College has never been so insulting!
Monday, January 18, 2010
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138 comments:
Yeah, I'm just gonna sit over here in the corner and be ever-so-slightly insulted. Uncalled for, comic. Uncalled for. :|
Here's some fun trivia! Almost the same evil scheme was used in an episode of He-Man! The villain Batros stole all the books in eternia to become, and im not kidding, the smartest and most powerful man in the world!
Granted, just trying to get people uninterested in college is more stupid, BUT Batros did walk around in briefs and a batmask.. I think I'll call it a draw! ^^
Wow. Your review shielded me from the full force of that comic's awfulness, and it's still painful to watch. A comic with long stretches of bad dialogue coupled with a horribly patronizing attitude and a barely existent plot? Uy! I'm glad that you read it and not me.
Weird, from the title I was expecting a comic about time travelers, not a PSA about college. Guess I'll just go read Booster Gold for my time traveling superhero comic fix.
So, how exactly would making kids not go to college make you the smartest nd most powerful man in the world? Wouldn't there still be people who already have graduated college? I've seen KND villians with plans that make more sense!
I'll admit, I dropped out of high school (got my GED, though, and it was only half my senior year I dropped out for), and I never went to college, and I'll admit that I've had trouble keeping a job, but school I found insultingly boring, and my luck with jobs is more due to laziness and problems with dealing with work stress. I seem to have a knack for picking up on things and getting it done, and I've been told that, if I put my mind to it, I've got the artistic talents (which I mainly picked up through my won experimenting instead of hard schooling) to make it big in the entertainment industry as a professional author or artist. So, I have to agree, this comic is utterly stupid and insulting in saying that intelligence and success comes only from school. If anything, it all depends on the individual's drive and stress handling, personal strengths and talents, and their capacity to learn and follow through with what needs to be done with the job at hand.
It is a good idea to tell kids that they should go to college, in my opinion. But I agree, that this comic sucks. The plotidea is plain dumb. It has so many holes in it, I don't want to even start counting. And I really don't think that this thing worked. It's a in-your-face-message no one likes to read.
Yeah, cause I know my degree in Anthropology is critical for managing a Starbucks.
Wow....I really feel insulted for dropping out of collage.
Ironbite-and what an insulting group of Power Rangers
Long-time viewer, first-time poster. Hi all! :)
The villain's name was "Dr. Know," which sounds like "Dr. No," and you didn't make one James Bond joke? Come on, it was so obvious!
Anyhow, I enjoyed this episode. Keep up the good work.
DR No? How did you go the entire video without making a single James Bond joke?
Is it sad that I've seen paperback novels with similar "We'll keep people from being educated about anything so I'LL BE THE SMARTEST AND MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE WORLD!" themes going on? Those books suck as hard as this comic, which is a little scary. And yet, they were still somehow less insulting than this comic book.
Yes, there are definitely people who either didn't go to college or who had to drop out for various reasons who aren't effing morons. I myself had to drop out for family reasons, and I found a steady job where I take in a decent monthly wage, even on a part-time basis, and I actually enjoy my work. Does this make me a moron, according to this crap?
Also, ooh, is that a hint to Mechakara we see after the end credits? We haven't seen or heard from him for a while.
While I would advocate people to get higher education, there sure are better ways to go about it then insulting those that never went or never finished.
"The EdFund Presents" indeed. The work is a pile of donkey dung
Ouch... my head hurts.
Linkara can you make a 5 panel comic? Just to compensate the stupidity...
Maybe Deadpool in 5 panels? ;)
now i have to know what you are counting down to. 100th episode maybe?
btw: i love your stuff, keep up the more then great work!
Hehe, funny. Making all AMERICAN school kids (I'm from Austria) drop out from school and have working class jobs (something a stable economy needs) makes Dr. NO (I really waited for a James Bond joke) the smartest person in the WORLD?
The whole world? Like outside the american continent?
What kind of nutbag who has an advanced degree plans such a thing?
Did I miss something like the REASON? ;-)
Anyway always a pleasure to see your reviews Linkara! Keep up the good work.
I respect him for not making the obvious (and not all that funny) James Bond comparison.
Comedy comes from the unexpected, not the obvious.
*groan*
Bloody hell, that was mind-numbly stupid. Let’s see what my thoughts were.
I get that this comic is a done-in-one (at least I hope there wasn’t more…) but the characters are just cardboard cut outs. If they want us to pay attention to anything in this comic, they did a horrible job. There’s nothing likeable about the characters – they have no personality and from what you’ve showed us in the video they don’t tell you how their life is “better” than those who never went to collage/university so I’m not inclined to really want to listen.
Techno’s comment about “building the net” I can only assume he means building websites. Psst…you don’t need college for that. :P
The plan is really what made me ask “What was the point?” I’m sorry – I still think twin clones of Hitler wins as in the list of horrible ideas. I mean, at least Dr Know couldn’t actually pull the plan off with what he was doing. Here’s a better plan; convince kids not to go to college, make the job market nigh impossible to get into, send unemployment rates through the roof and hire the kids, desperate for jobs to support themselves, as workers for cheap labour. If the guy is so powerful and smart (and evil) he can then use the resources at his hands, blackmail his workers to do his bidding (they’ll lose their jobs if they don’t participate) and have them work in his evil schemes to take over the world. That took me a minute to come up with.
And the comment about fast food places…my rage, I have no words.
