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November 18, 2007
Truth Is What Stantis Makes Of It
You have GOT to be kidding me.
Today's Prickly City hinges on a recent survey that says gossip is more powerful than truth.
Problem. I don't think any such survey exists.
Sure, back on October 16th there was a STUDY conducted that came to that conclusion, but reading through the STUDY I think it's pretty clear why this wasn't huge news. First, it's kind of a "duh" finding - people in general seem to want to think the worst of others, and we tend to put more weight on the first thing we hear compared to the truth that follows (see: "Iraq; reasons for invasion" for an example). Not exactly earth shattering news there.
But how important is this study? Let me put it this way: how seriously would you take a news story that starts "Researchers found that a bunch of students playing a video game..." No wonder this wasn't a big headline grabber.
But that's what Stantis bases today's strip on. Not just the strip, but some lame philosophical argument that truth is somehow subjective (which seems to be a major conservative belief as of late, especially Giuliani - the guy hasn't found a lie about his record he couldn't tell, but I'm sure in his mind it's the truth). Stantis' whole premise is built on what a bunch of college students playing a video game did to each other in a virtual world. In London.
Is this another case of Stantis' editors changing his words? Did they think "survey" would be seen as more legitimate than a "study?" It sure would be pretty damning if there was a survey of Americans that asked, "Which is more powerful - gossip or truth?" and a majority chose gossip. Or did Stantis see a headline, not even bother to read the story and realize how goofy it might sound, and then think "gee, I could make a strip out of this and get people think I'm smarter that I really am?"
What I love is how Stantis has Winslow (not Carmen, of course) say that "truth is now OFFICIALLY subjective." Based on a bunch of kids. Playing a video game. In London.
He gets paid to do this.
Visually Stantis at least takes some time to be creative, but is it just me or is the writing really small? Not exactly pleasing to the eyes. And are those supposed to be dinosaurs in that one panel? Huh?
I guess none of it really matters, since in the end the message is clear: Stantis sucks. That's not the truth and it's not a fact - it's just my opinion. But I think it's one most people would agree with, and I don't need a survey to figure that out.
