path just as someone else you liked made a difference in yours long ago.

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DreadMirror t1_jbo5vo1 wrote

If only a picture could actually help you get over your mental issues. Life would be so much easier.

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Gyoza-shishou t1_jboasnd wrote

Damn, the one about institutions really captures the current era, huh?

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