Great review, especially considering how ignorant the comic itself was (oh the irony) and it put me in a better mood. Good luck with your student loan bill.
yeah you can actually make a good living as a manager at McDonalds or other fine fast food establishments.
but I for one am offended there aren't any mexicans in the Future 5. Do they just see us as uneducated day labors working in fields?
but on a serious note, if you know what you want to do with your life, have the drive, and are fortunate enough to be able to pursue it. Then you'll do fine. College or not. I got a BS in Family Studies myself, it helped me learn how to help people. College is for learning it isn't always for the best paying jobs.
Wow. Ok, being British, I not entirely savvy with the American schooling system, but by God that was an insulting comic. And while I realize this is only a ten-or-so-page PSA Comic, did they really have to be so damned blatent about it?
Also, I'm impressed at you resisting the "Dr No" jokes. Too predictable, and James Bond shouldn't be associated with this kind of crap. Great review
Always wondered how you felt about Kingdom Come, but felt it impolite to ask, given that you yourself pointed out that the point of the column is not to praise good comics but to analyze bad ones.
Anyway, another good review. As a freshman college student, I also thought it was kind of heavy handed.
Here's some fun for you. I'm 25 this year, I have a National Diploma in media production, A-levels in photography, art history and a degree in computer Graphics & Design. What use was my six years of college when it came to getting a job?
That's right, sweet bugger all as I've learnt more in Volunteer and community work. Not saying that University / College is a bad idea but with out a clear idea on where your going the only thing your going to get out of further education is a hefty bill at the end.
If you have a good idea where your going then it is a good idea to explore further education, not a necessity. Who were the brain dead people behind this comic? The banks who pay your student loans trying to drum up a market? I wouldn't put it past them.
If going to American colleges results in becoming these five twits I'd say your education system is going to give ours a run for it's money for god aweful, and we're churning out more illiterate people in the UK than most of the rest of Europe!
Horrible comic, fun review
Mountain King
Wow, this has to be one of the most condescending, arrogant comics out there. You raised many good points, Lewis; college is a choice that not everyone can make, and refusing to go doesn't make that person any less valuable to society. If I may add to your list of prominent individuals who didn't go to college (courtesy of Penn & Teller):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAclIgu_IEE
And attending college is not a guaranteed factor of success, especially in economic downtimes like this. I'm unemployed with a Bachelor's degree, and a number of friends I graduated with who also have Bachelors, Associates, PhDs and Masters are having trouble finding work. So this comic is basically feeding kids false promises. If I may call on Penn's help again, this comic is... BULLSHIT!
On the review, loved the use of Gordon Ramsay clips to tell off Chef, and you did a great Margaret Dumont impersonation at the beginning (are you a Marx Brothers fan?). Can't wait to see what's in store with the Ultimates review.
Hell, there were even people in earlier that didn't go to college like henry ford,john D rockefeller, Andrew jackson,Thomas Edison,and even Lincoln.
Holy crap, Linkara was a potty mouth in this one (but for good reason)! :O
Man... even I'm raging as I watch this review. What an insulting comic.
I dropped out of college due to health problems. Even if I was able to stay on I would've left anyway because my dad passed away suddenly and it affected me quite badly. I know some colleges let you have time off for those sort of things, but I don't like falling behind on my studies so I was bound to leave either way. Reason why I can't go back...? You guessed it; money.
Though, mind you... I wouldn't go back even if I had the money. I'm at the point where I want to get a job and just save up. I don't want a huge job with a classy life or any of that. A simple life spent with my loved ones is all I need. So suck on that Future 5.
My goodness, I'm sorry I rambled there. XD
Even if I hadn't attended college, I doubt I'd be insulted by this comic telling me I need to go. I'm just mildly annoyed that anyone would think publishing comics like this would actually change someone's opinion on college. People like this never know what really makes comics work; they seem to think it's nothing but colorful pictures with word balloons.
And homeless kittens? There's an entire organization dedicated to helping homeless kittens? I feel sorry for the homeless adult cats who get ignored.
I feel insulted and I WENT to college (in it a second time right now since my music performance degree is apparently not worth the paper it was printed on). I am ashamed to say that I've read books with similar plots - to be the smartest person on the planet. And thanks for not making the James Bond joke; it would've been WAY too obvious.
Anyone notice that, with the exception of some vague statistical map that Techno whipped up, none of the Future 5 actually used their super college powers? Chef didn't actually cook anything, Luna just threatened a dude with a snake, Nightbird's power seems to be "having an office to gather in"... And Sky flew the helicopter, which my friend in the military will attest does not require a college diploma.
What baffles me is how they believe that you can't get a decent job without a college degree. Have they never heard of apprenticeships? On the job training? Working up from the bottom of a business until you reach a higher level?
And don't they know that a high number of university graduates (in the UK, at least) are now seriously struggling to find work because employers are looking for people with practical experience - like people get from a job - instead of just somebody with technical know-how. So good luck on getting that wonderful salary without getting employed in the first place.
And haven't they heard of distance learning, dammit?! Institutions like the Open University, with whom I am currently studying, mean that people do not have to go to college and accumulate years of debt and yet can still work towards a degree. Is this somehow less worthy than getting into a huge amount of debt just so you can wave a piece of paper and demand employment?!
And what about people who aren't academically inclined? What the hell are they going to do?
And if everybody's going to college, where are we going to get plumbers and electricians and the like from?
Uh... sorry about that, got carried away. The point is that college is not for everybody and telling everybody that they have to go to college is just so ridiculously unrealistic, unfair, and downright stupid.
I'm going to stop while I'm ahead...
Wow. That was insulting. Especially considering one of my friends has been out of high school a year, and is one of the most successful people I know, thanks to his career as a brucher (sp?). He's also a hellof a lot more useful then a lot of university/college educated people that I know.
Also, where would our friend annoying McChef be without people to cut his meat?
p.s. First time commentator, even though I love your stuff.
I love how Dr. Know would have to kill every scientist on earth to make himself the smartest guy ever.
What's even dumber is that this plan won't make him any smarter; it'll just prevent the next generation from outsmarting him (or not, as was demonstrated with your examples of people who have made it without a college education).
How it'd make Dr. Know the most POWERFUL, though...I...have no freaking clue.
Actually, my school district was asking us what collage we might want to go to and what our major might be...in MIDDLE SCHOOL! Then again, the people who run my school district make the comics you review look logical in comparison.
But yeah, they are trying to get middle schoolers to think about collage. Believe me, its not working.
Tanuki, this is Eternia your talking about. Fashion sense is a bit different up there. (Not to mention guys made of moss, rock creatures that can talk or not depending on who conjured it, a guy with a skull for a head who lives in a snake-shaped mountain and can't get into the castle with his likeness so he beats up the furry minion who keeps coming back like an abused housewife. Sorry, just noting that Masters of the Universe has more to offer comedy-wise than gay jokes.)
You know, I'm a defender of PSA comics. While occasionally heavy-handed, I've always felt they can be a quirky little story or perhaps do some good, and can make kids at least think about stuff they hadn't before.
This comic makes me rethink my opinion.
The best PSA comic was Capt. America Goes to War on Drugs! Anyone else see the irony here? The story is bookended by aliens that we never see, except for their hands, and play no role whatsoever in the plot!
Maybe it's just me, but Professor Flying Eagle there kinda looks like Aging Hippie Superman.
I'm currently a college student getting a bachelors in Digital Film and Video Production and I'm finding out very quickly that people are getting jobs in the film industry without graduating from this school because they are able to use the talent they already have to be picked up. So I can totally see why they would drop from college, kick ass job opportunities arise and they are smart enough to jump on them. For now, I plan on sticking with the course, but if a job presents itself I have no trouble leaving.
But yeah that's my view on things. Awesome review!
Good gravy. I'm a professor of English at the local community college and even I think this is tripe. It's all well and good to give kids options regarding education and funding, but the insulting tone here is just unnecessary in every way. Out of my circle of friends, only three of us graduated from college or university and I'm the only one doing anything with the degree.
Stupid comic. Making me feel like I need to apologize for my career. Sheesh.
I guess the comic was trying to appeal to nerds and brainiacs. But still, as you mentioned it doesn't take college to get somewhere in life. It just takes some hard work and determination.
I mean, sure I wished some horrible fates on the kids in my High School for being dicks to me, but did they really have to catergorize all people working at fast food joints as idiots? Thats not exactly fair. I know some nice people working at a pizza place in my University. They're the average working man and woman, and without them our society wouldn't function.
Just because someone works at a McDonalds doesn't mean they're stupid. For a comic that was apparently trying to be all Multi-racial and tolerant they acted pretty them elitist and snobbish.
Well, to be fair, 1984 involved the English Socialist Party trying to keep people dumb and scared so that they could maintain control of Oceania, so Dr. Know might have been inspired by that.
Though, if Dr. Know DID go to college, but wants other people NOT to go, then I'll agree with you that that plan WAS dumb. He could have just made a Brain-drain device and activated it from a secret bunker, making the entire world population dumb. Then he'd TRULY be the smartest and most powerful man on the planet!
Or has that been done before?
And I thought the Nazis had compelling propaganda.
As a person who has a lot of friends who never finished college due to issues that have arisen but are still very much active, contributing members of society, I've gotta say I'm offended by this comic too! I mean, yes, I'm all for higher education - hell, I'm a second year law student, for crying out loud- but treating people like they're inferior for not going just smacks of elitism and bugs the heck out of me! Thank you for ripping this (thankfully short) comic a new one, Linkara.
(Oh, and English majors for the win! :) )
Here's another guy who dropped out, yet became sucessful. John Carmak a.k.a. the guy who created Wolfenstien, Doom, Hexen, Commander Keen, and Quake. The man never got a programming degree, yet has incredible skill in programing new game code and things like adaptive-tile refresh from the ground up. Suck it Failure 5!
"Holy crap, Linkara was a potty mouth in this one (but for good reason)! :O"
Once again - "FUNK and Wagnell."
Chef? Techno? Say what you like about the Planeteers, but at least their names were original...if racist.
I noticed MLK Jr.'s name on the vet's posterboard. Considering what day this is, the 'democratic response' was a bit jarring. Other than that, decent review.
1) Had this comic focused on a villain who intentionally kept kids who wanted to from going to college by denying them money etc. he might have been evil. Implying that college is the ONLY way to a successful life is, though, silly. Actually, the economic status of your family probably has more to do with your success, but we'll save that rant for some other time...
2) As a college graduate, I felt insulted that this reduced college to a tool to get yourself more money. I may never do anything professionally that is directly related to Japanese religion, but my studies and experiences at college enriched my life and my mind, and taught me a lot of critical thinking. What happened to the idea of wanting to learn for its own value and not just for the cash it gets you in the end? And yes, you can do that outside of college, but if you can afford it, college can be a great place to do it. I think it's just plain demeaning to higher education to imply that it only exists to get you into a higher income bracket.
Also: what's the difference between a PSA and propaganda? Isn't a PSA just a subset of propaganda?
"Once again - "FUNK and Wagnell.""
I'm not talking about that part. >:P
Once again - "FUNK and Wagnell."
Well yeah, but seeing your student loan bill didn't exactly rate an encyclopedia. ;)
Looking at it from a purely job leverage point of view, college is just another hurdle to jump over. It's not a black and white issue and not having a degree doesn't necessarily mean one is any less qualified for a job, but employers like to see that one had the drive/ability/endurance/logic skills to graduate college. Just having a degree can garner respect, which can mean a lot to someone already working in a company who isn't being treated the way they should be.
Still, I agree that the comic is unnecessarily condescending and trivializes the issue. One shouldn't be made to feel bad just because they don't want to or couldn't finish college, just as one shouldn't be demonized for trying to encourage people to go to college.
Ironically this was one of the first comics I got as a kid. The nurses office of my middle school had it.
Even I'm not sure how I still managed to fall in love with the medium considering the fact I got this first instead of something good.
I still can't get past the office talk, especially the signs. As soon as they pulled out those posters (from where?) I was unable to stop laughing. It's like they're holding press conference in there. It's just crazy.
For shame, Linkara, for shame, I can't believe you missed a joke, Linkara, you missed an incredibly obvious joke, Linkara, you missed a joke, Linkara, about Nightbird!
I know plenty of people who don't have degrees and are doing just fine. Also, my high school's been shoving the importance of college education down our throats since the beginning of our first year - so it's nice to see this mindset put down every once in a while.
Also - LOL, was not expecting that last line.
(Psst. The after-credit bit has totally got me re-excited about this Mechakara thing. And also feeling stupid for not figuring out ANY of the clues by now :P)
Thought I'd toss in my two cents. I'm almost 24 and haven't gone to college. This has to do with a lack of interest in careers (I just see them all as mandatory chores), and the huge bill puts me off further. While it's true that I don't have a high-paying job, I can attribute that to the fact that I never learned to drive and I live 20 miles away from Phoenix. Also, I have no job skills, but that's not entirely my fault.
This comic sucks.
OK, I'm an economist who spent several months studying returns to American college and university education recently, and I have to say this comic is idiotic. The fact is, not only is there no guarantee of success with a BA or BS, the returns (considering financial costs and lost wages due to entering the labor market later) may actually be negative! In other words, we probably send too MANY kids to college, not too few!
"Once again - "FUNK and Wagnell."
I believe he was referring to the ending.
Actually, what really offends me about this comic is that it never seems to make the non-pecuniary argument for college; that college introduces you to new ideas, new ways to look at the world, makes your life richer and makes you a better citizen, etc (although, since I live on a University campus, I'm pessimistic on the arguments). College is just about getting ahead in life. Forget philosophy, literature, art, politics or, you know, economics. Just get a degree and a good job and that's happiness. Bull.
It didn't sound like "funk" when you got your student loan bill. :)
I gotta ask-- How'd you do this review without making the obvious James Bond Joke?
actualy I didn't find this nearly as bad as I see a lot of people did on this message board. but to be honest I grew up reading those stupid educational comics in the National Geographic for Kids magazines and other such nonsense so I'm used to this sort of "talking to the camera" type of storys but I don't think I've ever read one as insulting as this one. I personaly plan to go to college later this year but that's only because I want to! whether someone wants to go to college or not is there own damn buisness I mean, WOW!
oh by the way with the James Bond thing going on I think you have already got a top 15 missed opportunitys of 2010 started huh!
sorry about that, great review I started laughing very soon at the beginning and I didn't stop laughing till a little after it ended!
P.S. this comment is running longer than I meant it to but, one question, what did that whole 28 countdown thing at the end? does that mean there will be 28 video from here to Febuary?
I have a college degree in PR and Advertising with a minor in English and graduated in late 2007 (guess who isn't voting Republican any time soon). I now show Standard poodles for a living.
Jesus, now THAT was a terrible comic.
"Holy crap, Linkara was a potty mouth in this one (but for good reason)! :O"
Once again - "FUNK and Wagnell."
Yea, about that. How come you refrain from vulgar language in your reviews? Obviously vocabulary is important, but whenever I hear someone try and substitute foul language for faux curse words (gosh darn, shitake musrooms, heck, funk & wagnells), it's just douche chilling. I'm not saying you have to go all James Rolfe on us, but do not underestimate the comedic power of a well placed "shit."
Nothing wrong with not going to college...but there is nothing wrong with encouraging people to go either.
About the building the internet thing:
He's either talking about writing and/or being a web master, which isn't exactly college material required territory. Or he's talking about designing and implementing the next generation of networking protocols, like IPv7 (IPv6 just needs to be implemented) or some other form of traffic control.
But the people who are actually doing that generally have PhDs so your average college grad with a computer engineering degree isn't going to be doing that either.
And now to use the POWER OF MY MIND to erase this stupid, stupid comic from my memory!
HNNNN!!! HHNNNNNNN!!!!!!
It's not working. Time for the back-up plan. THE POWER OF ALCOHOL!
I dropped out of college two years ago and have yet to be hired for a job that pays more than state minimum wage. The rest of my friends all graduated last year and all of them are currently making at least $30,000 a year. So yeah, considering that they all live on their own and are doing reasonably well while I drift in and out of the psychiatric ward of the local hospital for a few failed suicide attempts in between working part time for UPS and a pet store, I would say there definitely is a concrete advantage in having a college education. I firmly believe that dropping out of college was the worst decision I've ever made in my entire life and I would go back in an instance if I had the money and intelligence to do so (I dropped out because of poor grades and frustration with having to retake a multivariable calculus course for a third time and a physics course on electromagnetism and special relativity for a fourth time).
That's the problem with PSAs. They mean well, but totally miss the point or go the wrong way.
FEBRUARY 15TH. SOMETHINGS GONNA HAPPEN ON FEBRUARY 15TH!!
I bet five bucks someone already figured this out miles ahead of me, but here goes:
In the Extreme Super Christmas Special #1, the *EXTREEEEME* text said he was counting down from 62. Well, 62 days from its upload date would be FEB 15.
And here, he's counting down from 28. Guess whats in 28 days!!
Linkara, you're gonna make my brain asplode from anticipation.
No, Sam, you're the first one to catch it. On that note - FINALLY!
Oh, and there's one more occurrance of the Counting Down that you've missed. ^_~
Now that I think about it, the art isn't too bad which is the most positive thing you can say about the comic.
A good review, but I've gotta say you missed a real opportunity with the title card music. No "My Old School" by Steely Dan, or "School's Out" by Alice Cooper, or "School Days" by Chuck Berry, or that godawful wretched "I Love College" song by Asher Roth, or one of the billions of songs Kanye West has inexplicably done about college, or "Weird At My School" by the Pixies, or maybe the Schoolhouse Rock theme ("Knowledge Is Power!"), or "Be True To Your School" by the Beach Boys, or even "Life During Wartime" by the Talking Heads ("Why stay in college? Why go to night school? Gonna be different this time? . . . Burned all my notebooks--what good are notebooks? They won't help me survive")?
Sorry, I'm kind of a music geek.
Also--sweet Jesus that "Chef" character is annoying. In fact, every single character in this thing is annoying...with the possible exception of Dr. Know, who just comes across as a pointless non-threat but at least seems to refrain from any platitudes about college (and does, at least, make a semi-worthwhile contribution with his hilariously stupid "master plan").
That said, the comic's heart is, at least, nominally in the right place, even if in practice it comes across as patronizing fallacy-ridden crap. Generally, going to college is going to expand your horizons and give you more in the way of job opportunities and skill-building, but, depending on the circumstances, it's not going to be the right choice for everyone, and there's nothing wrong with that. This comic would have been a much better PSA if it had just acknowledged that and provided some helpful statistics rather than burdening itself with that horrible excuse for a narrative. (And I'm guessing everybody here already knows that...sorry for restating the obvious.)
I've seen a lot of condescending and cornball pro-college ads (mostly in the form of recruitment videos), but this comic honestly makes me feel embarrassed about having gone and graduated.
YES!!!
*takes victory lap around the field*
There's...one...more D=?
Wha- Bu- th- AH GREAT. Now I have to go double back through all the episodes.
Tell me, does it have something to do with Pollo making the obscure 1408 reference in the Phantasmagoria 2/Silent Hill alternate ending? Because that part intrigued me when I first saw it, and there is mention of counting, however it is from the number 1 which does not make SENSE in my theory so there remains the distinct possibility that this is a big fat red herring however maybe if you combine the other numbers in a certain way that hasn't occurred to me yet then the whole verse turns into a giant clue and good God this entire arc has occupied so much of my brain that I've forgotten how punctuation works.
What was I asking? Oh yes: Pollo. Was his Silent Hill bit relevant?
Oh my, yes. But the specific relevant passage was "He's Counting Down From 107." ^_~
...
One oh seven? 107. Oh... well that would be pretty logical, wouldn't it?
Heh ^.^'
SO HEY, it's two in the freakin' morning, what are you doing on the internet at this hour!? Go to sleep!!
That plan....Wh....Plan....I....
*POP*
Well, there goes my brain. Thanks a lot comic.
And it looks like we have another event comic! Think you can survive this?
He is coming Linkara. He will knock 4 times.
This PSA comic shows that even Wheeler can get a qualified job. He goes to college and becomes "Chef". What a career, man. If he only overcame his attitude. Isn't there a program: "Overcome your bad attitude in 34 steps"?
Precentor: But that's sort of the point, I think. You didn't drop out of college because you were lazy or thought it was stupid, you dropped out because the academic workload wasn't for you, and youdidn't have the money. I mean, unless you wanted to become an engineer or a physicist, you don't necessarily need the skills to pass the classes you mentioned.
Rather than kicking yourself for not getting a college degree, try looking into other programs to help you get job training and experience that could get you on a higher-paying track. And if it's any consolation, I have a Masters degree and I've yet to work for anything above minimum wage since college. :/ The economy stinks right now, and I'm just networking and building up a resume, which can be as important as a degree. (It also helps that my parents are financially well off enough to help support me, but again, not going to get into my opinions on the perpetuation of class in this forum...)
Wow, there's a bit more profanity here than his previous vids.
Awesome.
In all seriousness, to get to where the likes of Bill Gates, Thomas Edison etc. have been, it takes a lot of hard work, a bit of luck, some good networking skills, a little cunning and ruthlessness to get there.
And oh, reading lots of Sun Tzu, Machiavelli & Robert Greene might help.
@A Tribe Called Helloween
Let’s be fair to the AVGN and NC; a lot of people swear in their reviews. There’s nothing wrong with that but to me, it’s getting old and somewhat immature. Equally well, I know people who swear all the time (heck, get me started on a subject I loathe and I can come up with some combinations to make sailors blush) and it’s meaningless to me now. The words “fuck” and “shit” are so overused that they fail to generate any response nowadays.
Now, contrast with Linkara. While he doesn’t swear much, or if he does, he’ll substitute words in place of the actual curse, if he was to actually do so (such as his reaction to the bill) then it would have more impact. This is because he doesn’t actually do it. It’s also refreshing to someone who spends most of her time surrounded by cursing to actually hear someone who has the option to do so himself, but tries a different approach. And he’s still just as funny, if not funnier IMHO, than the NC and AVGN.
*steps off soap box*
Also, 28 days you say? Sweet. I think I'll need to go have a look through the clues again and see if I can figure out what he's doing yet. Though I'm sure it's not a plan to become smart and powerful.
Wait...
"you will not be mighty,
You will not go-go"
...as in Power Rangers? And you've been making that green dagger!! Is it secretly a super-special macguffin?
Oh man, im on a ROLL here!!
cheers for this Linkara, this past month has been so stressful at my college this made me feel a lot better ^.^ ATFW is great.
@ Sam
You should join the TGWTG forums and join our little group of conspiracy theorists in the Linkara forums. :D
I have not actually finished the episode, but Wikipedia removed the list of your episodes because you were not notable enough! >O
On mechakara, will the conclusion be in a comic episode or seperate video? I'd go with a seperate video.
While the comic is insanely pretentious and insulting, I feel I should point out that the names you gave of people who never finished college (hell, Tarantino dropped out of high school) yet were still successful are all big-time exceptions, especially Bill Gates (who was born to an upper-middle class family and left his university because he was actually too smart for it). The average person is not going to get a good job/career without at least a Bachelor's.
On a side note, I noticed in the panel with the list of well-known people who graduated college was MLK, Jr. However, there are two reasons I don't think he's a very good example.
1. While it's true that he got a Doctorate, he did so by plagiarising his doctoral thesis.
2. His college education would've contributed much more to his socialist beliefs than to his work with the civil rights movement.
As a teacher, I just have to say that that is my favorite title card yet. :)
BTW, my mom's stockbroker has a graduate degree in forestry, of all things.
About the cursing thing. I've noticed that AVGN has actually toned down the swearing from his earlier work (not much, but it's noticeable). I guess he had enough of trying to top himself. :)
hi lewis can you tell me about
the student loan bill is it good or is it bad. note in not good whith words and phrases so ples be gentile with me okay
"The House of C.R.P said...
...
He is coming Linkara. He will knock 4 times."
I vote Insano gets stuck in the glass box, then.
@ lost youth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_loan
In short, Lewis borrowed the money while studying for his degree to pay for books/food/etc. Now that he has the degree, he has to repay the money since it wasn't his to begin with.
It's not bad but no one wants to do it because it will take a while. And it is a lot of money.
(My tutition fees alone after my four year course will be roughly $8400 just to give you an idea. This is not factoring in student loans because I'm not using them yet.)
He's counting down from 28...wait a second...December 14th's episode said "He's counting down from 62" Both of those lead to...Oh my God. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE LINKARA!
(But I won't spoil your fun, and let everyone else guess what I mean by this.)
Thanks for finally reviewing the comic I sent you!
The evil industrialist's plan makes even less sense if you think about it. One of the big aids for the Industrial Revolution was the growth of an educated middle class. You need someone to make the machines that do the work, after all.
Why would an Industralist whose livelyhood depends on having educated workers decide to discourage education?
In 2001 I left college after three months. In 2005 my kidneys failed and I spent a year on dialysis. Nearly every dialysis treatment I thought at least once how if I dropped dead one day I'd be really glad I didn't blow all my time and money on college, which I wouldn't get to use at all.
....I lived though. Least now though I don't have to worry about student loans AND medical bills.
Awesome review as always.
It's Nightie back again with...whatever he does. Anyways.
You know, much as I like my current job with Navy Federal Credit Union, which has nothing to do with my college degree at all, and only a vague amount to do with the second degree I got so I could move from being a teller to an office, I have to admit: the best people I ever worked with were at the local Mickey D's where I put in a couple of years early in college.
Those were some great folks. I still keep in touch with a few. I worked at a couple banks before this one and the people were just awful and everyone with an office had a stick up his or her butt and was clinching it tight enough to turn coal into diamonds. Here it's a bit better, because your clients are almost exclusively Marines, Navy, or family thereof.
So the point is, the less there is at stake in a job, prestige, money, whatever, the less the people doing it are likely to be soulless ***holes. There advantages to being underskilled or underused.
Wait...Sould't Dr.No be I donno messing with Bond or something? This is just going to hammper his evil operatons. I mean how you gunna take over stuff if you're still hanging out with some kids ?
They did a "Whassup" joke in 2005? Sorry but that joke became dated on January 1, 2001. Everyone knows that and respects that law...at least I thought they did
Regarding the "As for those highest incomes, consider what jobs REQUIRE those degrees." part from the video...
I'm confused as to what your point here is. Is this an insinuation that said jobs are bad? Now to be fair I'm not certain what kind of jobs "require" those degrees outside of the obvious case of medical careers. Law-related jobs and engineering also come to mind, but I'm uncertain as to whether it's possible to work your way into it without training beforehand. Still, if you want to become a doctor of medicine (which pays pretty well), you need lots of education. So like I said, I'm confused. I doubt you're making a criticism of jobs that require those degrees, so I'm really unsure what your point here is.
Incidentally, were there any other comics in this series?
@BloodySharpie
Conspiracy theorists!? OH SWEET, I'm in!
Just made an account (fairinheight, because the odds of "Sam" being available are slim to none), cant wait to earn my first tinfoil hat of utter lunacy =3
"Regarding the "As for those highest incomes, consider what jobs REQUIRE those degrees." part from the video...
I'm confused as to what your point here is. Is this an insinuation that said jobs are bad? Now to be fair I'm not certain what kind of jobs "require" those degrees outside of the obvious case of medical careers. Law-related jobs and engineering also come to mind, but I'm uncertain as to whether it's possible to work your way into it without training beforehand. Still, if you want to become a doctor of medicine (which pays pretty well), you need lots of education. So like I said, I'm confused. I doubt you're making a criticism of jobs that require those degrees, so I'm really unsure what your point here is.
Incidentally, were there any other comics in this series?"
Mostly just wanting to argue with the statistics, which are misleading. The insinuation that having a Doctorate meant a higher income is misleading since OF COURSE they'd have a higher income, because a doctor in any medical or scientific field, provided they do actually have a job, is going to be in a position to make more money. I doubt most people studying for a doctorate are doing so purely out of casual fancy - i.e. if someone's pursuing it, they have a career goal in mind along with it.
I've heard there actually were indeed a few more Future 5 issues, but I can't find any confirmation.
Did you know Frank Herbert didn't graduate from college? DUNE!
Awesome review!
I think this may be the dumbest plan ever; making people "dumb and poor" (just using the comic's logic) in a 20 mile radius circle wouldn't make a rich, smart guy the world's richest, smartest guy.
It would just make that man mayor of Bumtown.
Dr. Know-Mayor of Bumtown, Patron Saint of Kittens!
I had a TEACHER who dropped out of college. It bored him. He wrote a dissertation anyway, and is a Doctor in mathematics, though he hates the title. If you happen to be a math nerd, or if you were bored to tears with math in school, i suggest you read his article: http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf
One of the best teachers I ever had.
Also, Rachel Ray would make a great comic book villain.
Dont you find it ironic that in that frelling dren Superman at Earths End book he shouted 'I AM A MAN!' but in the brilliant Kingdome Come he said 'I am not a man.'
Mostly just wanting to argue with the statistics, which are misleading. The insinuation that having a Doctorate meant a higher income is misleading since OF COURSE they'd have a higher income, because a doctor in any medical or scientific field, provided they do actually have a job, is going to be in a position to make more money. I doubt most people studying for a doctorate are doing so purely out of casual fancy - i.e. if someone's pursuing it, they have a career goal in mind along with it.
Ah, that makes more sense, thanks for clarifying it for me.
This comic randomly reminded me of something: I read somewhere Stephen Colbert had a PhD in science. O.o
@BloodySharpie
He has a Doctorate in Fine Arts.
Just when I thought my loathing of the entire college experience could not get any more intense, along comes this comic. Thank you, Linkara, for freshening the hate.
Oh, and about how you need a degree in your one-and-only field to get ahead? Let's put it this way - I wanted to be a writer, so I studied English Lit. I now handle legal documentation and compliance issues with a firm that helps house people with mental illness & homelessness histories. The degree is only used when proofreading. Yep, definitely not worth my loan repayments. College can suck it.
On swearing - Laura, you're right. You definitely don't need to swear to be funny (Exhibit A: Linkara). One well-placed f-bomb can be as hilarious, if not more so, than a thousand in one breath.
@Anonymous
My bad, wasn't sure if it was true or not. ><
Firstly, Good review.
Secondly, I am 16. My goal is to be a Video Game designer. I'm mostly into the story/codeing aspects of it. and i have never considered Graphics important as long as they are not you know, Rediculous, Or just exceptionally bad.
I come rom a middle class family, We often border on broke. Both my parents have good jobs thanks to the degrees they have, But we are no where near rich and are constantly paying off dept.
As for myself, I still know not wheather i shall get a college degree. My school now (Highschool) teaches me little actual information i need to know besides Maths, Especially algebra.
Most of what i know sbout computers i learned on my own, Online.
I am the type to beleive in dreams. Not to say you should say, throw away everything to chase your dream, You always need to be willing to fall back on a job other than what you wish.
My dads Programmer/Hippie mindset has probbly rubbed off on me a little, But yeah i plan to continue learning all i can about computers, Programming, and web design.
I'd like to perhaps go to college to expand my knowledge in that direction, But i am fairly sure, Illusioned or not, I will become a professional, Moderately well paid programmer/game designer. Perhaps when i am 20, 30, 40? who knows. But that is my goal in life.
And if i can do it without a degree, Wheather i am producing games, Or somthing else... I am fairly sure no one will care wheather i went to college or not if i produce a good comic.
baisically just saying, College is a good thing. But it is not truly needed if you have the drive to learn, Practice, And eventually produce once you have enough knowledge.
Aran
WHENS MILLER TIME??i hope its soon.
those are the best.
wow wassup in 2005.
damn i think "trying to make characters talk like all those young people" is the biggest problem in group comics.
by the way,I AM A MAN is sweeping the nation.
when you scream it after chugging a beer at a party everyones goes apeshit.
Great work.thanks for the entertainment man.
This comic made me made, I'm not doing to well right now in college and I also know people who had to drop out... fuck this comic
Great job Linkara
How many people on the comic's "list of inspirational people" actually became famous because of the degree and how many became famous with something that had nothing to do with their diploma's
Oi. I happen to like eating at no-name dives. Some of them have some absolutely amazing food, and all of them have much bigger portions than the typical fancy-pants gourmet bullcrap.
This isn't just an awful comic, it's a mean spirited one. And that makes it worse.
I remember this comic being distributed when I was in middle school. Seeing you trash it was a wondrous joy.
Holy crap....I've seen you mad, but this time, you were REALLY mad....yikes!
Although I agree with your sentiments.
And that $%$@ student loan bill
Yeah. This comic is like an extended Hostess ad in terms of 'villainous plan'.
Nice video, Linkara! :)
Dan
i'm amazed you didn't make a dr. no reference (know/no)
The comic came out in 2003, not 2005. The reason I know is because I was in middle school at the time and I STILL make fun of it to this day.
I will have to point out that people with college degrees are much more likely to have a high paying job, but speaking as a college grad this comic seriously insults me.
Actually, an oregano cannon sounds kinda neat. In a stupid sort of way.
See this is why I read JSA those guys are more resourcefull for PSA then these 5 Jackasses
"I gradjy-ated, but I ain't too bright." - Alice Cooper
Here's a thought: Eccliesastes 1:18: "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief."
"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
- Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence.
Wouldn't that mean that forcing kids to go to school contradicts the Declaration of Independence?
"I gradjy-ated, but I ain't too bright." - Alice Cooper
Here's a thought: Eccliesastes 1:18: "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief."
"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
- Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence.
Wouldn't that mean that forcing kids to go to school contradicts the Declaration of Independence?
- comment by Mik (Linkara, sorry for sending this twice; I forgot to sign the first time...)
This is unbelievable. I can't believe they actually did a lousy comic like this. I'm all for going to college. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Cinema, but you can't expect everyone to actually get a college degree. If I wanted some propaganda, I would see Captain Planet or one of those World War II cartoons.
The plot is idiotic, even for middle schoolers. You can't be the smartest and the most powerful man in the world by getting people uninterested in college.
Personally, I feel sorry for the people who had waste their skills on this piece of trash.
At the center of this whole comic is an attitude that I despise, which is the elitist idea that everyone should go to college and those who don't are somehow inferior.
I'm a biology major and I spent Christmas break looking for grad schools. But when I'm a Ph.D., I won't be any "better" or more important than the lady that cleans toilets at my university. In fact, I thank God for the people who scrub toilets or mop floors or dig ditches or drive the garbage truck, because until we have robots to do all of that all of those things need to be done. If a job is legal and provides someone with the means to support their family, then there is no reason to look down on it.
College is great for me, but what about the kid who is great with his or her hands and loves fixing stuff? Plumbers and mechanics make GOOD money, and we need them. What about the kids who are talented in music? I know there's conservatories but what about the kids that just want to sing pop or rock and actually have a shot of making it? College is NOT necessary for everyone.
If they really wanted to do a story like this, they should have had Dr. Know spreading misinformation about financial aid and starting at community colleges so that kids who wanted jobs that DO require college from bad neighborhoods thought they couldn't make it, considering that that's actually a real problem (a study showed that some ungodly percentage of Hispanic and African-American boys whose SAT/ACT scores should have qualified them for top colleges didn't apply ANYWHERE, citing fear of the cost as their reason, having seen all the white people worry about it in pop culture). That would have been less stupid and less offensive.
Now I'm choosing not to go to college, is the Future 5 saying I'm limiting my potential?Hah! I think not!
I'm gonna be an author without fucking college education and that my friends, is not limiting my potential!
I do love this comic for condemning ignorance, yet being so ignorant itself. You should be willing to expand your mind, but I think it's well-past time that people are willing to stand up and say that unless you're trying to get into a field that requires specialized training, having a college diploma won't necessarily open any doors for you.
I've got a bachelor of arts in English/Writing. I've been out of school for seven years and it hasn't done a thing for me. I'm considering myself lucky to get an interview at a Sam's Club or pool supply store in this economy.
I actually got a copy of this comic back in middle school from one of my teachers. I never thought I would actually see it again, and yet here it is.
I was going to go to college. Then I saw this review and decided that if this is what college does to you, I'd rather work at McDonalds. I'm so ticked off right now. Yes, college can give you an edge in the job market. But in today's economy, it might not. Not going to college does not A) make you stupid or B) mean you'll never be able to support yourself. That is a ridiculous generalization and I am offended.
I pulled out of university because I realized that it wasn't for me, at least at that time. It wasn't because I was being lazy, or because I'm stupid! Screw you, Future 5!
And thank you, Linkara, for giving this piece of crap the thrashing it deserves.
I actually like your PSA reviews more than some of the others, mostly because some of what you review is debatable.
They gave me this stupid comic strip when I was in eight grade (2006). Really says a lot about our society (or how it was back then). There is only one path to success, and that is spending tens of thousands of dollars on something that does not even guarantee you a future!
The good news, is that I don't think they are spreading this garbage around to kids anymore, because it has been shown that a degree will not necessarily get you anywhere when the economy is this bad. And there are some people who are doing just fine without degrees.
By the way it can go the other way. I went to college and have had lots of bad luck and trouble keeping a job. So going to college isn't a guarantee. Somehow, I never saw this until today. Nice job!
Not to mention the kids who can't go to college because their families are too poor and ,unlike people like Liz Murray and a few other lucky ones, can't get a scholarship or loan. Or maybe I'm wrong and you can get scholarships for being poor. I don't know, I'm not an expert
Here's my question to this comic:
"And what about kids who are poor and can't even get a scholarship?"
And yes I know about Liz Murray and a few others who miracously got into college. But still what the heck?
Old review. But as a postgrad student I have to stay: Fuck this comic and the horse it rode in on.
Nowdays when you can self-educate easily thanks to online database subscriptions, e-learning and other tools, in many cases, colleges are only necessary for two reasons: Certification and networking. Unless you're an honors student at an ivy league university or equivalent, companies pay more attention to your experience and the results you produced where you last worked.
So basically this comic is just like my dad when I was in high school. But quieter. My dad is great though.
I can't believe this kind stuff is still made after the '80s/early '90s.
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